The Aztec Empire

Aztec, self name Culhua-Mexica, Nahuatl-speaking people who in the 15th and early
16th centuries ruled a large empire in what is now central and southern Mexico. The name
Aztec is derived from Aztlán (variously translated as “White Land,” “Land of White
Herons,” or “Place of Herons”), an allusion to their origins, probably in northwestern
Mexico.The Aztecs were also known as the Tenochca (from which the name for their
capital city, Tenochtitlan, was derived) or the Mexica (the origin of the name of the city
that would replace Tenochtitlan, as well as the name for the entire country).
The Aztec language, Nahuatl, was the dominant language in central Mexico by the
mid-1350s. Numerous Nahuatl words borrowed by the Spanish were later absorbed into
English as well, including chile or chili, avocado, chocolate, coyote, peyote, guacamole,
ocelot(medium-sized spotted wild cat) and mescal(alcoholic beverage).
The origin of the Aztec people is uncertain, but elements of their own tradition
suggest that they were a tribe of hunters and gatherers on the northern Mexican plateau
before their appearance in Mesoamerica in perhaps the 12th century CE; Aztlán, however,
may be legendary. It is possible that their migration southward was part of a general
movement of peoples that followed, or perhaps helped trigger, the collapse of the highly
developed Toltec civilization of central Mexico and its capital, Tula, a spectacular urban
centre that featured pyramids, temples, public buildings, and statuary.
When the Aztecs saw an eagle perched on a cactus on the marshy land near the
southwest border of Lake Texcoco, they took it as a sign to build their settlement there.
They drained the swampy land, constructed artificial islands on which they could plant
gardens and established the foundations of their capital city, Tenochtitlán, in 1325 A.D.

At first, the Mexica in Tenochtitlan were one of a number of small city-states in the
region. They were subject to the Tepanec, whose capital was Azcapotzalco, and had to pay
tribute to them. In 1428, the Mexica allied with two other cities—Texcoco and Tlacopan.
They formed the Aztec Triple Alliance and were able to win the battle for regional control,
collecting tribute from conquered states.
Key to the rise of Tenochtitlan was the agricultural system that made it possible to feed
the population. Chinampas, small, artificial islands created above the waterline, were one
feature of the system. Recordkeeping was important to tracking tributes. Two pictographic
texts that survived Spanish destruction—the Matricula de tributos and Codex Mendoza—
record the tributes paid to the Aztecs. The codices also recorded religious practices.
 A 260-day ritual calendar was used by Aztec priests for
divination, alongside a 365-day solar calendar. At their central
temple in Tenochtitlan, Templo Mayor, the Aztecs practiced both
bloodletting (offering one’s own blood) and human sacrifice as part
of their religious practices.
The Spanish reaction to Aztec religious practices is believed to be
partially responsible for the violence of the Spanish conquest.

The Spanish, led by conquistador Hernando Cortés, arrived in what is now Mexico in
1519. They were looking for gold, and the gifts from the Mexica ruler, Motecuhzoma,
proved that gold was present. Upon arriving in Tenochtitlan, Cortés took Motecuhzoma
prisoner and attempted to rule on his behalf, but this did not go well, and Cortés fled the
city in June of 1520.
This was not the end of the interactions, however. The Spanish conquistadors laid
siege to the Aztec capital(surrounded it in order to cause the enemy to surrender) from the
middle of May of 1521 until they surrendered on August 13, 1521. They were aided by
Texcoco, a former Triple Alliance member.A great deal of Tenochtitlan was destroyed in
the fighting, or was looted, burned, or destroyed after the surrender. Cortés began to build
what is now known as Mexico City, the capital of a Spanish colony of which he was named
governor, atop the ruins.

Aztec religion:The Mexica had numerous deities in their religious pantheon. The
two most important deities were Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, a rain and agricultural god.
Their significance was symbolized by the twin temples atop the
Templo Mayor in the center of Tenochtitlan. Placed within the
heart of the sacred precinct, the Templo Mayor was the largest
and most important temple in the empire. One side symbolized
Tlaloc, and included objects, symbols, and colors (like blue-
green) associated with the rain god. The other side symbolized
Huitzilopochtli, and similarly used a variety of means to convey
his warrior and solar associations. Together, Tlaloc and
Huitzilopochtli communicated the Mexica focus on warfare.
Fire and water, known in Nahuatl as atl-tlachinolli (“burnt water”; pronunciation: at-ul
tlach-ee-no-lee), symbolized war, which was essential to the expansion of the Mexica
empire.

