El IMPERIO AZTECA: origen, Tenochtitlan, política, sociedad, religión, cultura

Summary

El Imperio Azteca, también conocido como el Imperio Mexica, fue una entidad política que en su apogeo incluyó una buena parte de lo que hoy es México y áreas extensas de Guatemala. La capital, Tenochtitlán, se estableció en el Lago Texcoco. Los Mexicas llegaron al Valle de México desde Aztlán y, tras fundar su capital, comenzaron a expandir su dominio, lo que provocó conflictos con otras poblaciones. Formaron la Triple Alianza con Texcoco y Tacuba, que se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca. La sociedad se caracterizó por su naturaleza guerrera y la importancia de la religión. Su gobierno, prácticamente teocrático, estaba liderado por el huey-tlatoani, elegido por un consejo de representantes de las clanes. La llegada de los conquistadores españoles, liderados por Hernán Cortés, marcó el fin del dominio azteca en Mesoamérica, conquistando Tenochtitlán en 1521.

Takeaways

• 🏰 El Imperio Azteca, también conocido como el Imperio Mexica, era una entidad política que incluía buena parte de lo que hoy es México y áreas extensas de Guatemala.
• 🗺️ La capital del imperio, Tenochtitlán, estaba ubicada en el Lago Texcoco en el Valle de México.
• 🛶 Los Mexicas llegaron al Valle de México desde Aztlán, un lugar semi-mítico ubicado en el oeste de México.
• 🤝 Juntamente con los señoríos de Texcoco y Tacuba, formaron la Alianza Triple, que eventualmente se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca.
• ⚔️ La sociedad del imperio se caracterizaba por su naturaleza guerrera y la importancia dada a la religión.
• 🏛️ El gobierno del imperio era prácticamente teocrático, liderado por el huey-tlatoani, elegido por un consejo de representantes de los clanes.
• 🎭 La llegada de los conquistadores españoles, liderados por Hernán Cortés, marcó el fin del dominio azteca en Mesoamérica.
• 🗓️ Después de la caída de la civilización Tolteca, el Valle de México no tuvo un gobernante claro hasta la llegada de los Tepanecs en el siglo XIV.
• 🌾 La economía azteca se basaba en la agricultura, el comercio y los impuestos, con la creación de rutas comerciales importantes.
• 🏛️ La organización política del imperio incluía una jerarquía teocrática con el huey-tlatoani a la cabeza, y una estructura provincial dividida en provincias estratégicas y tributarias.
• 🎨 La cultura azteca, aunque guerrera, recolectó mucho del conocimiento de los diferentes pueblos conquistados, lo cual se refleja en su arte, gastronomía y tradiciones.

Q & A

¿Cuál era el nombre completo del imperio que incluía una buena parte de lo que hoy es México y áreas grandes de Guatemala?

El imperio se conocía como el Imperio Azteca o también como el Imperio Mexica.

¿Dónde se estableció la capital del Imperio Azteca y en qué se destacaba su ubicación geográfica?

La capital del imperio fue establecida en Tenochtitlán, ubicada en el Lago Texcoco en el Valle de México.

¿De dónde llegaron los Mexicas antes de fundar su capital y qué lugar mitológico se cree que eran originarios?

Los Mexicas llegaron al Valle de México desde un lugar semi-mitológico llamado Aztlán, ubicado en el oeste de México.

¿Con qué señal se les dijo a los Mexicas que habían llegado al lugar donde debían fundar su ciudad según su mito?

Según la mitología mexica, deberían fundar una ciudad donde encontraran un águila comiendo una serpiente sobre un cactus.

¿Cómo se formó la Triple Alianza que eventualmente se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca?

La Triple Alianza se formó cuando los señoríos de Tenochtitlán, Texcoco y Tacuba se unieron para expandir sus dominios y formar el Imperio Azteca.

¿Cuál era la estructura de gobierno del Imperio Azteca y quién era la máxima autoridad?

El gobierno del Imperio Azteca era teocrático y estaba encabezado por el huey-tlatoani, quien era elegido por un consejo compuesto por representantes de los clanes de la sociedad.

