The Aztec Empire

Background Information

The Aztecs, or Mexica arrived in the basin of Mexico comparatively late. As early as AD 1111 various groups were arriving in the basin and forming sedentary populations. The Mexica probably showed up around AD 1250 going from one location to another along the western lake shore until finally settling at Tenochtitlan. Berdan (2005) tells us that the Aztecs founded their city in AD 1325, but other dates have been offered. Weaver (1981) suggests that it may have been closer to AD 1345 and sites others who put the date even later. Whenever the date, it is generally accepted that the Aztecs were the last major group to arrive on the scene.

Because of their latecomer status, the Aztecs were left to settle a marshy island which would soon become the great city Tenochtitlan. According the legend, they were told by their patron god, Huitzilopochtli, that they would see an eagle perched upon a cactus with a snake in its mouth in the place where they were to build their city. (Berdan 2005)

In the beginning the Aztecs were not an empire. In fact, they would be subject to other, dominant nations for their first hundred years or so in the basin. Berdan (2005) tells us that they attempted at first to be an independent state, but soon allied themselves with the Tepanecs. Hassig further explains that the Aztec’s initial alliance was with Colhuacan, which was subordinate to the Tepanec city Azcapotzalco, thereby putting the Aztecs under Tepanec rule. (Hassig 1988)

Political organization at the beginning of the Aztec empire was decentralized. Decisions were made by a weak leader and various calpolli heads. (Hassig 1988) They were also ruled by four teomama, priests who led the Mexica on their migration. (Pazstory 1983) However, they soon adopted the Colhuacan system of leadership which called for a tlahtoani, or king. The first king of the Aztecs, Acamapichtli, came to power in 1372, thus marking the first step to becoming one of the greatest empires on Earth.

The Kings

Carrasco (1971)

From this diagram you can see that kingly succession was passed along from father to son for the first three kings. Once Chimalpopoca died and Itzcoatl took the crown, the rules for succession changed. However, it is clear that rulership still stayed within the family. When Itzcoatl became king a lot of other things changed too. He was the first king of Tenochtitlan as a triple alliance state- the first king of the empire. This website will be focused on the first three kings, the pre-imperial kings who made power and empire a possibility for Itzcoatl and for the rest of the eleven rulers.