The defeat of the Tepanec Empire of Azcapotzalco was one of the most consequential military campaigns in the history of Mesoamerica. The campaign was launched in 1428 by a coalition of three city-states, the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, the Acolhua of Texcoco, and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan, who were united by a common enemy in the Tepanec ruler Maxtla. The campaign lasted for about two years, and it ended with the death of Maxtla, the destruction of the Tepanec state, and the division of the Tepanec territories among the three allies. The campaign was the founding event of the Triple Alliance, and it marked the beginning of the Mexica imperial project.
The Background
The Tepanec Empire of Azcapotzalco had been built by the king Tezozomoc, who had come to power in the 1390s and who had expanded the empire through a combination of conquest, marriage alliances, and diplomatic skill. By the early fifteenth century, the Tepanecs had reduced most of the city-states of the Valley of Mexico to tributary status, and they had forced the Mexica of Tenochtitlan to accept subordinate status and to pay regular tribute.
Tezozomoc died in 1426, and his death was followed by a succession crisis that weakened the Tepanec state. Maxtla, the new king of Azcapotzalco, was an aggressive ruler who was determined to consolidate Tepanec power and to suppress potential rivals. He was particularly hostile to the Mexica, whose growing power and prosperity threatened Tepanec interests. Maxtla’s aggressive policies provoked a coalition of his enemies, including the Mexica, the Acolhua of Texcoco, and the Otomi of nearby towns.
The Campaign
The military campaign against Azcapotzalco began in 1428, when the coalition of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan launched a coordinated attack on the Tepanec heartland. The campaign was led by Itzcoatl of Tenochtitlan, Nezahualcoyotl of Texcoco, and Totoquihuaztli of Tlacopan, and it involved thousands of warriors from the three allied states. The campaign was hard-fought, and the coalition faced stiff resistance from the Tepanec armies.
The decisive battle took place in 1430, when the coalition forces defeated the Tepanec army in a major engagement. The defeat was followed by the capture of Azcapotzalco itself, which was sacked and burned. Maxtla was killed in the fighting or captured and sacrificed, and the Tepanec state was destroyed. The campaign was one of the largest military operations in the history of pre-Columbian America, and it involved tens of thousands of warriors.
The Division of the Spoils
The victory over Azcapotzalco was followed by the division of the Tepanec territories among the three allies. Tenochtitlan received the lion’s share, including the Tepanec heartland around the western Valley of Mexico. Texcoco received the eastern part of the valley and the Acolhua heartland. Tlacopan received a smaller share, including parts of the western Valley of Mexico and access to the Tarascan frontier.
The division of the territories was formalized in a series of treaties, which specified the rights and obligations of the three allies. The most important provision of the treaties was the division of the tribute from future conquests, with Tenochtitlan receiving two-fifths, Texcoco receiving two-fifths, and Tlacopan receiving one-fifth. The treaties were to be perpetual, and the three allies were to consult each other on matters of war and peace.
The Significance of the Campaign
The defeat of the Tepanec Empire was a turning point in the history of Mesoamerica, and it had several important consequences. First, it marked the end of Tepanec dominance in the Valley of Mexico, and it allowed the three allies to expand their influence over the region. Second, it established the Triple Alliance as the dominant political force in central Mexico, and it provided the framework for the imperial expansion of the following decades. Third, it allowed the Mexica to consolidate their power and to develop the institutions that would allow them to dominate the alliance and to build an empire.
The campaign also had important cultural and religious consequences. Itzcoatl ordered the destruction of the older Mexica records and the rewriting of Mexica history so that emphasized the legitimacy of his dynasty. The new history portrayed the Mexica as a chosen people with a divine mission, and it became the official version of the Mexica past. The rewriting of history shaped the Mexica imperial project, and it helped to legitimize the new imperial order.
Related Articles
- The Triple Alliance and Imperial Expansion — the broader context
- Who were the three rulers of the Triple Alliance? — the founders
- What was the role of Tlacopan in the Triple Alliance? — the junior partner
- The Tlatoani and the Imperial Office — Itzcoatl
- History of the Aztec Civilization — the broader history