The Aztec or Mexica as they called themselves established their new home of Tenochtitlan in a man-made island in Lake Texcoco in 1325. Decades later, they found their safety and survival in a precarious situation. Supplies and political intrigue plagued the early years of the Aztecs.
The nature of early Tenochtitlan limited the amount of food that grew. The marshes of Lake Texcoco prevented the expansion of agriculture, thus the early Aztecs only managed to sustain themselves, but not live in abundance. A city incapable of supporting around 200,000 people, the estimated population of the city during the conquest of Hernan Cortes in 1519-1521.
Beyond the problem of food supply, the city also lived in danger from its powerful and longer entrenched neighbors. Basically, the early Aztec squatted in the lands of the Tepanec peoples of Azcapotzalco and Tlacopan, the Acolhua people of Texcoco, and finally the people of the Culhuacan. Moreover, division among the Aztecs resulted in the foundation of a breakaway city of Tlatelolco. War threatened to dislodge the early Aztec.
With mounting problems, the Aztec may well have disappeared if they failed to find solutions. Their choice of leader determined their faith. It set the path of the Aztec for the following centuries.
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| Tenochtitlan in the Mendoza Codex |
Election of the Acamapichtli
Around the middle of the 14th century, the Aztecs must then first solve the problem of leadership of the young Tenochtitlan. A leader with his challenges cut out. A leader determined to secure their existence in the lands they occupied.
Surprisingly, the Aztecs chose as their new leader someone related to the Culhuacan noblility. Decades before the foundation of Tenochtitlan, according to legends, the Aztecs flayed a Culhuacan princess upon the demand of the war god Huitzilopochtli. From the same people came the Aztecs' new leader.
Acamapichtli whose name meant Handful of Reeds in Nahuatl became Tenochtitlan’s newly elected tlatoani or speaker, otherwise the leader. His Aztec father Opochtzin lived in Culhuacan and married a local noblewoman. The couple gave birth to Acamapichtli.
Bad blood between Aztecs and Culhuacan surely ended when after his election, Acamapichtli married a Culhuacan princess named Ilancueitl. He eventually married 20 times during his reign that resulted in numerous children who some became tlatoani, such as Huitzilihuitl and Itzcoatl.
While his house took shape, Acamapichtli must then fulfill the duties that the Aztec people handed him: secure Tenochtitlan from hunger and war.
Securing Tenochtitlan
He followed the path of the later Chinese paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, through hiding his strength and biding his time. But in the Aztec situation, they must gain strength and so they must bid their time.
King Tezozomoc of the Tepanecs demanded additional tribute from the Aztecs. Surely refusal meant war, but accepting meant starvation. The Aztecs must send more food to the Tepanecs instead of their own.
To solve the problem with 2 birds with 1 stone, Acamapichtli decided to expand the chinampas. These chinampas floated in water, hence increasing food production without the need of draining the swamps of Texcoco. Fortunately, the harvest did expand after a few years allowing the Aztecs to feed themselves, grow their population and pay the Tepanec tributes.
The Aztecs' situation improved afterwards. Chinampas continued to grow while they built additional infrastructures. Canals began to expand alongside construction of new housing for the growing population. As a result of rising manpower, more men became available for war.
Acamapichtli joined the Tepanecs in their various wars. They contributed to the wars against the Quahuacan and Chimalhuacan. From the battles, the Aztecs grew their military might.
Acamapichtli Legacy
Acamapichtli ruled for 40 years, but others said 21. The codices and other sources failed to give exact dates or at least same years of his reign. The scope, however, settled around the middle of the 14th century.
As for his legacy and sons, his diplomatic pragmatism and expansion of agriculture secured the foundations of Tenochtitlan. His people walked away from hunger with the growth of the chinampas. Moreover, with growing numbers and experience, the Aztecs grew more confident with Acamapichtli’s sons, Huitzilihuitl and Itzcoatl, building the future Aztec empire.
See also:
Bibliography:
Duran, Diego. Aztecs: The History of the Indies of New Spain. New York, New York: Orion Press, 1964.
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