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other side, what better way to signal a breach in relations than by killing these handy symbols of Aztec might, so even the innocent appearance of Aztec merchants may have stimulated hostile responses. In this instance, as in so many others, the killing of Aztec merchants prompted a military response. |
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To secure his position as king, Moteuczomah Ilhuicamina had to ensure the continued influx of tribute goods and landsprimarily for the nobles, on whom his position and authority increasingly relied. Thus he had to engage in war, but only successful war. Failureparticularly sustained failurecould have undermined his support among the nobles. So Moteuczomah Ilhuicamina chose to march, not on his only target but on his easiest. Many towns to the north had been conquered, and farther north lay the desert; the powerful Tarascan Empire lay to the west, the immediate south had been conquered, and further expansion at that time might have strained the Aztecs' logistical capacity; and directly to the east was the formidable enemy alliance of Tlaxcallan, Huexotzinco, Atlixco, and Cholollan. But to the northeast lay the Huaxtec area. The Huaxtecs were not strongly centralized, and much of the trek to the target area would take place through the lands of the Aztecs' ally, Tetzcoco, where they could expect a friendly reception and plentiful logistical support. Thus the Huaxtecs became the target. Moreover, a successful campaign would mean that, for the first time, the Aztecs would have direct and sustained access to ocean goods and products from the tropical lowlands. |
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On the way to the Huaxtec area the Aztec armies passed through Tollantzinco, which had been conquered previously (in 1450) by King Nezahualcoyotl of Tetzcoco.
21 When the Aztec armies arrived, they were well received and fed,22 as they were throughout the dominated march area.23 After reaching the northern Gulf coast region, the Aztecs defeated the Huaxtecs by use of a feint. During the battle they feigned retreat, drawing the pursuing Huaxtecs past a hidden contingent of two thousand warriors, who then attacked the flank and rear of the Huaxtecs and routed them.24 |
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The Huaxtecs' defeat led to the conquest of the general area of Tochpan (see map 7). Numerous towns formed part of the conquests in the region, although some of these towns were associated with the earlier Tetzcoca expansion, including Pahuatlan and Cuauhchinanco,25 which lay on the route to the target area. Thus, reliable logistical support was available to the Aztecs for the first five to eight |
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