Growth, power and fame came hand in hand with making enemies when it comes to the Aztecs. The Aztecs took a lot of people from the neighboring weaker tribes to be sacrificed to their gods and that alone made them hated by the other tribes. So there was at no time any shortage of Aztec enemies. But since the Aztecs were a powerful lot and when it comes to skill they were unmatched; the other groups couldn't take down the Aztecs.
Aztec Enemies
Texlacans
The Texlacans or the Tlaxcalans were amongst the major enemies of the Aztecs. They looked similar to the Aztecs and their only difference was their weapons, particularly the shield was different and they had no ranks like the jaguar or eagle elite warriors. They were also fierce but somehow the Aztecs always came out as the victor during battles except for one particular fight when the Spanish conquerors sided with the Texlacans.
Huaxtec
The Huaxtec were another tribe that was enemies with the Aztecs. Instead of the elaborate headgears and costumes, the significant or noticeable feature among the Huaxtec was that they wore pointed hats whenever they went to battle.
Purempecha
The Purempecha or the Tarascans lived to the west of the Aztecs and they were powerful too. They successfully managed to keep the Aztecs from expanding to the west and they were highly skilled warriors too just like the Aztecs. The Purempecha are now known as P'urhpecha.
Mayans
Another enemy of the Aztecs was the Mayans. The Mayans were highly skilled and were advanced too. They had a system of writing, had religious beliefs and built very impressive structures and some of those can still be seen today.
But the most significant enemy of the Aztecs was not among those found in the surrounding area of the valley, nor did they live in the same continent. These people were highly skilled, had far superior weapons than the Aztecs. They were the Spaniards; the conquistadors or the conquerors. Not only did they defeat the Aztecs and destroyed their empire, but they also defeated the Mayans.
Spanish conquistadors
Near the end of Montezuma the Second's reign, at about 1520, thirty eight tributary provinces were already present and the Aztecs were flourishing. But with the help of the other tribes at the borders of the Aztec empire, (Texlacans, etc.) the Aztecs were easily defeated by the Spaniards. Spaniards not only wisely used other tribes for their war against Aztec but they also played the card of internal strife that was present among the Aztecs themselves.
With Hernan Cortes in the lead, the Aztecs were easily defeated, especially since the weapons of the Spaniards included superior swords, guns and even cannons. The Aztec weapons were all make by hand.
In addition to that, Montezuma II naively welcomed the Spaniards, thinking that Cortes was the fair-skinned god Quetzalcoatl (The Plumed Serpent). Even though the Aztecs gave the Spaniards lots of gold and other precious items, the Spaniards were set on conquering the Aztecs so in the end, Montezuma II was killed and most of the silver, gold and other such precious items of the Aztecs were shipped to Spain.
Aztec Enemies
Texlacans
The Texlacans or the Tlaxcalans were amongst the major enemies of the Aztecs. They looked similar to the Aztecs and their only difference was their weapons, particularly the shield was different and they had no ranks like the jaguar or eagle elite warriors. They were also fierce but somehow the Aztecs always came out as the victor during battles except for one particular fight when the Spanish conquerors sided with the Texlacans.
Huaxtec
The Huaxtec were another tribe that was enemies with the Aztecs. Instead of the elaborate headgears and costumes, the significant or noticeable feature among the Huaxtec was that they wore pointed hats whenever they went to battle.
Purempecha
The Purempecha or the Tarascans lived to the west of the Aztecs and they were powerful too. They successfully managed to keep the Aztecs from expanding to the west and they were highly skilled warriors too just like the Aztecs. The Purempecha are now known as P'urhpecha.
Mayans
Another enemy of the Aztecs was the Mayans. The Mayans were highly skilled and were advanced too. They had a system of writing, had religious beliefs and built very impressive structures and some of those can still be seen today.
But the most significant enemy of the Aztecs was not among those found in the surrounding area of the valley, nor did they live in the same continent. These people were highly skilled, had far superior weapons than the Aztecs. They were the Spaniards; the conquistadors or the conquerors. Not only did they defeat the Aztecs and destroyed their empire, but they also defeated the Mayans.
Spanish conquistadors
Near the end of Montezuma the Second's reign, at about 1520, thirty eight tributary provinces were already present and the Aztecs were flourishing. But with the help of the other tribes at the borders of the Aztec empire, (Texlacans, etc.) the Aztecs were easily defeated by the Spaniards. Spaniards not only wisely used other tribes for their war against Aztec but they also played the card of internal strife that was present among the Aztecs themselves.
With Hernan Cortes in the lead, the Aztecs were easily defeated, especially since the weapons of the Spaniards included superior swords, guns and even cannons. The Aztec weapons were all make by hand.
In addition to that, Montezuma II naively welcomed the Spaniards, thinking that Cortes was the fair-skinned god Quetzalcoatl (The Plumed Serpent). Even though the Aztecs gave the Spaniards lots of gold and other precious items, the Spaniards were set on conquering the Aztecs so in the end, Montezuma II was killed and most of the silver, gold and other such precious items of the Aztecs were shipped to Spain.
About the Author:
The writer is interested in Aztec history and has a complete website featuring the Aztecs. There you are able to find details about Aztecs including enemies of the aztecs. For more of Aztec history, see aztec history.
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