This prince lived but a few months, and was succeeded by another member of the royal house--the prince who had, during Cacama's lifetime, obtained a large portion of his dominion; and who proved a valiant and faithful ally of the Spaniards, in their struggle with his countrymen.
The Tezcucans gradually returned after Cortez had nominated a new sovereign, and Cortez at once set a large number of them to dig a canal from the town itself to the lake, so that the men putting together the ships could labor under his very eye.
Several of the cities round sent in to make their submission; and a week after his arrival Cortez marched, with a body of Spaniards and allies, against Iztapalapan, a town of fifty thousand inhabitants, lying near the narrow tongue of land dividing the great lake from that of Xochicalco.
The natives came out to meet them, and fought bravely, but were driven into the city.

The greater part of those who could not escape were slaughtered.

While engaged in the work of plunder, the Spaniards were alarmed by a rush of water; the natives having broken the bank of the great lake.

The troops with the greatest difficulty escaped with their lives, many of the allies being drowned.
The fate of Iztapalapan excited consternation among the other cities, and many sent in to make their submission, among them Otompan and Chalco.

Not only had the Mexican Empire fallen to pieces, by the detachment of its distant provinces; but even near home long smoldering rivalries broke into flame.