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.