Aztec agriculture:The basis of Aztec success in creating a

great state and ultimately an empire was their remarkable system of
agriculture, the high productivity of which made for a rich and
populous state. Aztec agriculture featured intensive cultivation of
all available land, as well as elaborate systems of irrigation and
reclamation of swampland through the use of raised fields known
as chinampas (“floating gardens”). Rich soil from the bottom of a
lake was piled up to form ridges between rows of ditches or canals.
As a result of the Valley of Mexico’s mild climate and ample water for irrigation, the
chinampas yielded multiple harvests annually. A system of lakes (Texcoco, Chalco,
Xochimilco, Xaltoca, and Zumpango) that were connected naturally and by means of
artificial canals contributed to the strategic importance of the Valley of Mexico by
providing extensive water transportation that furthered the early economic and political
unification of the valley.

Aztec sociopolitical organization:The Aztec empire also was characterized by a

complex sociopolitical organization, the nature of which continues to be debated by
anthropologists. Some academics point to the division of the tribe into calpulli (“big
houses”), pseudo family units established in Tenochtitlán, as
evidence of an egalitarian organization; others emphasize that
the proof of social stratification is undeniable. Because of the
existence of an Aztec hereditary nobility, it has been argued that
Aztec society was “feudal”; however, the relation of these noble
groups to the Aztec kings, to society in general, and to land
ownership was distinct from Old World feudalism, partly
because the Aztec monarch’s rule was more absolute. Records from Montezuma II’s reign
indicate that the empire was organized into provinces and that tribute was paid according
to the production of each region. A gigantic political, military, and religious bureaucracy
was built up, with governors, tax collectors, courts of justice, military garrisons, mail and
messenger services, and other civil offices.

Art:Art was an important part of Aztec life. They used some forms of art such as music,
poetry, and sculpture to honor and praise their gods. Other forms of art, such as jewelry
and feather-work, were worn by the Aztec nobility to set them apart from the commoners.
Metaphors:The Aztecs often used metaphors throughout their art. For example, the
hummingbird represented the sun god, the eagle represented the warrior, and flowers
represented the beauty of life. Metaphors like these were used in their drawings, sculpture,
and poetry.
Poetry:The highest form of art in the Aztec culture was poetry. The Aztecs wrote lots of
poems. Many of their poems were about the gods and mythology, but others were about
everyday life. They called poetry "flower and song".
The poetry and stories of the Aztecs were passed down verbally from generation to
generation. They didn't begin to write down their poetry until after the Spanish arrived.
The largest collections of Aztec poems were put together in the 1500s.These books include
the Romances de los señores de la Nueva España and the Cantares Mexicanos.
Music:The Aztecs also enjoyed music. They played various instruments such as flutes,
shells, whistles, and drums. They played their music for the gods and used it to make
requests such as asking the gods for rain or for the harvest to be good.
Among the Aztecs music, song, and dance played a very important role.
Centuries before the European conquest flourished a rich music culture in
the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and the centres of neighbouring kingships in
the Valley of Mexico and beyond. Aztec musical thought was of a high
philosophical level. Musical sounds, song and dance movements were of
religious meaning and often accompanied ritual acts, such as offerings and sacrifices.
Music and dance were understood as a sacrificial gift to the gods. Interestingly, there was
no Aztec word for music. Music was the “art of song” (cuicatlamatiliztli) and musicians
did not play but “sang” on their instruments. To dance was “to sing with the feet”.
Musical practice flourished among various groups of the Aztec
society. There was music performed by the commoners in each
household and in local township festivities, but also in certain
ceremonies in the heart of the Aztec temple precinct, such as in the
“sowing of the rattles” (ayacachpixollo). The commoners had various
kinds of rattles and small whistles, which were used in household
worship. A group of old men, which were the leaders of the local
townships, played drums. Different whistles were used by the hunters to
attract game.
Sculpture:The Aztec carved a lot of sculpture from stone of all types. They
carved small items as well as huge statues of their gods that were placed in
public areas and the temples. A lot of their sculpture had similar features.
Male statues were usually shown sitting with their knees up and their arms
crossed. Female statues were generally shown kneeling with their hands on
their knees. The facial features were often similar with the main differences
being symbols that were unique to each god.
Pottery:The Aztecs took pride in creating a variety of beautiful
pottery. Other nations from around the lands often traded for
the prized Aztec pottery. They made everything from small
simple bowls to tall jars that were heavily decorated and painted.
The pottery makers of the Aztecs were very sophisticated, mass
producing pottery in large shops using a potter's wheel.
Feather-work:Perhaps the most prized art during the time of the
Aztecs was feather-work. Using this art form, artisans wove brightly
colored feathers together to make beautiful cloaks and headdresses.
Only the nobility and wealthy were allowed to wear feather-work
items.

Jewelry:The Aztecs also made a variety of jewelry. Jewelers used

different materials including gold, silver, copper, jade, and obsidian.
Jewelry made from precious stones and metals was generally reserved
for the nobility.