¿Quién lideró la conquista del Imperio Azteca y en qué año fue conquistada su capital, Tenochtitlán?

El conquistador español Hernán Cortés lideró la conquista del Imperio Azteca, y Tenochtitlán fue conquistada en 1521.

¿Cómo se dividía la economía del Imperio Azteca y qué eran sus tres pilares fundamentales?

La economía del Imperio Azteca se basaba en tres pilares: la agricultura, el comercio y los impuestos.

¿Cómo se organizaba la sociedad azteca y cuáles eran las tres clases sociales principales?

La sociedad azteca estaba dividida en veinte clanes llamados calpullis, y las tres clases sociales principales eran la nobleza, el pueblo común y los esclavos.

¿Qué características tenía la gastronomía azteca y qué productos eran fundamentales en su dieta?

La gastronomía azteca estaba basada en el maíz, frijoles, amaranto y chiles, siendo el maíz el producto más importante, incluso parte de su mitología.

¿Qué importancia tenía la religión en la sociedad azteca y cuál era su relación con el sacrificio humano?

La religión era de gran importancia en la sociedad azteca, y el sacrificio humano estaba estrechamente relacionado con sus creencias religiosas, siendo una forma de retribuir a los dioses por los sacrificios que estos habían hecho para el bien de la humanidad.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Fundación y expansión del Imperio Azteca

El Imperio Azteca, también conocido como el Imperio Mexica, fue una entidad política que en su apogeo incluía una buena parte de lo que hoy es México y áreas extensas de Guatemala. La capital, Tenochtitlán, se estableció en el Lago Texcoco en el Valle de México. Los Mexicas llegaron desde Aztlán, un lugar semi-mítico ubicado en el oeste de México. Después de fundar su capital, comenzaron a expandir sus dominios, lo que provocó conflictos con otros pueblos de la región. Juntamente con los señoríos de Texcoco y Tacuba, formaron la Alianza Triple, que eventualmente se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca. La sociedad del imperio se caracterizaba por su naturaleza guerrera y la importancia dada a la religión. Su gobierno, prácticamente teocrático, estaba liderado por el huey-tlatoani, elegido por un consejo compuesto por representantes de los clanes que conformaban la sociedad. La llegada de los conquistadores españoles, liderados por Hernán Cortés, marcó el fin del dominio azteca en Mesoamérica. Con la ayuda de algunos pueblos sometidos por el Imperio, Cortés conquistó Tenochtitlán en 1521.

05:04

🌏 Conquista y caída del Imperio Azteca

Después de la caída de la civilización Tolteca, el área del Valle de México carecía de un gobernante claro. Varias ciudades como Culhuacán o Tenayuca disputaban la hegemonía, pero fue hasta la llegada de los Tepanecs en el siglo XIV cuando la región tuvo nuevamente una civilización dominante. La historia de los Mexicas mezcla elementos legendarios con datos comprobados. Según su tradición oral, su origen estaba en Aztlán, un término que derivó en la palabra Azteca. Fueron un pueblo nómada que comenzó a moverse hacia Teoculhuacan. Otros autores basan su origen en Mexcaltitán, en Nayarit. La fundación de Tenochtitlán se basa en documentos prehispánicos como la Franja de Peregrinación. Según la mitología, llegaron al valle guiados por Huitzilopochtli y fundaron la ciudad en 1325 en un islote cerca del Lago Texcoco. La dominación tepaneca fue un periodo difícil para los habitantes de Tenochtitlán, que tuvieron que someterse a Azcapotzalco. La muerte del monarca azcapotzalco en 1426 permitió a los Mexicas independizarse y formar la Alianza Triple con Tetzcoco y Tacuba, dando origen al Imperio Azteca. A lo largo de su expansión, los emperadores como Moctezuma I y Axayácatl conquistaron vastas tierras, pero la política de Moctezuma II de enfocarse en la consolidación del imperio y no en la expansión, contribuyó a su derrota ante los españoles en 1521.

