Aztec Settlement

During Acamapichtli's rule the Mexica were obliged to pay tribute to Tezozomoc in Atzcapotzalco. One form of tribute was to send levies for his army. The Mexica thus took part in a series of campaigns under Tepanec command. Eventually the Tepanecs allowed them to wage war on their own. In this way the Mexica took several chinampa settlements in the Xochimilco area to the south of the Valley. By 1426 the Mexica had thus risen from tributary status to de facto allies of Atzcapotzalco, for they were now tribute-gatherers in their own right and serious contenders for power.

A decisive turning point in the relationship between the two allies was reached when the aged Tezozomoc died and his son, Maxtla, assumed authority after murdering a rival brother. This touched off a series of intrigues and struggles between the two peoples that eventually led to the assassination of the Mexica tlatoani Chimalpopoca. With this death, Itzcoatl was elected new ruler of Tenochtitlan. Tension rose between the Mexica and the Tepanecs. Tenochtitlan was blockaded by Tepanec guards and Maxtla placed Atzcapotzalco on war alert. Tension soon rose so high that war was declared by the hesitant Mexica.

Now Netzahualcoyotl entered the story. While in Tenochtitlan he came of age as a warrior and is said to have presented war captives to Tezozomoc himself. For a brief period after Maxtla's accession, Netzahualcoyotl returned to his ancestral seat in Texcoco. A delegation from Atzcapotzalco was sent, posing as an embassy but in fact charged by Maxtla to murder him. Their plot was discovered by Netzahualcoyotl's attendants, and for the second time the prince fled his homeland across the mountains to stay among his friends in Huexotzingo. Word got to him that the Mexica and Maxtla were at war and he saw his opportunity. Netzahualcoyotl returned to Texcoco at the head of an allied force to remove Maxtla. Netzahualcoyotl and his allies then crossed the lake in a fleet of canoes to land and move south to besiege Atzcapotzalco. At the same time, the Mexica joined by allies invested Maxtla's capital from the opposite direction. After 114 days, Atzcapotzalco's defenses were defeated and it is said that Netzahualcoyotl himself led the final assault. Maxtla was dragged from hiding in a ritual sweatbath by his own embittered countrymen and delivered to the official captor, Netzahualcoyotl.