The culture of the Aztecs bloomed from the blending of regional societies into one, which this became accomplished through the ideals of the Aztec monarchy and warfare. “There were two main objectives in Aztec warfare. The first objective was to conquer enemy city states so that they could demand tribute and expand Aztec territory. The second was to capture sacrificial victims to be used in ceremonies. Most warfare was political and was compelled by the duty of the chief, or Tlatoani, to provide economic growth through expansion. The first order of business for a new ruler was to engineer a military offensive to demonstrate his ability as a warrior and to provide a liberal amount of captives to sacrifice at his coronation ceremony. If he failed, it was taken as a bad omen for the rule of that Tlatoani and led to rebellions of city states. The Aztecs also participated in what were referred to as Flower Wars from 1450 to 1519. They were called Flower Wars because the resplendently clad captives of opposing tribes being herded after battle resembled a garland of flowers. These battles were fought by warriors from the Triple Alliance (Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan) against warriors from the Tlaxcala-Puebla Valley. The battles were pre-arranged by the involved rulers when there were no traditional reasons to start a war. The purpose was not to conquer an enemy city-state, but mainly to replenish their stores of sacrificial captives in order that they could continue to appease the gods. This practice has been compared to buying food at a market. The “market” consisted of nearby enemy tribes because the blood of the distant tribes might displease Huitzilopochtli. Theses wars were designed to be ongoing so that a never-ending supply of victims could be maintained, therefore the victories were never commanding. The Aztec forces were organized into two groups. The commoners were assembled into "wards" and the nobles were grouped into professional warrior societies. Apart from the
Tlatoani the war leaders of the Aztecs were the High General and the General who both had to name successors prior to any battle so that if they died they could be immediately replaced. Sons of nobles were trained at the Calmecac and received meticulous training in warfare. The sons of commoners were trained in the
Telpochcalli where they were given a more basic military training. The army was mainly comprised of commoners but they had the opportunity to be promoted to the noble class if they excelled on the battlefield. Some of them could even become members of the warrior societies. The most prestigious of these societies were the “Shorn Ones” whose heads were shaved except for a long braid over the left ear. Their heads and faces were painted half-blue and half-red or yellow. These warriors swore not to take a step backwards during a battle on pain of death at the hands of their comrades. Before combat began, orders for supplies were sent out to all the cities that paid tribute. They were tasked with providing various foodstuffs for the army. Porters would carry these supplies which allowed the warriors to be able to travel for eight days: three days of marching, one day of fighting, one day of recovery and three days of marching home. Once the decision of going to war was made the news was proclaimed in the plazas calling for mobilization of the army for several days or weeks in advance. When the troops were ready and any allied cities had been alerted and had given their consent to partake in the campaign the march began. Usually the first to march were the priests carrying the images of Huitzilopochtli. With the priests were the scouts dressed in white cotton shirts and loincloths. The next day the military elite with the top warriors marched led by the General and the High General. On the third day, the majority of the cavalry set out from Tenochtitlan followed by the warriors from the other cities in the alliance (Tlatelolco and Texcoco). In the rear would be allied forces from other cities, troops sent by subject cities as part of their tribute. The army would often cover 12-19 miles each day due to the system of roads throughout central Mexico. Although there was no standing military, the Aztecs could raise a large army of warriors quickly when needed.
Each allied city was required to send 400 men who marched under their own flag but were also part of a larger regiment totaling around 8,000 men. All in all, there would be approximately 25 regiments and a grand total of approximately 200,000 warriors.
Battles usually began at dawn with smoke signals, sounding of conch shell trumpets and beating of drums to coordinate attacks. Normally the battle began with projectile fire launched by commoners with bows or slings. Then the warriors advanced into melee combat and during this phase, before the actual melee, the
atlatl was used - this missile weapon was effective over shorter distances than slings and bows but much more lethal. The first warriors to begin fighting were the most decorated warriors from the “Shorn Ones” and the “Otomies” societies. Following them were the Eagles and Jaguars with the commoners and inexperienced youth coming last. Youths fighting for the first time were usually not allowed to participate unless an Aztec victory was assured. They would then attempt to capture fleeing enemy prisoners.