10:07

🌱 Innovaciones y características del Imperio Azteca

Las capacidades técnicas de los aztecas se demostraron en la fundación de Tenochtitlán, una ciudad construida sobre terreno pantanoso que tuvieron que adaptar para hacerlo habitable. Instalaron plataformas para contener los sedimentos, creando una ciudad conectada por canales y con jardines flotantes llamados chinampas. La religión azteca era politeísta, con dioses relacionados con la naturaleza y una incorporación de deidades de culturas conquistadas. El calendario azteca estaba dividido en el tonalpohualli de 260 días y el xihuitl de 365 días. El sistema de escritura era menos avanzado que el maya, utilizando dibujos ideográficos y glifos para representar objetos y algunos signos fonéticos. La economía se basaba en la agricultura, el comercio y los impuestos, con innovaciones como la creación de chinampas y la construcción de canales de riego. El gobierno azteca se estructuró en torno a la calpulli, una unidad social de clanes con ancestros comunes, y con el ascenso del imperio, se convirtió en una teocracia liderada por el huey-tlatoani. La nobleza tenía múltiples privilegios y la sociedad estaba dividida en clases: la nobleza, los macehualtin (comunes) y los esclavos.

15:11

🎨 Cultura y tradiciones del Imperio Azteca

La gastronomía azteca estaba basada en cultivos y caza, con el maíz como el alimento principal, utilizado para hacer tortillas, atole y tamales. Otros productos básicos incluían frijoles, amaranto, sal y chiles. La tradición incluía la educación de los niños, la poligamia y el sacrificio humano, relacionado con las creencias religiosas y como forma de retribuir a los dioses. Los aztecas celebraban festivales y ceremonias religiosas, como el de la nueva llamada, que ocurría cada 52 años para evitar el fin del mundo. El arte azteca se destaca por su pintura, escultura y arquitectura, con obras grandiosas y cuidadosamente estilizadas que representaban a sus dioses. La arquitectura era resistente y bien proporcionada, con planes urbanísticos previos, y la Templo Mayor en Tenochtitlán era uno de los edificios más importantes, dedicado a Huitzilopochtli y Tlaloc.

20:13

📚 Aprendizaje continuo con la cultura maya

Este video también invita a aprender sobre la cultura maya, sugiriendo continuar el aprendizaje con contenido relacionado. Se anima a los espectadores a dar like, suscribirse y compartir el video con amigos y familiares, con la promesa de volver pronto con más información.

Keywords

💡Imperio Azteca

El Imperio Azteca, también conocido como el Imperio Mexica, fue una entidad política que en su apogeo incluía una buena parte de lo que hoy es México y áreas extensas de Guatemala. Era un poderoso estado que se extendía por la región, con Tenochtitlán como su capital. Este término es fundamental para entender el contexto histórico y la expansión territorial que se describe en el video.

💡Tenochtitlán

Tenochtitlán era la capital del Imperio Azteca, ubicada en el lago Texcoco en el Valle de México. Era un centro de poder y cultura, y su descripción en el video subraya su importancia como el núcleo del imperio, así como su diseño innovador basado en plataformas y canales para habitar en un terreno pantanoso.

💡Triple Alianza

La Triple Alianza fue una coalición política formada por Tenochtitlán, Texcoco y Tacuba, que eventualmente se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca. Este concepto es clave para entender cómo las ciudades-estados se unieron para expandir su influencia y poder en la región, como se menciona en el guion.

💡Huey-tlatoani

El huey-tlatoani era el gobernante máximo del Imperio Azteca, elegido por un consejo de representantes de las clanes. Este término refleja la naturaleza teocrática del gobierno azteca y la importancia de la figura del gobernante en la estructura política y religiosa, como se describe en el video.

💡Religión

La religión tenía un papel central en la sociedad azteca, con prácticas como los sacrificios humanos y la creencia en una pantheon de dioses relacionados con la naturaleza. Esto se refleja en la descripción del video, donde se menciona la importancia de los templos y las festividades religiosas en la vida cotidiana y en la estructura social.

