Aztec Political Structure. The Aztec empire was made up of a series of city-states known as altepetl. Each altepetl was ruled by a supreme leader (tlatoani) and a supreme judge and administrator (cihuacoatl). The tlatoani of the capital city of Tenochtitlan served as the Emperor (Huey Tlatoani) of the Aztec empire..
In respect to this, how was the Aztec empire ruled?
Originally, the Aztec empire was a loose alliance between three cities: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and the most junior partner, Tlacopan. As such, they were known as the 'Triple Alliance. Strategic provinces were essentially subordinate client states which provided tribute or aid to the Aztec state under "mutual consent".
Secondly, what was the political and economic organization of the Aztec empire? The Aztec Empire's political organization was characterized by expansion, strong government officials, and the Spanish conquest of the empire, and its economic organization was characterized by agriculture, tribute systems, and trading. The Aztec Empire had a beginning defined by conquest.
Consequently, what did the Aztecs call their empire?
The Aztecs called their city Tenochtitlán after a name the Aztecs used for themselves, Tenochca. The other name they used for themselves was Mexica. They did not call themselves Aztecs. Later Tlacopan faded from power and for a period of time Tenochtitlán and Texcoco jointly ruled the empire.
What does the Altepetl mean?
Altepetl. The altepetl, in Pre-Columbian and Spanish conquest-era Aztec society, was the local, ethnically based political entity. It is usually translated into English as "city-state". The word is a combination of the Nahuatl words ā-tl, meaning water, and tepē-tl, meaning mountain.
Related Question Answers
How were Aztec kings chosen?
The Aztec government was similar to a monarchy where an Emperor or King was the primary ruler. They called their ruler the Huey Tlatoani. He decided when to go to war and what tribute the lands he ruled would pay the Aztecs. When an emperor died, the new emperor was chosen by a group of high ranking nobles.Who were the Aztecs enemies?
Aztec Enemies - Texlacans. The Texlacans or the Tlaxcalans were amongst the major enemies of the Aztecs.
- Huaxtec. The Huaxtec were another tribe that was enemies with the Aztecs.
- Purempecha. The Purempecha or the Tarascans lived to the west of the Aztecs and they were powerful too.
- Mayans.
- Spanish conquistadors.
Was the Aztec empire wealthy?
The Aztec Empire was powerful, wealthy and rich in culture, architecture and the arts. They returned in 1521 and conquered Tenochtitlan, razing the city to the ground and destroying the Aztec empire in the process.How did the Aztec become so powerful?
Over time the three main city-states of the Aztecs became very powerful. They were able to conquer any civilization and force them to pay tribute. Aztecs were so successful for such a long reign because of the effectiveness of their government. The Aztec empire was made up of a series of city-states known as altepetl.Do Aztecs still exist?
The Aztec empire was still expanding, and its society still evolving, when its progress was halted in 1519 by the appearance of Spanish explorers. The ninth emperor, Montezuma II (reigned 1502–20), was taken prisoner by Hernán Cortés and died in custody.Who made the Aztec laws?
Aztec laws were based on royal decrees and on customs that had been passed down from generation to generation. These laws were also interpreted and applied by Aztec judges in the various court systems.Who did the Aztecs sacrifice?
When the Aztecs sacrificed people to Huitzilopochtli (the god with warlike aspects) the victim would be placed on a sacrificial stone. The priest would then cut through the abdomen with an obsidian or flint blade. The heart would be torn out still beating and held towards the sky in honor to the Sun-God.Why is the Aztec empire important?
Their relatively sophisticated system of agriculture (including intensive cultivation of land and irrigation methods) and a powerful military tradition would enable the Aztecs to build a successful state, and later an empire.Who came before the Aztecs?
Many matured into advanced pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations such as the: Olmec, Izapa, Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Huastec, Purépecha, Totonac, Toltec and Aztec, which flourished for nearly 4,000 years before the first contact with Europeans.What does Aztlan mean?
Aztlan is the mythical place of origin of the Aztec peoples. The connotative meaning of Aztlan, due to the plumage of herons, is "Place of Whiteness" or "illumination." The mythical descriptions of Aztlan would have it to be an island.What race are Aztecs?
When used to describe ethnic groups, the term "Aztec" refers to several Nahuatl-speaking peoples of central Mexico in the postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, especially the Mexica, the ethnic group that had a leading role in establishing the hegemonic empire based at Tenochtitlan.How old are the Mayans?
The Maya civilization were people who lived in Mesoamerica, with Maya languages and Maya religion. They lived there for a long time and some of the Maya people live there even today. The Maya lived there 4,000 years ago (about 2000 BC). At that date complex societies were living in the Maya region.What was the original name of Mexico?
The official name of the country is the "United Mexican States" (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos), since it is a federation of thirty-two states. The official name was first used in the Constitution of 1824, and was retained in the constitutions of 1857 and 1917.What does Huey Tlatoani mean?
Tlatoani means speaker, and Huey tlatoani, means Great speaker. it is part of the same concept. I think it was never equivalent to emperor. Emperor was an european concept, that implies an inheritable title. While rulers could be related, it was more like an aristocracy, where the ruler was elected between them.Where are the Aztecs from originally?
The Aztecs were a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people of central Mexico in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. They called themselves Mēxihcah (pronounced [meˈ?ika?]). The capital of the Aztec Empire was Tenochtitlan.Who Killed the Aztecs?
Hernán Cortés
When did the Aztec empire begin and end?
The Aztec Empire flourished between c. 1345 and 1521 CE and, at its greatest extent, covered most of northern Mesoamerica.What was the social organization of the Aztec empire?
The Aztecs followed a strict social hierarchy in which individuals were identified as nobles (pipiltin), commoners (macehualtin), serfs, or slaves. The noble class consisted of government and military leaders, high level priests, and lords (tecuhtli).Who is Mexico's God?
Tezcatlipoca, god of providence, the darkness and the invisible, lord of the night, ruler of the North. Xipe-Totec, god of force, lord of the seasons and rebirth, ruler of the East. Quetzalcoatl, god of the life, the light and wisdom, lord of the winds and the day, ruler of the West. 
