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towns conquered in the area of this campaign, including Cuextlan, Tlahuitollan, Tamazollan, Acatlan, Piaztlan, Tetl-Icoyoccan, Xilotepec, Tochoco (Tozoco), Otlaquiquiztlan, and Xochipalco. However, they both seem to derive from an earlier common source that has muddled several campaigns. Many of these towns fit so convincingly into earlier conquest sequences and so poorly into one directed at the present-day Oaxaca-southern Veracruz area that they must be disregarded. Consequently, I include only those listed towns for which there is substantiation elsewhere or that fit into the probable march areas. |
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66. Little is known about the conquest route, but there are two likely alternatives. A direct route proceeds southeast out of the basin of Mexico along an established conquest itinerary via Itzyocan and Piaztlan to Tamazollan and then on to Huaxyacac (478 km. or 296 mi.; 15 to 25 days' march). From there the probable route runs to Mictlan (50 km. or 31 mi.; 2 to 3 days' march), then to Miahuatlan (85 km. or 53 mi.; 3 to 4 days) before partially doubling back and passing through the Tecuantepec region. The route then goes to Quetzaltepec (230 km. or 143 mi.; 7 to 12 days' march) and onto the lowland Gulf plain, from which Tochtepec (150 km. or 93 mi.; 5 to 8 days), Otlatlan (15 km. or 9 mi.; 1 day) and Cozamolapan (33 km. or 20 mi.; 1 to 2 days) are all accessible. From there the likely return route goes north, enters the highlands at Ahuilizapan, and follows the previous conquest route to Itzyocan and then into the basin of Mexico 523 kilometers or 324 miles; 16 to 27 days' march; this brings the total to 1,564 kilometers (970 miles), or 49 to 81 days' march, excluding days for rest, combat, and regrouping. Although this is the likely direction of the campaign, reversing the sequence is equally plausible. |
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67. Códice Ramírez 1975:133; Durán 1967, 2:23839 [chap. 29]. |
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1. Durán 1967, 2:250 [chap. 32]. As was the case with the previous kings, the historical sources present conflicting information about which cities were conquered, when, and in what sequence. Which cities Axayacatl conquered is clearer than for the earlier kings, but there is less consensus about the dates of the campaigns, and those that are recorded are frequently inconsistent. Thus, rather than placing reliance on dates, I stress conquests in a sequence of events. |
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2. There are two different accounts of Axayacatl's preinaugural conquests. One claims that the conquest was of Tlatlauhqui-Tepec to the northeast. But the better supported account places the conquest far to the south. Axayacatl led an army to the Tecuantepec region, defeated its armies, and conquered the entire area as far south as Cuauhtolco (Huatulco) (Códice Ramírez 1975:68; Herrera 193457, 6:215; Torquemada 197583, 1:23839 [bk. 2, chap. 55]; Vázquez de Espinosa 1942:143). Xochitepec was probably conquered during this incursion, based on both time of conquest and location (Torquemada 197583, 1:243 [bk. 2, chap. 58]). Another source (Códice Ramírez 1975:68) states that the people of Tecuantepec had killed merchants and royal tribute collectors and that this was the reason for their |
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