The most popular weapon used by the Aztecs was the maquahuitl. It looked like a long sword but was made of wood. It was very powerful and was capable of beheading a horse in mere seconds. The Aztecs used slings to throw rocks at their adversaries often from distances of over 600 feet away. Each throwing stone was hand-shaped so that it would cause maximum damage. The Aztecs also used bows and arrows made of bones or flint and wooden spear throwers called atlatls. The atlatls were used to sling darts with precision from far away to pierce enemy armor. Clubs enhanced with sharp obsidian rocks were also used by Aztec warriors. It is said that Aztec warriors would try to capture rather than kill their enemy especially during Flower Wars. Other Aztec tactical strategies included feigned retreats and subsequent ambushes. If a defending enemy retreated into their city the battle was continued there - but normally the objective was to conquer a city not destroy it. Once the city was conquered the main temple would be set on fire signaling far and wide, to all concerned, the Aztec victory. If enemies still refused to surrender the rest of the city could be burned as well, but this was uncommon.” The decisions of warfare on territories was decided and guided by the ruling monarchy of the Aztec society.
[i]
“The Aztec’s governing system began with a basic system of having a warrior ruler whom established authority over a region, yet once the Aztec society gained territory through warfare they began a system that is similar to a monarchy. The rules of every region, entitled tlatoani, were the determiners of major rituals, guided warfare, protect commoners and nobility’s rights alike, and were patron to the poor. These regional governments were devoted and established around their city-states, which where large communities and dependent areas that were gained through warfare. Which the surrounding regions and city-states co-depended on one another for the city provided military and political protection; meanwhile those whom depended upon the city provided tribute in goods and services. Each ruler attended to his own domain with the mindset of the gains of warefare which even though each acted indpendently throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth century rulers would shift their alliances with different states. Yet by the turn of the sixteenth century the Aztecs created the Triple Alliance which brought together many of these city-states as one community. The Government system of the Aztecs grew with this base of the ideals of the city-state, yet the ruling families whom gained the highest power among regions became much like a eurocentric monarchary with a controling lineage of kings based upon a system of allowing those whom prove themselves fit to rule in a warrior society that is seen equal to the region's deity. Rulers of the Aztec empire did not rule their land alone for under the kings rule were many minor rulers whom over looked the regions surrounding the Aztec city-state of Tenochtitlan. These minor rulers also known as Tlatoque, controlled the tribute of the lower classes, owned private lots of land which provided them with wealth and the ranking of being lower nobility. The Tlatoque also organized military activities among their region, which due to the Aztecs concern with warfare the lower ranking nobility provided the assurance of their regions allegiance and military force to the imperial king. Those under the Tlatoque were under entitlements of military or other political offices that were equal to generals or advisors. The rulers of the Aztecs were considered to be equal to the dity of the land for they over looked all of those whom followed and created the image of the Aztec people as higher beings, yet the common population was the base of the Aztec society. Commoners or Macehualtin were the farmer, soldiers, fishers, and artisans which were united and linked to their city-state. The commoners provided the tribute paid to the upper classes along with providing for their region the ability to survive. These individuals believed in the higher orders of there land which gave their rulers their authority to accomplish and create the state of the Aztecs. The Aztec government system was created and establish with their culture for as the empire grew, the authority grew into a city-state that almost became a country.”[ii]
[i] Carrasco, David and Scott Sessions, eds. Daily Life of the Aztecs: People of the Sun and Earth. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1998.
Hassig, Ross. War and Society in Ancient Mesoamerica. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.
Phillips, Charles and Dr. David M. Jones, eds., The Complete Illustrated History of the Aztec and Maya: The Definitive Chronicle of the Ancient Peoples of Central America and Mexico – Including the Aztec, Maya, Olmec, Mixtec,Toltec and Zapotec.London: Hermes House an imprint of Anness Publishing, Ltd., 2006.
[ii] Pomeranz, Kenneth. The World at Trade Society, Culture, and the World Economy 1400 to the Present.M.E. Sharpe. Armonk N.Y. 2006
