The Aztec kingdom had one of Central America’s best cultures and communities. The Aztecs were among the two most well-known Mesoamerican cultures, along with the Mayans. However, the Mexican people retain their lineage and culture. Here’s a concise rundown of the Aztec empire, from its beginnings to its peak and eventual demise.
What were the Aztecs?
First and foremost, the Aztecs were not a single people or country, as the name implies. The term “Aztec” refers to people who moved from northern Mexico to Central America and the Valley of Mexico in the 12th century AD.
The principal tribes of the Aztecs were the Acolhua, Chichimecs, Mexica, and Tepanecs. Despite being from diverse cultures, these tribes all spoke Nahuatl. This enabled them to collaborate and form alliances as they subjugated the various Central American tribes.
What is precisely the Aztec Empire?
Given all of this, it is reasonable to conclude that the Aztec empire was not what most other civilizations envisioned when they heard the word empire. Unlike the empires of Asia, Europe, and Africa, and the Mayan empire that came before them, the Aztec empire comprised several client city-states that collaborated in various ways.
This explains why maps of the Aztec empire seem like someone splattered paint all over a Central American map. This isn’t meant to diminish the empire’s size, strength, and construction. The Aztecs swept through Mesoamerica like a tidal wave.
They conquered vast expanses of territory in and around the Valley of Mexico, including parts of what is now Guatemala. Historians refer to the Aztec empire as a hegemonic military confederation. The kingdom was made up of various Aztec tribes that founded and controlled their cities.
The Aztec civilization’s Triple Alliance
The three most important city-states during the empire’s peak were Tenochtitlan, Tlacopan, and Texcoco. As a result, the alliance was dubbed The Triple Alliance. However, for most of the empire’s existence, Tenochtitlan was by far the most potent military power in the region, making it the de facto capital of the confederation.
Several additional cities have also joined the Triple Alliance. These are the cities conquered by the Aztec confederation. The Triple Alliance, unlike most previous empires, did not usually stay in the regions they conquered or govern over the people who lived there.
Instead, when the confederation took over a city-state, it frequently installed puppet rulers or even reinstated the previous rulers as long as they surrendered to the Triple Alliance. All a captured country had to do was agree to join the confederation, give military aid when requested, and pay a levy or tribute to the alliance’s three capitals every two years.
As a result, the Aztec empire could quickly take over the entire region without killing, transferring, or settling too many people. So, even though the kingdom was known as Aztec and the primary language was Nahuatl, the hundreds of ethnic groups and languages it had conquered remained and were revered.
After the fall of the Aztec Empire
The demise of the Aztec empire did not signify the end of the Aztec people and civilization. When the Spanish took over the different city-states of the Triple Alliance and Mesoamerica’s relaxation, they usually left their rulers in control or replaced them with new native rulers.
This is similar to what the Aztec empire or confederation did: they allowed villages and towns to flourish as long as their leaders vowed loyalty to New Spain. In contrast to the Triple Alliance, the Spanish were more hands-on.
They tried to convert their new subjects and took a lot of money and resources from them. People, especially those in positions of power, were required to convert to Christianity, and the majority of them did. It is another matter of whether they believed in Christianity or not.
Even so, some locals continued to worship other gods, but Catholicism quickly became the most prevalent religion in Mesoamerica. The same was true for Spanish, which gradually replaced Nahuatl and other native languages as the area’s common language.
The Spanish conquistadors, in particular, significantly altered the way people in Mesoamerica lived, worked, lived together, and did things. Unlike the Aztec kingdom, which allowed the people it captured to continue living as they had, the Spanish altered practically every aspect of their everyday existence.
Even the introduction of steel and horses was a significant development, as were new farming methods, operating the government, and finding work. Nonetheless, many cultural and traditional practices remained secret. Many of Mexico’s customs and traditions may still be traced back to the Aztec religion and civilization.
Inventions of the Aztecs
Many of the things the Aztecs created and discovered are still in use today.
Chocolate: The cacao bean was highly valued by the Mayans and Aztecs, which is how it spread to the rest of the world. The Aztecs used cacao to create chocolate, a bitter drink. It was initially made with chilies, cornflowers, and water, but the Spanish improved it by adding sugar. Chocolate is derived from the term xocolatl.
The Aztecs had a 260-day ritual cycle known as tonalpohualli and a 365-day calendar cycle known as xiuhpohualli. This second calendar is similar to the Gregorian calendar that we use today.
Everyone, regardless of age, social rank, or gender, was required to attend school, according to the Aztec empire. Even though children learned at home first, from 12 to 15, they were all required to attend school. Girls often finished attending school at 15, but guys continued for an additional five years.
Pulque: An alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant that dates back to ancient Aztec times. Pulque was one of Mesoamerica’s most popular alcoholic beverages. It had a milky appearance and a harsh, yeasty flavor. When the Europeans arrived, they brought other drinks, such as beer, which had grown in popularity.
Herbalism: The Aztecs employed plants and trees to treat various ailments, and their doctors (tactile) were expert herbalists. Even though many of their therapies appear weird to us today, research has demonstrated that some work.
Red dye: The Aztecs dyed their clothes with vibrant, deep reds produced by the cochineal bug. The paint was extremely precious and challenging because it required over 70,000 insects to have just one pound (about 80,000 to 100,000 for every kilo). Later, the dye found its way to Europe, where it was widely used until chemical dyes superseded it.
Conclusion
The Aztecs were the most influential people in Mesoamerica by the time the Spanish arrived. Much of what they created is still in use today. Even though the Spanish eventually took over the empire, the Aztecs’ people, rich culture, innovations, and discoveries remain on.