💡Chinampas

Los chinampas eran islas artificiales en las que se cultivaban alimentos, permitiendo a los aztecas obtener dos cosechas al año. Este término es esencial para entender la innovación agrícola y la sostenibilidad en la economía del Imperio Azteca, como se ilustra en el video.

💡Conquistadores Españoles

Los conquistadores españoles, liderados por Hernán Cortés, marcaron el fin del Imperio Azteca. Su llegada y eventual conquista de Tenochtitlán en 1521 son un punto de inflexión en la historia del imperio, tal como se narra en el video.

💡Calpulli

El calpulli era una unidad social compuesta por clanes familiares con ancestros comunes y que compartían un territorio. Era una estructura clave en la organización social y política antes de la formación del Imperio Azteca, y su papel se menciona en el video para entender la evolución de la sociedad azteca.

💡Tlatoani

El tlatoani era el líder de cada calpulli y tenía un papel importante en la toma de decisiones y la administración local. Este término es relevante para entender la jerarquía social y el gobierno local dentro del Imperio Azteca, como se describe en el guion.

💡Arte Azteca

El arte azteca, que incluye pinturas, esculturas y arquitectura, es una manifestación importante de su cultura. El video menciona la calidad y la resistencia de las construcciones y las representaciones artísticas de sus dioses, lo que refleja la importancia del arte en la vida de la sociedad azteca.

💡Gastronomía Azteca

La gastronomía azteca estaba fuertemente influenciada por los productos cultivados y las especies locales. El maíz, las frijoles y el chile eran fundamentales en su dieta, como se menciona en el video, y reflejan la sostenibilidad y la riqueza de su cultura culinaria.

Highlights

El Imperio Azteca, también conocido como el Imperio Mexica, fue una entidad política que incluía una buena parte de México actual y áreas extensas de Guatemala.

La capital del imperio fue establecida en Tenochtitlán, en el Lago Texcoco en el Valle de México.

Los Mexicas llegaron al Valle de México desde Aztlán, un lugar semi-mítico ubicado en el oeste de México.

Tras fundar su capital, comenzaron a expandir sus dominios, lo que provocó conflictos con otros pueblos establecidos en la zona.

Formaron la Triple Alianza con los señoríos de Texcoco y Tacuba, que eventualmente se convirtió en el Imperio Azteca.

La sociedad del imperio se caracterizó por su carácter guerrero y la importancia dada a la religión.

Su gobierno, prácticamente teocrático, estaba liderado por el huey-tlatoani, elegido por un consejo de representantes de los clanes.

La llegada de los conquistadores españoles, liderados por Hernán Cortés, significó el fin del dominio azteca en Mesoamérica.

Con la ayuda de algunos pueblos sometidos por el Imperio, Cortés conquistó Tenochtitlán en 1521.

Después de la caída de la civilización tolteca, el área del Valle de México carecía de un gobernante claro.

La historia de los Mexicas mezcla elementos legendarios con datos comprobados.

Según la tradición oral mexica, su origen estaba en un área llamada Aztlán.

En 1325, siguiendo una profecía, los Mexicas fundaron Tenochtitlán en un islote cerca del Lago Texcoco.

La dominación tepaneca fue un periodo de dificultades para los habitantes de Tenochtitlán, que tuvieron que someterse a la autoridad de Azcapotzalco.

La muerte del monarca de Azcapotzalco en 1426 permitió a los Mexicas independizarse y formar la Triple Alianza.

La Triple Alianza se convirtió en el núcleo del Imperio Azteca, gobernando el Valle de México.

Los gobernantes como Moctezuma I y Axayácatl expandieron el imperio a través de conquistas y control de tierras.

Moctezuma II buscó consolidar el imperio en lugar de expandirse, lo que contribuyó a su derrota ante los españoles.

El Imperio Azteca duró aproximadamente 200 años, hasta que fue conquistado por Hernán Cortés en 1521.

La capital, Tenochtitlán, alcanzó casi 200,000 habitantes y era conocida por su ingeniería y planeación urbana.

