|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sion crisis caused by the successive deaths of two kings. Equally significant, there was a new power with whom an alliance could be made in opposition to the Aztecs. But instead of making a major display of power that would have secured the loyalties of his tributarieswhich may have been beyond his ability under the circumstancesCuauhtemoc adopted a conciliatory approach. He sent messengers to all the towns to announce his ascendancy and tried to bind the local rulers to him by giving precious stones to some and remitting the tribute of others. And as the harvest ended and more men became available, he sent troops throughout the empire to guard against the Spaniards.
36 But his conciliatory actions were interpreted as signs of weakness. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cuauhtemoc's efforts to keep the empire together were not entirely successful. Some local rulers met secretly with Cortés and sought aid. Others, such as the ruler of Cuauhquechollan, received assurances of support from the Spaniards and, in turn, supplied intelligence that enabled them to conquer the town.37 The disaffection of numerous local rulers and the opportunity the Spaniards offered to break free of Aztec domination allowed the Spaniards to conquer a number of city-states to the south and west of Tlaxcallan (see fig. 33.). After a series of such victories the Spaniards again marched toward Tenochtitlan. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When the Spaniards fled Tenochtitlan, Cuitlahuah remained in power, but to consolidate his hold he and Coanacoch killed the puppet ruler Cuicuitzcatl, who had been put on the throne of Tetzcoco by Moteuczomah Xocoyotl during his imprisonment by the Spaniards.38 Coanacoch succeeded to rule in Tetzcoco, but because he was weak or had lost important support with the death of Cuitlahuah, Coanacoch met Cortés as he approached Tetzcoco and received him in peace. Some of Tetzcoco's subjects also asked for peace, including the city of Coatl-Ichan. Thus the Spaniards did not challenge Tenochtitlan directly; instead, they undermined the capital's support in the region, predictably in the Chalca and Acolhua areas. This strategy deprived the Aztecs of men and supplies that now flowed to the Spaniards, and it gave them a growing area of relative safety within which they could operate. Their strategy would have been even more effective, but additional cities desiring to ally themselves with the Spaniards, such as Tlalmanalco, Amaquemecan, and Chimalhuacan, were prevented by powerful cities still loyal to the Aztecs, such as Ixtlapalapan.39 |
|
|
|
|
|