Zoe Saadia's Blog - Posts Tagged "tepanecs"
The Rise of the Aztecs (part I)
Once upon a time, if you would ask the powerful Tepanecs who had dominated the fertile Mexican valley around Lake Texcoco up to the mid 14th century, the Aztecs were no more than pushy newcomers, coming out of the southwest, poor and semi-nomadic, bringing along nothing but trouble.
The lands of the Mexican Valley were amazingly rich, dotted by large city-states, with Azcapotzalco, the most powerful of them all. Of course, there was Culhuacan, boasting its Toltec origins, sprawling upon the southern side of the lake, as influential and as strong, even if Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs refused to admit it.
The densely populated region was well under control. Still, the unabashed newcomers streamed in and managed to find themselves a very favorable piece of land on the western shore of the lake, fertile and abounded with streams. There they began to flourish, while the suspicious mood of their powerful neighbors grew proportionally. Those Aztecs would not be contented with a small role of another city state, could see the elders of Azcapotzalco. And nothing more would be tolerated.
The tension grew and, toward the end of the 13th century, Azcapotzalco rulers had expelled their troublesome new neighbors. But for the rulers of Culhuacan, it could have been the end of it. For reasons unknown, Culhuacan had decided to allocate the expelled Aztecs a little land at the empty barrens of Tizaapan. Maybe they wanted to keep an eye on those fierce groups of foreigners, to make sure they would not grow too strong. Azcapotzalco’s people were doubtful, united in their suspicions. The further those troublesome newcomers would be drove off, the better. Yet they did nothing, as the rivalry between the two powerful cities went back generations. If one decided to expel a nation, the other would support it, even if halfheartedly. So they watched carefully as the Aztecs seemed to be assimilating into the Culhuacan’s way of life.
Then the unspeakable happened! A few decades later a scandal washed the Texcoco Lake’s shores. The new ruler of Culhuacan had given his daughter to the Aztec’s ruler to marry. Or so he thought. The Aztecs promised to make her a goddess – a fate great enough even for the haughty Culhuacan princess. Well, the cultural differences showed when the princess was sacrificed in order to assist her reaching the promised status by joining the other deities. It said that the priest, wearing her flayed skin as a part of the ritual, appeared at the very festival dinner her father had honored by his presence. The Culhuacan ruler and his nobles were not amused. The roaring declaration of war could be heard in the distant southwestern realm of dwindling Anasazi, it was said.
Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs shook their heads. Had the Culhuacan Toltecs really thought they could tame the wild beast? But now they had their own dilemmas. Should they side with Culhuacan, or would they better stay neutral? Or maybe, just to spite their old rivals, they should actually assist the despised troublemakers, as those faced a certain defeat and banishment? The warriors argued in favor of destroying the Aztecs once and for all, even if it would result in helping Culhuacan. The rulers, on the other hand, found it difficult to miss the opportunity to sneer at the old insult, when just a few decades ago, Culhuacan had sided with Aztecs against Azcapotzalco’s better judgment. Why not let them eat the meal they’ve been serving their old neighbors?
An excerpt from ‘At Road’s End’
Read a sample at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006...
The lands of the Mexican Valley were amazingly rich, dotted by large city-states, with Azcapotzalco, the most powerful of them all. Of course, there was Culhuacan, boasting its Toltec origins, sprawling upon the southern side of the lake, as influential and as strong, even if Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs refused to admit it.
The densely populated region was well under control. Still, the unabashed newcomers streamed in and managed to find themselves a very favorable piece of land on the western shore of the lake, fertile and abounded with streams. There they began to flourish, while the suspicious mood of their powerful neighbors grew proportionally. Those Aztecs would not be contented with a small role of another city state, could see the elders of Azcapotzalco. And nothing more would be tolerated.
The tension grew and, toward the end of the 13th century, Azcapotzalco rulers had expelled their troublesome new neighbors. But for the rulers of Culhuacan, it could have been the end of it. For reasons unknown, Culhuacan had decided to allocate the expelled Aztecs a little land at the empty barrens of Tizaapan. Maybe they wanted to keep an eye on those fierce groups of foreigners, to make sure they would not grow too strong. Azcapotzalco’s people were doubtful, united in their suspicions. The further those troublesome newcomers would be drove off, the better. Yet they did nothing, as the rivalry between the two powerful cities went back generations. If one decided to expel a nation, the other would support it, even if halfheartedly. So they watched carefully as the Aztecs seemed to be assimilating into the Culhuacan’s way of life.