La religión azteca era politeísta, con dioses relacionados con la naturaleza y un calendario compuesto por el tonalpohualli y el xihuitl.

La escritura azteca utilizaba dibujos ideográficos y glifos para representar objetos y sílabas.

La economía azteca se basaba en la agricultura, el comercio y los impuestos, con innovaciones como las chinampas.

La organización política del imperio era teocrática, liderada por el huey-tlatoani y un consejo de clanes.

La sociedad azteca estaba dividida en clases y clanes, con la nobleza a la cabeza y los esclavos en la base.

La gastronomía azteca estaba centrada en el maíz, frijoles, amaranto y chiles, con una dieta que incluía aves y peces.

Las tradiciones aztecas incluían la educación obligatoria, el poligamia y el sacrificio humano en rituales religiosos.

El arte azteca se destaca por sus esculturas en piedra, su pintura y su arquitectura, especialmente la Templo Mayor de Tenochtitlán.

Transcripts

The Aztec Empire, also known as the Mexica Empire, was a political entity that,

at its heyday, included a good part of present-day Mexico and large

areas of Guatemala. The capital of this empire was established in Tenochtitlán,

on Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. The Mexicas arrived in the Valley of Mexico

from Aztlán, a semi-mythical place located in western Mexico. After founding their

capital, they began to expand their domains, which caused clashes with other

towns settled in the area. Finally, together with the lordships of Texcoco and Tacuba,

they formed the Triple Alliance, which ended up becoming the Aztec Empire.

The society of the empire was characterized by its warrior character and by the importance

given to religion. Its government, practically theocratic, was headed by

the huey-tlatoani, who was elected by a council made up of the representatives

of the clans that made up the society. The arrival of the Spanish conquistadors,

led by Hernán Cortés, meant the end of Aztec rule in Mesoamerica. With the help

of some of the peoples subjugated by the Empire, Cortés conquered Tenochtitlán in 1521.

Origin and history After the fall of the Toltec civilization,

the Valley of Mexico area no longer had a clear ruler. Several towns disputed

the hegemony, such as Culhuacán or Tenayuca, but it was not until the arrival of the Tepanecs,

already in the 14th century, when the area once again had a dominant civilization.

Origin of the Mexicas The history of the origin of the

Mexicas mixes, as it happened with other cultures, legendary elements with proven data.

According to the Mexica oral tradition itself, its origin was in an area called Aztlán,

a term that would end up deriving into the Aztec word. At that time, they were a nomadic people and,

for some unknown reason, they began to move. His first destination was Teoculhuacan.

Other authors, however, think that this story is based on myths. Studying

the archaeological remains, this historiographical current affirms that they came from

Mexcaltitán, in Nayarit. Foundation of Tenochtitlan

The chroniclers who studied the journey of the Mexica people until they reached the Valley of Mexico

based themselves on some pre-Columbian documents. Among them, the Pilgrimage Strip stood out.

According to the Mexica myth, they arrived at the valley guided by Huitzilopochtli,

one of their gods. The prophecy stated that they should found a city in the place where

they found an eagle eating a snake perched on a cactus.

That was the scene they saw, in 1325, on an island near Lake Texcoco. Fulfilling the prophecy,

the Mexicas built Tenochtitlán there, the capital of their future empire.

Leaving aside the legend, after leaving their land of origin, the Mexicas arrived

at Chapultepec, where they tried to settle. Attacks from other towns forced them to set

out again, until they reached Culhuacán. When they were expelled again, they continued on their way

until they finally settled on the islet of Lake Texcoco.

Tepanec Dominion The inhabitants of Tenochtitlán

spent some rather difficult years. Some of them preferred to leave the city to

found another, Tlatelolco, while the lack of building materials and the scarcity of farmland

caused a great internal crisis. All these factors, together with military weakness

, favored the Mexicas having to accept the authority of the Tepanecs,

who inhabited the city-state of Azcapotzalco. Among the consequences of this vassalage

was the obligation to support the military campaigns of Azcapotzalco, something that helped the

Mexicas to acquire war experience. War between Tepanecs and Mexicas

The death of the Azcapotzalco monarch in 1426 caused a confrontation between his

possible heirs. The Mexicas took advantage of this circumstance to become independent.

