9781422286807

A statue of Montezuma II, one of the greatest rulers of ancient Mexico. As the ninth emperor of the Aztecs from 1502 until 1519, he created laws that pulled the empire together. It was his misfortune to be on the throne when Spanish soldiers under Hernán Cortés arrived.

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Ancient Leaders B efore the Spanish conquistadors set foot on the shores of Mexico, tribes of diverse native people had flourished there, including the Olmecs, the Toltecs, the Maya, and the Aztecs. The records that their sophisticated civilizations left behind tell of the accomplishments of great tribal leaders. One such leader was Topiltzin Acxitl Quetzalcoatl, a 12th-century Toltec chieftain. Topiltzin was one of the last leaders of the powerful Toltec empire, which collapsed in the 12th century. The Aztecs, who thought of the Toltecs as their ancestors, revered Topiltzin as a god, and they kept his story alive. Topiltzin’s father was the ruler of the Toltec tribe, but he was assassinated when Topiltzin was a young man. Topiltzin avenged the murder and retook the throne, becoming the ruler of the Toltecs. He eliminated his enemies and focused his power in the city of Tula, the center of the Toltec empire. Topiltzin was devoted to his belief in the peaceful god of knowledge, Quetzalcoatl. Eventually, he took on the name Quetzalcoatl, and the Aztecs believed he also assumed the powers of this kindly god. However, Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl’s kingdom was not peaceful. The forces that had led to his father’s assassination continued to oppose him. Also, other tribes

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