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Aztec hierarchy by this understanding was not of the type "where a unit of one type – the capital – controls subordinate units of another type" [8] but instead a type where the main unit is composed out of several constituent parts.
Portrait of Acamapichtli, the first Aztec King. Ruling positions were not hereditary, but preference was given to those in the "royal families." Originally pipiltin status was not hereditary, but as the sons of pillis had access to better resources and education it was easier for them to become pillis. Later, the class system took on hereditary ...
The main unit of Aztec political organization was the city-state, in Nahuatl called the altepetl, meaning "water-mountain". Each altepetl was led by a ruler, a tlatoani, with authority over a group of nobles and a population of commoners. The altepetl included a capital that served as a religious center, the hub of distribution and organization ...
The Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance (Classical Nahuatl: Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān, [ˈjéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥]) was an alliance of three Nahua city-states: Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Tetzcoco, and Tlacopan.
In pre-Columbian Aztec society, calpulli (from Classical Nahuatl calpōlli, Nahuatl pronunciation: [kaɬˈpoːlːi], meaning "large houses", singular calpul [1]) were units of commoner housing that had been split into kin-based or other land holding groups within Nahua city-states or altepetls.
Itzcoatl also continued the building of Tenochtitlan: during his reign temples, roads, and a causeway were built. Itzcoatl established the religious and governmental hierarchy that was assumed by his nephew Moctezuma I upon his death in 1440. Map showing the expansion of the Aztec empire showing the areas conquered by the Aztec rulers.
The Aztecs believed that ascension was the process of preparing oneself to please the gods. At the top was the main temple where sacrifices took place, since that was considered to be closest to the gods. [citation needed] Aztec households were simple and uniform to the rest of the civilization. Houses could be one to two stories tall. [21]
In 1521, the Aztec Empire was conquered by the Spaniards under Hernán Cortés and a large number of Mesoamerican allies. Tenochtitlan was destroyed and replaced by Mexico City, though the Spanish colonial authorities continued to appoint tlatoque of Tenochtitlan until the office was abolished in 1565.