At that time, the Mexicas still did not have enough power to defeat the Tepanecs,

so their king, Itzcoatl, allied himself with another of Azcapotzalco's rivals, the lord of Tetzcoco.

The coalition was successful and Azcapotzalco was defeated. After that,

Tenochtitlan and Tetzcoco, together with the lordship of Tacuba, formed the Triple Alliance.

The Aztec Empire The Triple Alliance

was the seed of the Aztec Empire. After the war against the Tepanecs, this coalition,

led by the Mexicas, became the ruler of the entire Valley of Mexico.

That strength, however, did not prevent instability from continuing in the territory,

especially when they began to expand by conquering other towns.

Thus, Itzcóatl's successor, Moctezuma I (1440-1468), expanded his domain by

controlling the south of the valley and large tracts of land in Oaxaca and the Gulf coast. After

his reign, Axayácatl succeeded him, who conquered the valley of Toluca and Cacaxtla.

Likewise, he took the city of Tlatelolco. After Tizoc's short reign,

the Aztecs continued their expansion process. The person in charge was Ahuitzotl,

who ruled between 1486 and 1502. Among his achievements are the annexation of Veracruz,

Tehuantepec and Xoconochco. In addition, he promoted the construction of large temples in the capital.

Moctezuma II was the next monarch of the empire. During his government he carried out

policies aimed at consolidating the empire. This king stopped the expansionist war campaigns and

preferred to focus on subduing some nearby towns that were still independent.

The failure in this task contributed enormously to the defeat of the

Aztecs against the Spanish. According to some authors, the support of Tlaxcallan (one of those

independent states) was decisive for the conquerors to defeat the Aztecs.

End of the Aztec Empire The Spanish conquistadors, led

by Hernán Cortés, arrived on the Mexican shores in 1519. From there they began to conquer the

indigenous peoples they encountered on their way. Cortés and his followers received news about the

existence of the Aztec Empire and its riches. In 1520 they came into contact with the Aztecs and

tried to convince their emperor to accept being a vassal of Carlos V.

Moctezuma II's refusal did not stop the Spanish, especially when the Aztec monarch

was killed in June 1520. On the 7th of In July there were several skirmishes between

the conquistadors and the Aztecs and, finally, the former took control of Tenochtitlán.

During the following months, the Spanish continued to conquer the remnants of the

Aztec Empire, which disappeared completely in 1521. Geographical location and time

Although, in reality, the creation of the Empire was later, many historians date the

beginning of its history to the date in the one on which Tenochtitlán was founded,

in 1325. The Empire lasted about 200 years, until Hernán Cortés conquered it in 1521.

Territorial location The capital of the empire was

Tenochtitlán, an imposing city that, at its peak, reached almost

200,000 inhabitants . From there the Aztecs were extending their domains. First, by conquering

the nearest city-states, and then by taking control of lands farther away.

The Aztec Empire came to include the current states of Mexico, Oaxaca, Puebla,

Veracruz, Guerrero, Hidalgo, the coast of Chiapas, and parts of Guatemala.

Characteristics of the Aztec Empire Innovative civilization

The technical capacities of the Aztecs were already demonstrated in the very foundation

of Tenochtitlán. This town was built on swampy land,

so they had to condition it to make it habitable. To do this,

they installed a series of platforms with the purpose of containing the sediments.

The result was a city connected by canals and endowed with

floating gardens called chinampas where different foods were grown.

Religion As in the

rest of the pre-Columbian civilizations, the Aztec religion was polytheistic. Most of

the gods were related to nature and especially worshiped the Sun and the Moon.

