The Aztecs, Texcocans, Tepanecas, Chalcos and Tlaxcalans are the most notable of the Nahuatl tribes who took possession of the country deserted by the Toltecs. Of these the most important are the Aztecs, who began their wanderings from Aztlin, their old home in the north, about a century after the Toltecs. Six hundred years later they arrived in the valley of Mexico, where they eventually, after many struggles and privations, established themselves on two little islands in Lake Texcoco, and founded their capital, Tenochtitlan, the Place of Tenoch, their priestly leader and mighty warrior, or Mexico, the Place of Mexitli, their war god.
The Aztecs prospered, grew in numbers and extended their power over the Chalcos and other tribes bordering on the lakes of the valley of Mexico and, forming an alliance with the Texcocans and the Tepanecas, carried their conquering arms from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific and, from some distance north of Mexico City, southward past the Isthmus of Tehuantepec almost to the border of modern Guatemala, where they encroached upon the land of the Maya. The creation of this vast empire which, in extent and power, ontrivaled that of the Toltecs, was due to the skit M telligence, executive ability and warlike prom of a line of kings which began with Amadei zin, Prince of the Reeds (13745-1404), 50 years after the founding of Tenochtitlan. The other Aztec rulers in succession, up to the arrival cf Cortes, were Huitzilihuitl, Hummingbirds Feathers (1404-17), Chimalpopoca, Smalling Shield (1417-27), Ixcoatl, Obsidian Knin (1427-40), Moctezuma I, Wrathy Chief (1441 69), Axayacatl, The Fly (1469-81), Tim Lame Leg (1481-86), Ahuizotl, Water-rr (1486-1502) and Moctezuma II (1502-20), as of whom worked zealously for the upbmiclith of the Aztec empire and the beautifying and extension of their capital.
From the beginning of the reign of Mace zuma II, Spanish navigators had been explor ing the neighborhood of the Mexican coast and several had touched on the mainland of Yin tan and Campeche. In 1519 Hernin Cortex inspired by the dream of conquering a gra and rich land, of which reports had ben brought to Cuba, set out with a small military force on his daring expedition to the upland: of Mexico. On the way he defeated the Tin calans, an independent nation, and the Chola lans, who formed a semi-dependent province of the Aztec empire. From these he recruited a considerable native army, with which he cm tinued his march to Mexico City, where he nal reluctantly received by Moctezuma II and quartered in one of the royal 'palaces. He finally succeeded in making a prisoner of the Aztec ruler, who was killed a short time after. ward (30 June 1520) either by the Spaniarth or by the Mexicans themselves. The presence of the Spaniards in the city, the death of the emperor and the profanation of the shrines of their deities enraged the Aztecs to such an ex tent that they rose against Cortes and he un forced to leave the city by night. In the re treat he lost his cavalry, artillery and most his infantry. After recruiting a new army ar.,? obtaining additional war equipment, Cortis re turned and laid siege to the City of Mexico which he captured (13 Aug. 1521) and after
ward continued the conquest of the domains cc the Moctezumas.
Under Spanish Rule.— Immediately aitr the surrender of Tenochtitlan the governmen of Mexico fell into the hands of the conquista dores who, being purely military governors, ad ministered the affairs of the land by means (I' military law. Gradually the large cities WM granted local government similar to that et Spain and the province was divided into dti tricts controlled by the central government it Mexico City. In 1528 auditors (oidores) were introduced to keep a check on the captain-grd eral, Cortes. They soon succeeded him arid continued to govern the country until 1533. when Antonio de Meddoza became the fir viceroy. He was a very earnest and capa14 man and at once proceeded to replace with an orderly and settled form of government the hap-hazard methods of the oidores and mili tary leaders.
Spain monopolized the trade•of Mexico, cr ((New Commerce to and from the colony could be carried only in Spanish tot toms; nothing was permitted to be grown in Mexico that might in any way come into come petition with products from Spain. Only native-born Spaniards could hold office under the government in New Spain. The establish ment of manufactures of all kinds was dis couraged or prohibited. Yet Spain gave her colonies a strong government and one that was thoroughly understood by the mass of Indians and mestizos who composed the greater part of the population of Mexico, for it was much like the kind they had been accustomed to for centuries under their native rulers. The en couragement of literature and art, the beautify ing of the cities and towns, the extension of great highways of commerce, the improvement of harbors, the establishment of high schools, colleges and a provincial university and the practical eradication of the native religion with its human sacrifices were far-reaching benefits which Spain bestowed upon Mexico. But the evils of her administration outran the good. The establishment of peonage and the concen tration of the Indians in centres, towns, camps or ranches under the pretense of civilizing and Christianizing them soon destroyed all the ma chinery of the native civilization. The masses of the population, their aboriginal laws and codes of morality gone by the board, soon lost their pride of race and descended to a condition of slavery bringing with it debauchery, a loss of interest in life and a consequent loss of ambition. These and scores of other abuses created discontent throughout the viceroyalty, which was destined to show itself in vigorous protests and insurrection against Spanish au thority. An unsuccessful revolutionary plot in the capital in 1808 was followed by the uprising of Hidalgo, the patriot priest of Dolores, on 16 Sept. 1810. Hidalgo, after a wonderfully successful initial campaign which brought him, with an army of 100,000, almost to the gates of the capital, was finally defeated, captured and executed the following year. The war of liberation dragged on with varying success un til 1821, when the life of independent Mexico began.