The most prominent AZTEC emperors

Image: Aztec Culture

The Aztec civilization It was one of the Mesoamerican cultures that was most successful in expanding its thinking throughout the area, although unlike others such as the Mayan, the Aztec culture based its growth on military conquests, this being the reason why the great Aztec leaders were related to life military. To talk about the most relevant leaders of the Aztec Empire in this lesson from a PROFESSOR we are going to talk about the most prominent Aztec emperors.

Index

1. Introduction to the Aztec emperors and their power
2. Aztec emperors during the 14th and 15th centuries
3. Aztec emperors of the 16th century

Inside of Aztec culture, the emperors were very important. They were called tlatoani, being a word that the Aztecs used to refer to the orators so we can understand that the emperors they were political leaders that they were able to pray in front of the rest of the people, being the main cause of all Aztec events in front of other cultures.

Aztec emperors they made the decisions about the life of the Aztecs and it is believed that their election was carried out by the priests, military and the nobility, who chose the most relevant election within the royal lineage. Only those of this lineage, who were thought to be the chosen ones by God, could be chosen, so not all the people could be emperor.

Generally the office of emperor passed from brother to brother and, only when that line disappeared, did the subsequent generation begin to reign, being a process very different from the current one.

To meet the greatest Aztec emperors in history, we are going to divide this lesson in two, commenting in this section on the most relevant Aztec leaders from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. One of the reasons why the emperors of these two centuries are so important is because the Aztec Empire during these two years spread throughout Mesoamerica, thereby achieving the great dominance of the region.

Acamapichtli

We can consider it as the first aztec emperor true, being of Toltec origin, and uniting under his leadership the towns of Tenochtitlan and Azcapotzalco. His life was marked by the wars against the peoples of the south and by the construction of the first part of the Great Pyramid.

Huitziláihuitl

An emperor who he made strong alliances with some of the most powerful and relevant cultures in the area. His marriage to Tezozomoc's daughter made the Aztecs pay no taxes to his region, causing the Aztecs to focus on war, expanding their dominions rapidly.

Chimalpopoca

During his reign built the aqueduct that supplied water to the great city of Tenochtitlan, being an incredible construction for the time. Many more were the constructions of his time, all of which were relevant to the canons of the time.

Itzcoatl

Considered one of the Aztec emperors most relevant since he was the one who managed to defeat the Tepaneca, the people that his two predecessors had served. His two main actions were union with other powerful peoples, and a huge religious reform that changed Aztec mythology forever.

Moctezuma I

With Moctezumathe Triple Alliance that shapes the Aztec empire, becoming the Aztec emperor the leader of the most powerful union of Mesoamerican history. His great military expansion made him defeat powerful peoples like the Mixtecs, and its creation of taxes and tributes made the Aztec Empire the most economically strong culture in the entire cultural zone.

Axayacatl

He was a follower of what was done by his grandfather Moctezuma I, conquering small territories, but especially maintaining the areas conquered by his predecessor and suppressing the few rebellions that tried to defeat the Aztecs.

Tizoc

Considered as one of the worst Aztec emperors in history, centered on religion he carried out very few military actions. His weakness led him to be killed by poison, being one of the few betrayed emperors.

Ahuitzotl

One of the most focused emperors military conquests, dominating practically the entire south and center of present-day Mexico, doubling the Aztec territory. But not only was he important in this sense, but he was also a great economist, religious and one of the causes of great religious constructions.

Image: Slideplayer

To conclude this lesson on the most prominent Aztec emperors, we must talk about the Aztec leaders during the 16th century, these being the ones who suffered the European invasion, and therefore the emperors who saw the end of the great Aztec Empire. Most of these emperors stayed on the throne very little, and their names are often tainted because they caused the end of the empire.

Moctezuma II

A great emperor who converted the Aztec Empire is a great military and cultural machine. It was the emperor who he surrendered the Aztec capital to the Spanish, him being killed while trying to flee the city. There are several stories about why he surrendered, but the main one is that the Aztec army was not large enough to defeat the Spanish.

Cuitláhuac

Moctezuma's nephew he could only rule for 4 months, since he died due to one of the many diseases that the Spanish had brought to Aztec lands. It is thought that the disease was smallpox, and that it killed almost half of the Aztecs who were in contact with the emperor.

Cuauhtémoc

The last Aztec emperor, taking the post a year before the taking of Tenochtitlan by Hernan Cortes. He fought in the front row against the Spanish, being defeated and later hanged by the colonizers.

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