The Aztecs were incorporating deities from some of the peoples they conquered. Thus,

they integrated into their pantheon gods such as Quetzalcóatl or Tlaloc, coming from

previous civilizations. Calendar

The Aztec calendar was based on the one used by the ancient peoples of the highlands. Thus,

it was divided into two cycles: the Count of the days or tonalpohualli, which divided the year into

260 days; and the xihuitl or solar year, with 365 days. Writing

The Aztec writing system was not as advanced as that of the Maya. Thus, they used

ideographic drawings and glyphs to represent objects, as well as some phonetic signs to

transcribe syllables and the sounds a, e and o. The Aztecs wrote with these symbols

on long strips of paper made from maguey fiber or animal skin. These strips

were folded like a screen and were used for accounting of tributes or reflecting

important events. Economy

The Aztec economy was based on three different pillars: agriculture,

trade and taxes. The first of these pillars was fully developed thanks to the fact that

the Aztecs adapted crops to the environment. Thus, in order to farm in

dry areas, they built numerous irrigation canals that carried water from lakes and rivers.

On the other hand, in the lagoon areas they created artificial islets called

chinampas, which offered two harvests a year. Farmland, including chinampas,

was divided into communal, state, and private. The first ones were in the hands of the

calpulli, who delivered them for their use to members of their community. For its part,

state lands were exploited by the state itself or by renting it. Finally,

the private ones were in the hands of the upper classes. As for trade, the Aztecs created

important trade routes that ran from the Pacific coast to the Gulf of Mexico.

Political Organization: Aztec Form of Government

Before the birth of the Aztec Empire, local society was structured around

the calpulli, a type of social unit made up of family clans with common ancestors

and sharing territory. This calpulli was headed by a person chosen by

the inhabitants of the community. With the rise of the Empire,

although the calpulli did not disappear, the Aztec government became a theocracy. In front

of it was the huey-tlatoani, who was elected by a council in which

the clans of the community were represented. The ruler had a series of advisors, among

which the Cihuacóatl stood out, whose functions even came to replace the huey-tlatoani

in case he was absent. All the public positions of the empire

were appointed among the nobility of the towns that made up the Triple Alliance: Tenochtitlán,

Texcoco and Tlacopan. Hierarchy

At the head of the Aztec government was Huey-tlatoani. This, apart from his

political prerogatives, also assumed the religious ones, since it was considered that he had a divine mandate.

In addition, he appointed all the rulers of the cities and was responsible for the

military campaigns to expand the territories. After the monarch appeared the Supreme Council,

called Tlatocan. Its members belonged to the Aztec nobility. Almost at the same level of

authority was the aforementioned Cihuacóatl, a figure of the highest confidence of the emperor.

In a society in which war played a fundamental role, military leaders enjoyed

enormous power. The most important positions were that of Tlacochcálcatl and that of Tlacatécatl,

who organized the army and directed them in the war campaigns.

The cities of the empire were governed by the Tlatoanis, while the heads

of the calpullis participated in a body designed to ensure that the communities had all

their needs covered. Provincial structure

The germ of the Aztec Empire was the so-called Triple Alliance, formed by the lordships of Tenochtitlán,

Texcoco and Tlacopan. The first of these was the one who assumed the greatest authority,

although each city had its own leader. In the Empire there were two types of provinces:

strategic and tributary. The first were like vassal states that paid tribute to

the Aztecs or helped them in war campaigns voluntarily. The latter, for their part,

paid an annual tribute on a mandatory basis. Social organization of the Aztecs

Aztec society was divided into twenty different clans: the calpullis. Each

of them were made up of groups of people who shared an ancestor and beliefs.

religious. This last factor, religion, was of great importance, to the point that each

calpulli had its own temple. The social organization was also

very hierarchical. There were three social classes: the nobility, the common people and

the slaves. At the top of that pyramid was the emperor and his family.

That social division was justified by religion. According to their beliefs, the gods

were the ones who legitimized the lineages and, therefore, the position of each one in society.

Nobility The Aztec nobility

had numerous privileges of all kinds. In addition to being in charge of the political system,

its members directed the army, owned the land, had slaves and servants and,

if they so desired, could become officials of the Empire.

