Rise And Fall Of The Aztec Civilization

While the Greeks and Romans were in Europe, the Aztecs were in Mexico and were also one of the most fearsome ancient civilizations due to their advanced military prowess and strategizing. How did they reach such power, and what caused them to fall?

The Aztec Empire of 1519 was the most powerful Mesoamerican Kingdom of all time. This multi-ethnic, multi-lingual realm stretched for roughly 80,000 square miles through what's now known as central and southern Mexico, even reaching to the present-day Republic of Guatemala. It's thought that fifteen million people paid tribute to the Emperor Moctezuma II of Tenochtitlán, which was the capital city of the great empire.

[Eevcee]

If Europeans or, more specifically, European diseases hadn’t come when they did, the Aztecs would have eventually succumbed to the Tarascans. The Tarascans mastered metallurgy and assimilated and invested in their conquered populations instead of turning them into sacrificial reserves.

[wolfieinu]

Cool info!

I'd suggest a proof-reader here; it's a bit difficult to ignore large headings reading "tripple" and "nobels."

Re: what could have been done to prevent the fall of the Aztecs, probably nothing. However, they did set themselves up for a fall by having such adversarial relationships with their neighbors. In the end, all empires go the same way: the moment that their hold on power falters, the people they've been oppressing are their downfall.

[callumbush]

The Roman empire and the Greek city states had long since fallen by the time the Aztecs came to rise!

[TurtleShroom]

Fun fact: the Aztecs had a god of corn _and_ a god of agriculture. Corn was so important that it was its own deity.

[rickecheverria]

History you forgot to mention: Folks love to write about the Mexica founding Tenochtitlan but hardly explain why and what led them to found this city... Maybe this will help explain... In roughly 1248, they first settled on Chapultepec, a hill on the west shore of Lake Texcoco, the site of numerous springs.

In time, the Tepanecs of Azcapotzalco ousted the Mexica from Chapultepec and the ruler of Culhuacan, Cocoxtli, gave the Mexica permission to settle in the empty barrens of Tizaapan in 1299. There they married and assimilated into Culhuacan culture.

In 1323, they asked the new ruler of Culhuacan, Achicometl, for his daughter, in order to make her the goddess Yaocihuatl. Unknown to the king, the Mexica actually planned to sacrifice her. The Mexica believed that by doing this the princess would join the gods as a deity. As the story goes, during a festival dinner, a priest came out wearing her flayed skin as part of the ritual. Upon seeing this, the king and the people of Culhuacan were horrified and expelled the Mexica.

Forced to flee, in 1325 they went to a small island on the west side of Lake Texcoco where they began to build their city Tenochtitlan...

[anuragtumane]

Aztec Empire has been a very famous empire a few centuries ago.

[ZANDTSU]

Imagine if the Spanish wouldn't know about this, just imagine

[chom]

am i the only one who voluntary watched this

[The-One-True-Emperor]

Cuauhtémoc is actually Motecuhzoma's first full-blood paternal cousin, not his nephew.

[EmmanuellaEhinomenOseyi-Okosod]

The fact that i cannot put captions is

[jsandoval]

The Spaniards didn’t have to do much, but take a crap in the aqueducts and shake hands to win

[The-One-True-Emperor]

'The Aztecs' or 'Mexica' (MAY-SHEE-KAH) never really fell because my Nahua kin and I are still extant, are thriving, and are fervently protective and rightfully proud of our heritage and ancestry. To my Nahua people, I say 'Nimitzlazohtla.' Your true and rightful Emperor - Motecuhzoma III - will indeed restore the Empire we already keep in our hearts. Just wait a little longer. In August 2026, 'Yankuik Mexico-Tenochtitlán' will already be built and finished in time for the coronation of '(Weyī tlahtoāni) Motecuhzoma III.'

[victorjames]

🦉🐯 This isn’t a great version of events, I expect others have noted the oddities in this one, obviously reporting on historical events is difficult (unless you were there), but still.

[chrisjohnson]

I have a item that talk about that day you love it

[jimchambers]

They thought the Spaniards were gods. Big mistake. Never saw horses before, etc.

[astheniacat]

Crazy maniacs lmfao I hate them in civ 6

[v.rawdriguez]

This is so whitewashed and inaccurate 🤦🏽‍♀️