Made up of the city-states of Tenochtitlan, Tlaxopan and Texcoco they comprised the governing bodies of the area that made up the Valley of Mexico. Under Henan Cortes they were defeated with help from Spanish conquistadors in 1521. The reign of the three cities lasted ninety-three years after a war between the Alliance and Azcapotzalco, which ruled them. After their victory the three cities became self-governing, but in a short time Tenochtitlan held the dominant power and when the Spanish came in 1520 the other two cities were already in an auxiliary power position.
The Triple alliance eventually controlled most of Mexico, emanating from the center on outward. The conquered city-states were left with an intact ruling class but were required to pay the alliance tributes in order to maintain military protection. The people we call Aztec today were actually known as Mexica in their time and were Nahuatl-speaking. The Nahu people were migrants from regions in Northern Mexico and possibility what is today the United States. They re-located from those northern territories (around 1250 AD) into central Mexico and eventually into the area surrounding Lake Texcoco. In Texcoco they found that most of the desirable land was already in use by other peoples.
The local king of the area granted the Mexica a small amount of non-arable land in a placed called Tizaapan and in return they served the king in battles. According to their own legend, inscribed in pictographs, the king was grateful that they had served him well and sent one of his daughters to reign over their region. The Mexica thought that their god wanted the princess as a sacrifice and the Mexica carried out the offering, much to the king's displeasure. The king became angry at his daughter's death and drove the people out from the land. They ended up moving to an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. There they decided to build the city of Tenochtitlan.
The new Mexica city befriended a neighboring city called Azcapotzalco and paid tribute to its king. For a while the two cities were supportive of each other's efforts and the Mexica helped the city of Azcapotzalco to gain more land in the region. While that was occurring another city in the region, Acolhua, was also expanding their boundaries around the lake. Eventually, the quest for land created a war between them and Texcoco was overtaken by the Tepanecs with the help of the Mexica. For all their military assistance to the Tepanecs, the city of Tenochtitlan was given Texcoco as a tributary province.
Finally a supportive relationship between the two states turned ugly after the king of Tepanec died and his two sons vied for the Throne. The successful brother Maxtla murdered his brother (the chosen king) Tayahauh and turned against the Mexica king who had supported Tayahauh. Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan, and the state of Huexotzinco (which became an ally to the three of them) went to war with Azcapotzalco and emerged victorious in 1428. The rulers of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan formed an alliance against Maxtla who had become difficult and who demanded more in tribute from the people of the area. This Alliance was what we know today as the Aztec Triple Alliance.
The Triple alliance eventually controlled most of Mexico, emanating from the center on outward. The conquered city-states were left with an intact ruling class but were required to pay the alliance tributes in order to maintain military protection. The people we call Aztec today were actually known as Mexica in their time and were Nahuatl-speaking. The Nahu people were migrants from regions in Northern Mexico and possibility what is today the United States. They re-located from those northern territories (around 1250 AD) into central Mexico and eventually into the area surrounding Lake Texcoco. In Texcoco they found that most of the desirable land was already in use by other peoples.
The local king of the area granted the Mexica a small amount of non-arable land in a placed called Tizaapan and in return they served the king in battles. According to their own legend, inscribed in pictographs, the king was grateful that they had served him well and sent one of his daughters to reign over their region. The Mexica thought that their god wanted the princess as a sacrifice and the Mexica carried out the offering, much to the king's displeasure. The king became angry at his daughter's death and drove the people out from the land. They ended up moving to an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. There they decided to build the city of Tenochtitlan.
The new Mexica city befriended a neighboring city called Azcapotzalco and paid tribute to its king. For a while the two cities were supportive of each other's efforts and the Mexica helped the city of Azcapotzalco to gain more land in the region. While that was occurring another city in the region, Acolhua, was also expanding their boundaries around the lake. Eventually, the quest for land created a war between them and Texcoco was overtaken by the Tepanecs with the help of the Mexica. For all their military assistance to the Tepanecs, the city of Tenochtitlan was given Texcoco as a tributary province.
Finally a supportive relationship between the two states turned ugly after the king of Tepanec died and his two sons vied for the Throne. The successful brother Maxtla murdered his brother (the chosen king) Tayahauh and turned against the Mexica king who had supported Tayahauh. Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan, and the state of Huexotzinco (which became an ally to the three of them) went to war with Azcapotzalco and emerged victorious in 1428. The rulers of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan formed an alliance against Maxtla who had become difficult and who demanded more in tribute from the people of the area. This Alliance was what we know today as the Aztec Triple Alliance.
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