Then the unspeakable happened! A few decades later a scandal washed the Texcoco Lake’s shores. The new ruler of Culhuacan had given his daughter to the Aztec’s ruler to marry. Or so he thought. The Aztecs promised to make her a goddess – a fate great enough even for the haughty Culhuacan princess. Well, the cultural differences showed when the princess was sacrificed in order to assist her reaching the promised status by joining the other deities. It said that the priest, wearing her flayed skin as a part of the ritual, appeared at the very festival dinner her father had honored by his presence. The Culhuacan ruler and his nobles were not amused. The roaring declaration of war could be heard in the distant southwestern realm of dwindling Anasazi, it was said.
Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs shook their heads. Had the Culhuacan Toltecs really thought they could tame the wild beast? But now they had their own dilemmas. Should they side with Culhuacan, or would they better stay neutral? Or maybe, just to spite their old rivals, they should actually assist the despised troublemakers, as those faced a certain defeat and banishment? The warriors argued in favor of destroying the Aztecs once and for all, even if it would result in helping Culhuacan. The rulers, on the other hand, found it difficult to miss the opportunity to sneer at the old insult, when just a few decades ago, Culhuacan had sided with Aztecs against Azcapotzalco’s better judgment. Why not let them eat the meal they’ve been serving their old neighbors?
An excerpt from ‘At Road’s End’
She laughed. “Would I fit among the haughty warriors’ women?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think our women are haughty. Not all of them, anyway. They come from many different places, brought to Azcapotzalco from practically everywhere. I’m sure you would eventually encounter even a woman from here. Culhuacan folk are the arrogant lot, impeccable Toltec as they are. Their women would be sure to look down on you through their narrow Toltec eyes. But the rest are all right, I guess.” He pondered for a while, remembering the annoying Culhuacan and the even-more-annoying Mexica newcomers who caused nothing but trouble. “Azcapotzalco is beautiful,” he added. “You would love that city.”
“Is it larger than Great Houses?”
He burst out laughing. “It’s like comparing a hill with a mountain.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“Then come and see for yourself.”
She shook her head with amusement. “Why those Cul-hu-a-can people are so arrogant, if they are living in your city? Are they warriors also?”
“Like us, some of them are warriors. The rest do the trade or work the land, do crafts or worship the gods. They have their own city. Culhuacan is situated on the southern side of our lake. They are arrogant bastards with no common sense. They always have to make all the mistakes. There were those pushy newcomers, from your regions by the way, but definitely not your people. Very fierce warriors. Azcapotzalco expelled them in the summer I was born. But Culhuacan? Oh no, they had to find them a piece of land, to spite us of course. And now, twenty summers later, those newcomers Mexica-Aztecs with no finesse, sacrificed a Culhuacan princess. So it means war and it only took them twenty summers to understand what we saw in the very beginning. Stupid, isn’t it?”
“They had sacrificed a princess? You mean they killed her?”
“Oh yes. The priest showed up wearing her flayed skin in the middle of the celebrative feast. The Culhuacan ruler, her father, and the rest of their nobility did not take it well.”
Sakuna gasped. “Wearing what?”
He turned to watch her, amused. “Insane, isn’t it? They promised to make her a goddess, but Culhuacan nobles didn’t think they meant literally to introduce her to the realm of the gods.”
“And to such a place you were offering to take me?”
“No, of course not. Those were the wild Aztec barbarians. Azcapotzalco priests are not flaying the sacrificial offerings and they would never touch a princess or any irrelevant person. Our gods receive nothing but the captured enemy warriors who answers all the criteria. We are completely civilized.”
She seemed as if shrinking as he talked. “You kill captured warriors? Why? And what if you get captured?”...
Read a sample at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006...
The Rise of the Aztecs (part II)
So, in The Angry Aztecs Part I, we left the Tepanecs immersed in the dilemma.
What should the Tepanecs do with their new neighbors known as Mexica-people-from-Aztlan or the Aztecs?
