Montezuma thought that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl because Quetzalcoatl was white and so Cortes is white.
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Quetzalcoatl
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When Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés arrived, the Aztecs believed he was Quetzalcoatl, a god who would bring peace to Mexico (some hope!). "Quetzalcoatl" meant feathered snake.
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Well its a simple question really, a Quetzalcoatl is a feathered serpent, the phrase originates from the nahuatl language.