Aztec Empire

The beginning of the Aztec

The people who became the Aztecs arrived to the Valley of Mexico around 1200 A.D. The Valley of Mexico now surrounds Mexican City. These people spoke Nahuatl and are from the Chichimec culture from the north, a place the called Atzlan. They called themselves the Mexica, and the had drained the swamp so they could build an urban center that was supposed to become the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. The Mexicas were known for being ferocious fighters. They worked as hired soldiers for the powerful Tepanecs.

Aztec Religion 

The Aztecs worshiped these gods: Tonatiuh, the sun god. Quetzalcoatl, god of life. Tialoc, god of rain, storm, water and thunder. Huitzilopochtil, god of war and sacrifice. Chalchiuhtlicue, goddess of springs. Tlaltecuhtli, goddess of the Earth. Cinteotl, god of maize. Tlazolteotl, goddess of filth  and guilt and of cleansing. Mictkantecuti, lord of the Underworld. Mictlancihuatl, Queen of the Underworld. They were called tribes according to their legends.

Itzcoatl Achievements

Mexica king named Itzcoatl became the first of six Aztec emperors. He introduced the revolutionary changes in the Aztec life that drive through the empire for about a century. He created an Aztec feudal system much like that of Europe’s that concentrated wealth, privilege, and political power in the hands of the emperor, his warriors, and other nobles. Itzcoatl distributed lands from the defeated Tepanecs to his warrior elite and other Aztec people. He made structure of noble titles and privileges to reward warriors who took captives in battle. To support the new titled classes, Itzcoatl decreed that the common people owed them economic tribute, labor, and military service. Itzocoatl rewrote history and told the Aztec religion to justify an expanding empire. The Aztecs became the chosen people of the sun.

Aztec Battles Information

Itzocoatls feudal and religious changes in place. Itzcoatl spent the rest of his life joining in conquering other Aztec city-states in the Valley of Mexico.Warriors gained status and wealth based on how many captives they took in battle. Aztecs believed that if they died in battle, their souls would join the gods. Warriors would go head to head with their enemy during battle with spears and wooden swords. Most of the battles were held in resentment caused by the burden of the tribute system. The amount of tributes would be collected from the defeated city-states and install a trustworthy local noble as new king.

The Next Aztec leader

In 1440, Itzcoatl died. A group of Mexica royal advisors chose Moctezuma l to become the next Aztec leader. Moctezuma l was a nephew of the former ruler, and carried on Itzoatl’s war-like policies. Moctezuma strengthened the tribute system of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, issued a new legal code about the great differnces between the nobility and the commoners. The empire began to weaken after Itzcoatls death.

Aztec Accomplishments

The Aztecs had accomplished a deal in a relatively short period of time. In less than a century, they built a city, extended existing trade routes, and devised an elaborate market system. Moctezuma gave people food, clothing, houses, and educated millions of citizens in Mexico city. Hernando Cortes was extremely happy to see an island-city of 200,000 people with stone temples, royal palaces, and great houses all dwarfed by the sacred pyramid. Mexico city back then was times five times bigger than London,England. A year later of deal-making, intrigue, and warfare for Cortes to assemble an army large enough to assault the Aztec capital. The Aztec warriors fought the Spaniards and their Indian allies through the streets and canals of Tenochtitlan. Cortes estimated that the Aztecs lost over 100,000 soldiers in that war.