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case, the simple clothing of the undistinguished warrior was abandoned in favor of a costume denoting accomplishment. |
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Soldiers were also rewarded for their actions in direct material recompense. According to the available documents, most of the rewards went to nobles. This is to be expected, for at least two reasons. First, the most spectacular rewards were given to nobles, rather than to commoners, and were thus more often reflected in the records. And second, nobles, by virtue of their superior training and opportunities were likelier to perform the deeds that would be rewarded. However, commoners were also rewarded when suitable acts were performed. Thus youths often went to war as novices to carry loads and returned warriors. The youths who were still not accomplished warriors continued to live together in the telpochcalli.
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For taking two captives the warrior was again taken to the king's palace and was given a mantle with red trim.46 For taking three captives he was given a richly worked garment, called an ehehcailacatzcozcatl, or "wind twisted jewel" mantle, and a tlepapalotlahuiztli, or "fire butterfly device," which had an accompanying red-and-white feather tunic.47 He became a tiachcauh, a leader of youths, and resided in the telpochcalli to instruct the young men about war.48 For taking four captives a warrior was given a device of arms and the ocelototec war garment, a mantle of two stripes of black and orange with a border.49 The king allowed the warrior's hair to be cut like that of a tequihuah, a veteran warrior, and he assumed the titles of the veteran warriormexihcatl tequihuah, tolnahuacatl tequihuah, or cihuatecpanecatl tequihuah.50 The tequihuahqueh were those who had been presented honors, weapons, and special insignia by the king to distinguish them from the rest of the soldiers.51 |
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How a warrior was treated after he took more than four captives varied, depending on the reputed ferocity of the enemies he had captured. Which enemies were considered particularly ferocious changed throughout the history of the Aztec conquests as different groups were encountered and varying resistance was met. At the time of the Spanish conquest Huaxtecs and the other coastal groups were held in low esteem, so for capturing even ten of these a warrior received no further fame but was simply known as yaotequihuah, (veteran warrior and leader of the youths). If his fifth captive was from Atlixco, Huexotzinco, or Tliliuhqui-Tepec (Tliliuhquitepec), however, he gained great honor and was named cuauhyahcatl (great captain). The king gave him many gifts: a blue labret; a headband with |
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