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in 1299, Coxcoxtli, the king of the Culhua in Culhuacan allowed the Mexica to settle on barren lands, and be the servants of the Altepetl (City State.) The Culhua were an ancient and powerful tribe, and they did not allow the Mexica to worship their own Gods, nor keep their dignity. The Mexica however were resilient, and in 1323 Coxcoxtli promised that they could build a temple for themselves, (a trick he had planned to further humiliate the Chichimec people.) An eagle landed atop the temple where a ceremony was taking place, symbolically representing a divine protection of the Mexica people and seeing that the people could not be defeated or tricked he banished them to become wanderers again.

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Late 1200s: Tension in Tula, the Toltec Capital 

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Late 1200s: Tension in Tula, the Toltec Capital 

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While the Ancient city of Tula did exist, it is unlikely that the Mexica spent much time there. They did however celebrate the Toltec people who built Tula, and the city is mentioned as an almost mythical place representing the first time that the Mexica people broke an alliance in the late 1200s, and left society as outcasts.

In one story, while in 'Tula' the Chichimec tragically broke a truce with the Nonohualca people after a man taken in by the Chichimec sacrificed 4 Nonohualco women. The Nonohualco blamed the Chichimec and made war on them, but both parties soon decided that it was the fault of the man who had killed the women. Too many had already died however, and the two peoples broke ties the same day, leaving Tula to become wanderers again.

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1428: Triple Alliance - the Triumvirate 

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1428: Triple Alliance - the Triumvirate 

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After the death of King Tezozomoc in 1426, King Itzcoatl decided to make strategic alliances to secure power for Tenochtitlan in the Mexico Valley. The Alcohua people in the Altepetl (City State) Texcoco had previously been dependent on the Altepetl Azcapotzalco, however they were ready to overthrow the Tepenec rule, and allied themselves with the Tenochtitlan. In another Altepetl called Tlacopan, a royal family ousted from the Tepenec line in Azcapotzalco were also ready to overthrow power in the Valley, and entered into an alliance with Tenochtitlan and Texcoco. Together, the three Altepetls defeated the New Tepenec king Maxtla in Azcapotzalco, and took control of the Valley with Tenochtitlan as the capital. The Mexica finally had stability and authority, and began to build their empire. (The Aztec Empire.)

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Villa de Cortés, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico

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The Mexica, descendent from the Chichimec, were a nomadic tribe within the Nahua linguistic family. During their travels, an eagle landed at their campsite in the place of Tenochtitlan and they decided to permanently settle - there there was an island in the middle of a marshy lake with plenty of prickly pear and water fowl. They learned quickly from nearby towns and cities and built Chinampas (floating gardens) and were able to sustain themselves from this, as well as the waterfowl, algae and lake creatures that were there.

It was here that the Great Aztec empire would be built (modern day Mexico City.)The Mexica, with their own land, were finally able to thrive and soon they had Tlatoani (King) who was recognized by other kings in the area as the spokesperson for the new Altepetl (city state.)

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late 1200s / early 1300s: Arrival of the Chichimec 

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late 1200s / early 1300s: Arrival of the Chichimec 

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Teotihuacan was a powerful city state that rose in the 300s CE - it rose to tremendous heights of power that were known to all in the land for centuries going forward, and boasted tall pyramids with colorful buildings, a complex city layout and a massive population. Teotihuacan was also the beleieved place where Nanahuatzin sacrificed himself to become the Fifth Sun.

The fall of Teotihuacan in 750 CE created a power vacuum, and Nomadic peoples like the Chichimec began arriving in the region. The Mexica people are descendants of the Chichimec warriors, however their arrival into the valley was late, meaning that the political and social power of the Mexico Valley was already held and defended by other tribes and Altepetls (City States.) This left the Chichemec reliant on alliances with other Altepetls, and they were often forced to travels as alliances broke and enemies were made. They were also unable to establish their own society, and had to fit themselves into the social and political frameworks of other communities.

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1428: Fall of Azcapotzalco, the Tepenec City State. 

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1428: Fall of Azcapotzalco, the Tepenec City State. 

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Although the Mexica had established themselves as an Atlepetl (City State,) they were still weak and under the authority of another, more ancient Nahu people who had settled the valley much earlier called the Tepenec. Their Altepetl was called Azcapotzalco, and it was ruled by King Tezozomoc (ruled from 1370 - 1426.) His death created a power vacuum, that the Mexica people in Tenochtitlan took advantage of. They along with other allied Atlepetls defeated the Tepenec king's son Maxtla, and took control of the Valley of Mexico.

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Northwest Mexico (Approximate starting point)

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According to Aztec legend, the Mexica people (later known as Aztecs) began their migration from their mythical homeland of Aztlán, the place of the Seven Caves around 1250 CE. Led by their god Huitzilopochtli, they wandered for decades in search of a promised sign - an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak. During this migration period, they developed their identity as fierce warriors and began to establish their unique cultural practices.

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Historic center of Mexico City, Centro, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico

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1450 - 1520: Tenochtitlan, center of an Empire

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1450 - 1520: Tenochtitlan, center of an Empire

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The Triumvirate (Tenochtitlan, Texcoco & Tlacopan) worked together to control the valley, and while each maintained their own government and way of life as they had before, they worked together to secure the land surrounding them and to increase their territory. As their empires grew many villages and ethnic groups found themselves under the authority of Tenochtitlan (the Mexica were the largest and strongest ethnic group in the Valley.) They were forced to pay tribute in metal, food, resources and people.

Tenochtitlan, the Mexica capital, was built on an island in Lake Texcoco and connected to the mainland by three wide causeways with bridges that allowed canoe traffic and defense. At its center stood the sacred precinct with the Templo Mayor, palaces, temples, and schools. Surrounding this, the city was divided into four districts made up of calpulli, or neighborhoods, where commoners lived in adobe houses and nobles in larger stone homes. Canals ran throughout, making travel by canoe common. The great market at Tlatelolco (North side of the Island,) drew tens of thousands daily, trading food, tools, textiles, and luxury goods. The King's palace held gardens, aviaries, and a zoo with jaguars, monkeys, and exotic birds. Aqueducts brought fresh water from Chapultepec (Springs,) while floating gardens, supplied crops.