The Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico
around A.D. 1200. The Aztec Empire flourished between 1345 and 1521 A.D. and, at its
greatest extent, covered most of northern Mesoamerica. The Aztec Empire
was peopled by a group that was once nomadic, the Mexicas. Their
chroniclers told them that after their long journey from Aztlán, they found
themselves to be outcasts, until they found the sign sent to them by their god
Huitzilopochtli, and began to build their city. And so the Mexica peoples
continued, and the Aztec Empire began.
EARLY AZTEC HISTORY
The exact
origins of the Aztec people are uncertain, but they are believed to have begun
as a northern tribe of hunter-gatherers whose name came from that of their
homeland, Aztlan (or “White Land”). The Aztecs were also known as the Tenochca
(from which the name for their capital city, Tenochtitlan, was derived) or the
Mexica (the origin of the name of the city that would replace Tenochtitlan, as
well as the name for the entire country). The Aztecs appeared in Mesoamerica–as
the south-central region of pre-Columbian Mexico is known–in the early 13th
century. Their arrival came just after, or perhaps helped bring about, the fall
of the previously dominant Mesoamerican civilization, the Toltecs.
AZTEC RELIGION
Religion played a major role in Aztec society. Tenochtitlán contained
hundreds of temples and religious structures dedicated to the approximately
1,000 gods that the Aztecs worshiped. Ancient Aztec religion was focused on how the gods, humans and nature
were interconnected. There was a strong emphasis on the worship of Huitzilopochtli
(sun god). The military conquest and ritual sacrifices were all related,
and in a great part focused on helping Huitzilopochtli keep the sun strong so
that disaster could be averted every 52 years. The ancient Aztec religion was highly focused on keeping nature in
balance. One false
step could lead to natural disaster. The weak sun could stop moving.
In the sky was a constant battle between light and darkness, a battle
that would someday be lost.
ARCHITECTURE And ART
Aztec art ranged from miniature engraved precious
objects to massive stone temples. Monumental sculptures were a particular
favourite and could be fearsome monstrosities such as the colossal Coatlicue
statue or be very life-like such as the famous sculpture of a seated
Xochipilli. Organised in guilds and attached to the main palaces, artisans
could specialise in metalwork, wood carving or stone sculpture, with materials
used such as amethyst, rock crystal, gold, silver, and exotic feathers. Perhaps
some of the most striking art objects are those which employed turquoise mosaic
such as the famous mask of Xuihtecuhtli. Aztec art depicted all manner of
subjects but especially popular were animals, plants and gods, particularly
those related to fertility and agriculture. Templo Mayor Pyramid sought to
replicate the sacred snake mountain of Aztec mythology, Coatepec, and temples
and statues bearing Aztec symbols were set up across the empire.
AZTEC CALENDAR
The Aztecs followed two main calendars. A sacred one with 13
months of 20 days and an agricultural or solar one with 18 months of 20 days.
(Notice that this comes to 360 days. The Aztecs then had an unlucky five-day
period known as nemontemi, making their solar calendar 365 days long.)
Every 52 years, the two calendars would start on the same day, and a great
ceremony of fire marked the occasion. The Aztecs worshiped many different gods. They were a vital part
of the Aztec calendar and daily life. The Aztecs paid tribute to different gods
depending, in part, on the day, week, month, year, and religious cycle of the
Aztec calendars.
COLLAPSE
There were several reasons for fall of Aztec Empire like ritual
practice of sacrificing of human bodies to God. This led to development of
hatred among surrounding people. Aztec emperor Montezuma believed Cortes (a
Spaniard) was an Aztec God, which led to his capture and was killed. His
brother Cuitlahauc took over, but he was killed by smallpox a contagious disease brought by the
Spaniard army which spread wildly among Aztec people killing thousands. With the help of Indians including
Texcocans, Chalca, Tepanec, Cortes and his Spaniard army conquered the capital Tenochtitlan
and despite fierce resistance it fell on August 13, 1521. This resulted in end
of Aztec Empire.
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