Aztec Empire

6/7/2017 World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras Aztec Empire

From ABC-CLIO's World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras website https://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/

AZTEC EMPIRE The Aztec Empire is the name that commonly refers to an indigenous, Nahuatl- speaking people known as the Mexica (along with their allies), who came to dominate Central Mexico by the 15th century. That empire, however, was short-lived, as Spanish conquistadores defeated the Aztecs in the early 16th century.

Rise of the Mexica

The Mexica rose quickly from humble origins to a position of great power. They were one of a series of nomadic groups who entered the Valley of Mexico—a highlands plateau in central Mexico and the location of the modern- day capital, Mexico City. The Mexica originated on an island known as Aztlán in the north. After leaving Aztlán, the Mexica wandered for many decades. Much of their early history is fragmentary and lost in the mists of history.

The Mexica arrived in the Valley of Mexico near Lake Texcoco about 1250. However, the valley was already home to a number of such competing cities as Texcoco and Atzcapotzalco. Thus, the people already there did not welcome the Mexica, whom they viewed as barbarians.

But the Mexica soon developed a reputation as skilled warriors, and other groups utilized them as mercenaries. Nevertheless, they lived a precarious existence and were often driven o their lands to more marginal areas.

Eventually, in the rst half of the 1300s, they occupied an island in Lake Texcoco, where according to legend they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a snake. That symbol, today immortalized on the Mexican ag, was a sign from the gods that the Mexica had reached their nal destination. On that island, they created the great capital city of Tenochtitlán.

Peak of Power

In 1376, the Mexica chose Acamapichtli as their rst king, or tlatoani. Under that rst monarch, who claimed descent from the Toltec dynasty, the Mexica consolidated their position and began to expand. Under the tlatoani Itzcóatl, the Mexica allied themselves with Texcoco and Tlacopan. That triple alliance conquered Atzcapotzalco in 1428.

The Mexica dominated their allies during the reign of Montezuma I (1440–1468), expanded beyond the Valley of Mexico, and took control of much of central Mexico. They carried out even further expansion under Ahuitzotl and reached as far as Oaxaca, the Gulf Coast, and Guatemala. Thus, when Montezuma II—the Aztec ruler at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards—took power in 1502, he ruled over a vast region.

Mexican society was organized around the altepetl and calpulli. Altepetl were regional ethnic states that had hereditary rulers, markets, and temples to the patron deity. Altepetl were made up of a number of calpulli ("big houses"), which also had their own rulers and temples. https://ancienthistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/601281?terms=aztec&webSiteCode=SLN_HANC&returnToPage=%2fSearch%2fDisplay%2f601281… 1/3 6/7/2017 World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras Aztec Empire

Before the election of their rst monarch or tlatoani, Mexican society had been relatively egalitarian. But soon the distinction between noble and commoner became greater. The nobility, known as pipiltin, received most of the land and tribute from conquered areas. They also held most of the government, military, and religious positions. Most commoners, known as macehualtin, were agricultural workers, while others served as soldiers. The commoners had little chance for social mobility.

Fall of the Mexica

While the Mexica succeeded in conquering much territory, some groups remained independent and hostile. Most prominent were the Tarascans and the Tlaxcalans. Some of those groups, the Tlaxcalans in particular, allied themselves with the invading Spaniards and helped defeat the Mexica.

In 1519, Hernando Cortés, leader of the Spanish conquistadores, reached the shores of Mexico. Spaniards based in the Caribbean region had already visited the coast of Mexico and had begun to hear rumors of a great civilization.

When Cortés arrived with more than 500 men, he had several advantages that would allow him to defeat the Mexica. For example, horses gave the Spaniards a military advantage.

Also, the Mexica believed that Cortés might be the god Quetzalcoatl, so they responded cautiously rather than ghting Cortés from the start. And disease, particularly smallpox, devastated the indigenous population of Mexico. By 1521, the Spaniards had conquered the once mighty Aztec Empire. Ron Young