Apart from the above, the nobility was a class highly respected by the people and enjoyed advantages

such as being able to consume xocoatl (chocolate). This upper class was not homogeneous, but

was divided into three different levels depending on their functions and privileges.

The first and most important were the so-called Tlatoani,

the highest authority within the calpullis and who were chosen according to their proximity to the ancestors.

Behind them were the Tetecuhtin, a kind of middle class within the nobility. Their functions

ranged from serving as priests to holding high military and administrative positions.

The least powerful of her nobility were the Pipiltin, made up of warriors

who had to protect the empire and expand its territories through

conquest. At this level there were also some merchants, called pochtecas.

Common people or macehualtin The next social class was

formed by the macehualtin. Its components were merchants, artisans and peasants,

who, despite not enjoying the privileges of the nobility, were free citizens.

The macehualtin who stood out in the army or married a member of the

nobility could rise in social class. Serfs and slaves

At the bottom of the social pyramid were the serfs and slaves. Many of them,

the so-called tlacotin, were prisoners of war and worked for the nobility.

Despite their condition, slaves had some rights, such as the right to marry,

have children or buy their freedom. In general, they only had one owner throughout

their life and, when this owner died, it was common for them to be released.

Culture (gastronomy, traditions, art) The Aztecs, despite their bellicose character,

collected much of the knowledge of the different peoples they conquered. This was

noticeable in their artistic manifestations and in their traditions, almost all of them based on religion.

Gastronomy Aztec gastronomy

was not overly elaborate. Their diet was based on what they could grow and,

to a lesser extent, on hunting some animals. The most important food in its

gastronomy was corn, which was even part of its mythology. The Aztecs cultivated

a large number of varieties of this cereal and used it to make tortillas, atole or tamales,

in addition to other preparations. Other basic products in the

Aztec diet were beans and amaranth grains, as well as salt and chili peppers,

both essential for seasoning recipes. As for animals, the Aztecs ate

quite a lot of turkey and other poultry. Likewise,

animals such as iguanas, axolotls, various types of insects and fish were also part of

their diet. Traditions Among the most important traditions

of the Aztecs are the obligation to educate children,

polygamy and human sacrifice. This last aspect was closely

related to the religious beliefs of the Aztecs. Also, according to many experts,

some of the sacrificial victims were eaten as part of the ritual.

For the Aztecs, the gods had made many sacrifices so that human beings

could live. In this way, their ritual sacrifices were a way to repay that debt

to the deities and make sure the world worked well. The most

common method for making sacrifices was to remove the victim's heart.

The Aztecs were also characterized by the celebration of ceremonies and festivals

of a religious nature. One of the most important was the ceremony of the new fire, which took place

every 52 years, when the calendar finished a complete cycle. The reason for this celebration was

to avoid the end of the world. As part of it, a man was thrown into a volcano.

Art Aztec art is considered one of the

most important in pre-Columbian America, both in painting, sculpture and architecture.

His stone sculptures, whether relief or round, were characterized by

colossalism and careful aesthetics. In general, they were naturalistic works,

elaborated so that the spectator felt impressed. Most of the

Aztec sculptures represented their gods. Despite this tendency to make

large sculptures, its artists also created some small pieces. Normally,

these represented gods of the localities where their authors resided.

On the other hand, the painting was greatly influenced by the works of the Toltecs. The Aztecs used

pictographs to represent aspects of their culture or their history, as the

codices that have been found prove. Architecture

The number of structures found allows architecture to be the

Aztec artistic manifestation of which it is best known. In addition, this resistance demonstrates the quality of its materials

and its construction techniques. The buildings erected by the

Aztecs were characterized by being very well proportioned. In the case of cities,

it is known that the constructions were subject to prior urban planning.

Among the examples of his creations in this field, he highlighted the capital, Tenochtitlán. At its

peak, it was one of the largest cities in the world, with almost 200,000 inhabitants.

Although the city had numerous significant buildings, the most important was the Templo

Mayor. This was dedicated to the god of war, Huitzilopochtli, and to the god of rain, Tlaloc.

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