The despised would-be-aristocrats got themselves into a trouble all right, enraging their previous patrons of Culhuacan. To flay a princess, of all things! Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs shook their heads. Clearly the troublesome newcomers had no finesse. No finesse at all.
But those Aztecs had one advantage - they made great warriors. So the Tepanec rulers saw their chance. First they had launched series of raids against their neighbors in trouble, to make those understand which nation around Texcoco Lake was the most powerful to be reckoned with. Just in case it wasn’t yet clear.
Then, after thoroughly humbling the most warlike of their neighbors, they'd promptly took them under Azcapotzalco’s protection, against the wrath of Culhuacan.
The small Aztec nation was safe for now, but there was a price to pay. The Aztecs were to supply their new patrons with an unlimited amount of warriors whenever demanded.
And the Tepanecs didn’t make them wait. While the Aztecs were busy developing their new capital upon the muddy island of the great Lake, the demands began trickling in. The Azcapotzalco’s ruler had decided to turn on their historical rival – Culhuacan.
Reinforced by a horde of the warlike new allies, Azcapotzalco’s warriors had pounced on its sister-city, in less than ten summers succeeding in taking over all of their trading routes and dependable towns and villages. The surrounding districts and settlements, which had paid a tribute to Culhuacan up to these days, began sending their yearly payments to Azcapotzalco instead.
The Tepanec Empire was expanding.
An excerpt from 'The Young Jaguar', the second book in Pre-Aztec series:
read a sample on https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
or http://www.amazon.com/Young-Jaguar-Pr...
What should the Tepanecs do with their new neighbors known as Mexica-people-from-Aztlan or the Aztecs?
The despised would-be-aristocrats got themselves into a trouble all right, enraging their previous patrons of Culhuacan. To flay a princess, of all things! Azcapotzalco’s Tepanecs shook their heads. Clearly the troublesome newcomers had no finesse. No finesse at all.
But those Aztecs had one advantage - they made great warriors. So the Tepanec rulers saw their chance. First they had launched series of raids against their neighbors in trouble, to make those understand which nation around Texcoco Lake was the most powerful to be reckoned with. Just in case it wasn’t yet clear.
Then, after thoroughly humbling the most warlike of their neighbors, they'd promptly took them under Azcapotzalco’s protection, against the wrath of Culhuacan.
The small Aztec nation was safe for now, but there was a price to pay. The Aztecs were to supply their new patrons with an unlimited amount of warriors whenever demanded.
And the Tepanecs didn’t make them wait. While the Aztecs were busy developing their new capital upon the muddy island of the great Lake, the demands began trickling in. The Azcapotzalco’s ruler had decided to turn on their historical rival – Culhuacan.
Reinforced by a horde of the warlike new allies, Azcapotzalco’s warriors had pounced on its sister-city, in less than ten summers succeeding in taking over all of their trading routes and dependable towns and villages. The surrounding districts and settlements, which had paid a tribute to Culhuacan up to these days, began sending their yearly payments to Azcapotzalco instead.
The Tepanec Empire was expanding.
An excerpt from 'The Young Jaguar', the second book in Pre-Aztec series:
Tecpatl nodded, glancing toward the wide opening in the wall, catching a glimpse of the beautiful garden outside. He could hear the water trickling in the ponds.
The eyes boring into him went flat. “Do you think Tezozomoc would make a good ruler? Would he be the right choice?”
Tecpatl returned the gaze. “It is not my place to judge on such matters.”
The heavyset man nodded and almost visibly relaxed. He was getting old, thought Tecpatl. Once upon a time this formidable man would not be readable under any circumstances.
The urge to escape the Palace welled. He thought of the spaciousness of his own gardens, of the feast that was sure to contain every delicious snack he had ever indicated as his favorite, of the ardent, exuberant welcome home which was sure to await him. He could see her, dressed in the best of her clothes, bathed and groomed, waiting for him, exalted and impatient; still beautiful, still desirable, still in love with him, still unruly and not fitting, just like fifteen summers ago when he had met her for the first time.
“You are sure Tezozomoc will give you all the commands you might desire.” The older man made it a statement.
Tecpatl forced his mind to concentrate.
“I hope he will trust me as has his father before him.”
“How long will it take to make Culhuacan crumble?”
