Aztec warfare

Aztec warfare used organized armies, alliances, and campaigns to conquer and discipline rival polities. It also captured people for sacrifice and tribute.

Aztec military: The institutions, ranks, and forces through which the Aztec state organized warfare. Its ranks and units coordinated armies across the Triple Alliance.
Aztec Empire: A central Mexican empire ruled by the Mexica-led Triple Alliance from the fifteenth century until the Spanish conquest. Its expansion depended on repeated campaigns against neighboring polities.
Itzcoatl: The Mexica ruler of Tenochtitlan from 1427 to 1440, who helped form the Triple Alliance. His reign saw the defeat of Azcapotzalco and the alliance's rise.
Siege of Tenochtitlan: The 1521 siege in which Spanish forces and Indigenous allies captured the Mexica capital. It ended Mexica rule after a sustained campaign involving Indigenous armies.
Aztec conquest: The expansion of Mexica-led power through military victories and the subordination of other polities. Campaigns made conquest a recurring means of building the empire.
Aztec weaponry: The weapons and protective equipment used by Aztec forces, including wooden swords edged with obsidian. Weapons shaped combat tactics and the capture of opponents.
Aztec Triple Alliance: A political and military alliance of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan, formed in 1428. The alliance provided the core leadership and forces for imperial expansion.
Moctezuma I: The Mexica ruler who led Tenochtitlan from 1440 to 1469 and expanded its power through conquest. His campaigns extended imperial influence across central Mexico.
Cholula massacre: The killing of inhabitants of Cholula by Spanish forces and their allies in 1519. It demonstrates how violence and political intimidation marked the conquest period.
Aztec tribute system: The administrative network that assessed and collected goods from communities subject to the Aztec Empire. Conquered polities often faced regular obligations after military defeat.

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