The Aztec Empire, Cocoa and the Emperor Moctezuma

he Aztecs were an ancient nomadic people who founded a great city in the Valley of Mexico in 1325 - Tenochtitlan. This rich prosperous city and its culture were destroyed by the Spanish in 1521, to be later rebuilt by the Spanish conquerors and renamed Mexico City.

'hocolatl' was consumed in large quantities by the Aztecs as a luxury drink. The Aztec version of this much prized drink was described as 'finely ground, soft, foamy, reddish, bitter with chilli water, aromatic flowers, vanilla and wild bee honey.

ecause of their dry climate the Aztecs were unable to grow cocoa trees themselves so they had to obtain supplies of cocoa beans from 'tribute' or trade. 'Tribute' was a form of taxation paid by provinces conquered by the Aztecs in wars.

y the time the Spanish invaded Mexico in the 16th century the Aztecs had created a powerful empire: their armies were supreme in Mexico. Tributes in the form of food, cloth and luxury items such as cocoa beans flowed into Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs were very superstitious; they had many gods and believed that their world was constantly threatened by catastrophe. One god Quetzalcoatl, creator god and provide of agriculture, was particularly associated with cocoa beans. Great temples were built to honour him in Tenochtitlan; Moctezuma, Emperor of Mexico and ruler of the Aztecs in the early 16th century particularly revered him.

uetzalcoatl is further linked with the story of cocoa and chocolate. An old Mexican Indian myth explains that Quetzalcoatl was forced to leave the country by a chief god, but he was lovingly remembered by his devoted worshippers who hoped that he would return. Until that time they still had his legacy - the cocoa tree. When Don Hernan Cortes, the Spanish conquistador arrived in 1517 with his fleet of galleons, the Aztecs thought that he was Quetzalcoatl returning.

he word "chocolate" is said to derive from the Mayan "xocoatl"; cocoa from the Aztec "cacahuatl." The Mexican Indian word "chocolate" comes from a combination of the terms choco ("foam") and atl ("water"); early chocolate was only consumed in beverage form.