“Not very long. Their warriors have grown soft. They are not a worthy enemy anymore.” Relieved to steer from the dangerous ground of politics, he added:
“I’ll be happy to finish them off and re-open the war against the Mayans.”
“Not the Aztecs?”
“Oh, the Aztecs make good warriors. But they are barbarians. They are few and unimportant. Culhuacan is the worthy enemy. They are our equals, our peers.”
The face of the elder man remained still, but something in the depths of the narrow eyes changed. “You do wise staying away from the Palace’s affairs. You are a warrior and you would better keep it that way.”
...
read a sample on https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
or http://www.amazon.com/Young-Jaguar-Pr...
The Rise of the Aztecs (part III, Tenochtitlan)
In the middle of the 15th century, Spanish conquistadors, arriving in Tenochtitlan were stunned. They had never seen anything like that before. Their homeland cities in Spain and Italy looked small, insignificant compared to Tenochtitlan.
“… When we saw so many cities and villages built in the water and other great towns on dry land we were amazed and said that it was like the enchantments… great towers and cues and buildings rising from the water, and all built of masonry. And some of our soldiers even asked whether the things that we saw were not a dream…”
”
Bernal Diaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain
Yet only a century earlier Tenochtitlan was nothing but a swampy unimportant island-city, looked down upon by its haughty, powerful neighbors.
In the Angry Aztecs Part I we dealt with the incident of the flayed princess and the first time the Aztecs had made their powerful neighbors angry.
And then, in the Angry Aztecs Part II, they had made it to their swampy little island, relatively safe under the stern gaze of the Masters of the Valley, the Tepanecs.
So now we arrive to the end of the 14th century, when the Aztecs were somewhat better off.
Not allowed to campaign on their own, they still thrived, fighting under the Tepanec leadership, relatively safe upon the swampy little island of theirs.
Required to pay tribute every full moon, they contributed to the riches of the powerful Azcapotzalco, the Tepanec Capital. The tribute was reported to be ‘oppressive and capricious’.
Their island location has its benefits. Separated from the mainland by a certain amount of water and, thus, safe from any military surprises, the young Aztec nation was relatively safe.
Yet, this location has its disadvantages as well. Bringing materials to the rapidly growing city was difficult, so most of the houses were still reed-and-cane built. The markets were poor and the city could not even dream of building a worthwhile temple or, gods forbid, a pyramid. Large slabs of stone and marble were impossible to bring by canoes.
But the Aztecs were not only a warlike nation.
They turned out to be ambitious engineers as well.
So, when Acamapichtli, a young and very vigorous ruler, was brought to lead the city, the Mexica energetic people launched into several breathtaking projects at once.
First of all, the island was enlarged artificially, with much dirt and rock. Then a causeway was built to connect it with the mainland, making it possible for the large chunks of materials to be brought into Tenochtitlan, allowing the construction of the Great Pyramid’s second stage.
Houses of cane and reed were replaced by the stone ones, temples constructed, laws made.
The agriculture was a problem. The island was too small to cultivate enough crops to support the rapidly growing population. Cultivating of many chinampas, the ‘floating gardens’, had helped. Yet the Aztecs needed more land. So far they were masters of their island only. They needed a permission to campaign on their own.
Well, Acamapichtli was a great diplomat. Careful not to provoke the Tepanec overlords, Tenochtitlan paid its taxes in time and when Azcapotzalco wanted a present in a form of a floating garden of beautiful flowers, a special chinampa was made in a hurry and floated over the lake straight to the shores of the Tepanec’s Capital.
Finally, after many such gestures and negotiations, the Aztecs were allowed to campaign on their own, provided their warriors kept reinforcing the Tepanec forces with the same vigor as before. The northern settlements of the lake, such as Xochimilco were attacked immediately and their lake-shores chinampas captures and put to a great use.
Tenochtitlan was growing rapidly.
An excerpt from 'The Jaguar Warrior', the third book in Pre-Aztec series:
A sample chapter can be read on http://www.amazon.com/Jaguar-Warrior-...
“… When we saw so many cities and villages built in the water and other great towns on dry land we were amazed and said that it was like the enchantments… great towers and cues and buildings rising from the water, and all built of masonry. And some of our soldiers even asked whether the things that we saw were not a dream…”
”
Bernal Diaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain
Yet only a century earlier Tenochtitlan was nothing but a swampy unimportant island-city, looked down upon by its haughty, powerful neighbors.
