The tribute system of the Mexica empire was one of the most sophisticated systems of its kind in the pre-Columbian Americas, and it required a complex organization to manage the collection, the transport, and the distribution of the tribute. The tribute was collected by the calpixqui, the tribute collectors, who were stationed in the subject provinces and who reported directly to the central government. The tribute was typically collected twice or four times a year, and it was transported to Tenochtitlan by the calpixqui and their assistants.
The Timing of the Tribute Payments
The tribute payments were organized on a regular schedule, typically twice or four times a year. The twice-yearly payments were the most common, and they were usually timed to coincide with the major agricultural cycles, particularly the harvest. The four-times-yearly payments were reserved for the richest provinces, and they required a more frequent collection schedule.
The timing of the tribute payments was important for the Mexica state, and it was carefully coordinated with the agricultural cycle. The Mexica needed a regular supply of food and other goods to support the population of Tenochtitlan, and the timing of the tribute payments was designed to ensure that the supply was available when it was needed. The Mexica also used the tribute payments to reward the nobility and the priesthood, and the timing of the payments was designed to coincide with the major religious festivals.
The Administration of the Tribute
The tribute was administered by the calpixqui, the tribute collectors, who were drawn from the Mexica nobility and who were appointed by the Tlatoani. The calpixqui were stationed in the subject provinces for periods of several years, and they were responsible for the collection and the transport of the tribute, for the supervision of the local rulers, and for the maintenance of order in the province.
The calpixqui never worked alone. Each one was supported by a small staff: scribes who kept the codices up to date, accountants who calculated the amounts owed, and military officers who protected the calpixqui and enforced his authority. The calpixqui wielded considerable power in the province, and they were often resented by the local population.
The Recording of the Tribute
The tribute was carefully recorded in the codices, and the Codex Mendoza and other sources provide a detailed record of the goods that were collected. The tribute lists were typically organized in a grid format, with the provinces listed in the rows and the goods listed in the columns. The amounts owed by each province were recorded using the Mexica mathematical system, and the lists were used by the calpixqui to verify the collections.
The Mexica had a sophisticated system of accounting, and the tribute records are some of the most important documents of Mexica civilization. The records show the wide range of goods that the subject provinces were required to deliver, and they provide a detailed picture of the wealth and the reach of the Mexica state. The records also show the efficiency of the Mexica administrative system, and they provide a unique window into the workings of the Mexica state.
The Transport of the Tribute
The transport of the tribute was a major undertaking, and it required the use of porters, canoes, and causeways. The tribute was typically carried by porters, who would transport the goods on their backs or on the backs of animals. The tribute was also transported by canoes, particularly the tribute that came from the lake regions and from the Gulf Coast. The Mexica built a network of causeways that connected the city of Tenochtitlan to the mainland, and they were used for the transport of the tribute as well as for the movement of armies.
The transport of the tribute was a dangerous and difficult undertaking, and the tribute was sometimes lost to accidents, to bandits, or to attacks by the enemies of the Mexica. The Mexica had a system of guards and escorts to protect the tribute, and they took significant precautions to ensure that the tribute arrived safely in Tenochtitlan.
Related Articles
- The Tribute System and Imperial Wealth — the broader context
- What goods were collected as tribute? — the variety
- How was tribute recorded and tracked? — the accounting
- Provincial Administration and Tributary States — the administration
- The Cihuacoatl and Administrative Officials — the central government
- Aztec Economy, Agriculture, and Trade — the broader context