In the Angry Aztecs Part I we dealt with the incident of the flayed princess and the first time the Aztecs had made their powerful neighbors angry.
And then, in the Angry Aztecs Part II, they had made it to their swampy little island, relatively safe under the stern gaze of the Masters of the Valley, the Tepanecs.
So now we arrive to the end of the 14th century, when the Aztecs were somewhat better off.
Not allowed to campaign on their own, they still thrived, fighting under the Tepanec leadership, relatively safe upon the swampy little island of theirs.
Required to pay tribute every full moon, they contributed to the riches of the powerful Azcapotzalco, the Tepanec Capital. The tribute was reported to be ‘oppressive and capricious’.
Their island location has its benefits. Separated from the mainland by a certain amount of water and, thus, safe from any military surprises, the young Aztec nation was relatively safe.
Yet, this location has its disadvantages as well. Bringing materials to the rapidly growing city was difficult, so most of the houses were still reed-and-cane built. The markets were poor and the city could not even dream of building a worthwhile temple or, gods forbid, a pyramid. Large slabs of stone and marble were impossible to bring by canoes.
But the Aztecs were not only a warlike nation.
They turned out to be ambitious engineers as well.
So, when Acamapichtli, a young and very vigorous ruler, was brought to lead the city, the Mexica energetic people launched into several breathtaking projects at once.
First of all, the island was enlarged artificially, with much dirt and rock. Then a causeway was built to connect it with the mainland, making it possible for the large chunks of materials to be brought into Tenochtitlan, allowing the construction of the Great Pyramid’s second stage.
Houses of cane and reed were replaced by the stone ones, temples constructed, laws made.
The agriculture was a problem. The island was too small to cultivate enough crops to support the rapidly growing population. Cultivating of many chinampas, the ‘floating gardens’, had helped. Yet the Aztecs needed more land. So far they were masters of their island only. They needed a permission to campaign on their own.
Well, Acamapichtli was a great diplomat. Careful not to provoke the Tepanec overlords, Tenochtitlan paid its taxes in time and when Azcapotzalco wanted a present in a form of a floating garden of beautiful flowers, a special chinampa was made in a hurry and floated over the lake straight to the shores of the Tepanec’s Capital.
Finally, after many such gestures and negotiations, the Aztecs were allowed to campaign on their own, provided their warriors kept reinforcing the Tepanec forces with the same vigor as before. The northern settlements of the lake, such as Xochimilco were attacked immediately and their lake-shores chinampas captures and put to a great use.
Tenochtitlan was growing rapidly.
An excerpt from 'The Jaguar Warrior', the third book in Pre-Aztec series:
"...
Her eyes flashed.
“I was glad, very glad! My husband is a great ruler and he is just beginning his journey. Tenochtitlan will be the greatest altepetl in the whole Valley one day. It will make Azcapotzalco look small. But by then Azcapotzalco may be just a cluster of ruins.”
He stared into her eyes, mesmerized. What she said was completely ridiculous, yet for a moment he believed her. Her eyes shone with such an intense power, radiating her hatred and more. Was she having a premonition?
He shuddered. “What you say does not make sense. Acamapichtli is an impressive man, I admit that. But he is leading a small nation that is stuck on a muddy island. His city has nowhere to grow. This altepetl cannot evolve beyond a mediocre status. You have nowhere to expand.”
“Oh, but you know so little. And you were never bright anyway. But Acamapichtli is. He is so very wise, wiser than my father even. And he is patient. He plans for twenty, two-times, three-times twenty summers from now and he works to that end. He has grand visions and he has the ability to apply his ideas patiently and carefully. He invests all his energy in his plans, but he does so smartly and patiently. You just wait and see.”
He watched her animated face. Two red spots colored the high cheekbones now and the large eyes shone brightly, almost excitedly. He had never seen her like that. Yet, what she said made his skin crawl.
“It feels too familiar,” he said tiredly. “But you should know better than to use me again. I cannot be trusted. In the end I will not betray my people. You should know it better than anyone.”
...
A sample chapter can be read on http://www.amazon.com/Jaguar-Warrior-...
