what did the aztecs have to help them see where they had to establish their city brainly
The Aztecs engaged in warfare (yaoyotl) to acquire territory, resource, quash rebellions, and to collect sacrificial victims to honour their gods. Warfare was a fundamental role of Aztec culture with all males expected to actively participate and battle, referred to in Nahuatl poetry as 'the song of shields', was regarded as a perpetual religious and political necessity. The Aztecs were so accomplished in combat that they eventually forged an empire which covered 200,000 square kilometres and, at the superlative of their ability, they extracted tribute from 371 urban center-states across 38 provinces.
Warfare in Aztec Mythology
The Aztecs believed that the god of the sun and war Huitzilopochtli had been fully armed and ready for war from the very moment of his nascence from his mother Coatlicue. Indeed, the first act of this blood-thirsty state of war god was to impale without mercy his rebellious sister Coyolxauhqui and his 400 siblings, the Centzonhuitznahuac and Centzonmimizcoa. In mythology, the dismembered bodies of Coyolxauhqui and the 400 became the moon and stars respectively. That warfare was an everyday reality is reflected in the Aztec conventionalities that the conflict between Huitzilopochtli and his siblings re-occurred every day, symbolised past the contest betwixt lord's day and moon each 24 hours. Further, that war was glorified is evidenced in the belief that fallen warriors accompanied the sun on his daily journey and later returned to world every bit hummingbirds. Human sacrifices were regularly made to Huitzilopochtli at his temple atop the great pyramid, the Templo Mayor, at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. 1 of the nearly important such sacrificial ceremonies was held on the wintertime solstice, the traditional beginning of the entrada season.
Elite units could but exist joined by warriors who had displayed no fewer than 20 acts of bravery in battle.
The Aztec Army
The military commander-in-chief was the king himself, the tlatoani. He was assisted by his 2d-in-command, who had the title cihuacoatl. Joining these ii in a war council were four more of the highest ranking nobles, typically relatives of the king. These four had the titles of tlacochcalcatl, tlaccetacatl, tillancalqui, and etzhuanhuanco. Reporting to the council were diverse units of warriors with varying levels of status, although information technology is important to note that brave and able soldiers could certainly climb through the ranks if they took a specific number of captives. Aztec symbols of rank included the right to vesture certain feather headdresses, cloaks, and jewellery - lip, nose, and ear-plugs. Officers also wore large ensigns of reeds and feathers which towered above their shoulders. The nigh prestigious units were the cuauhchique or 'shaved ones' and the otontin or 'otomies'. These two elite units could only exist joined by warriors who had displayed no fewer than xx acts of bravery in battle and were already members of the prestigious jaguar and eagle warrior groups. Even the lowest ranks could win through valour privileges, such as the right to eat in the royal palaces, have concubines, and drink pulque beer in public.
Warriors were trained from a young age in special military machine compounds where children learnt to master weapons and tactics and where they were regaled with tales of boxing from veteran warriors. Youths also accompanied the Aztec ground forces on entrada, acting as luggage handlers, and when they finally became warriors and took their kickoff convict, they could at last cut off the piochtli hair lock at the back of their necks which they had worn since the age of x. Boys were now men and ready to fulfil their purpose: to die gloriously in battle and return as hummingbirds.
In that location is zip like expiry in state of war,
zippo similar the flowery death
and so precious to Him who gives life:
far off I see it: my centre yearns for it!
Nahuatl song
The Aztecs did not take a permanent or standing regular army simply called up warriors when required. Each town was required to provide a complement of 400 men for campaigns, during which they would remain as a unit led by ane of their ain senior warriors and march under their own standard just also be a part of a larger grouping of 8,000 men. As many as 25 such divisions, or 200,000 men, could be mobilized for a large-calibration campaign. Besides men, towns also had to provide supplies such every bit maize, beans, and salt, which would be carried on campaign by the baggage handlers. On the march the army was preceded by scouts, easily recognised by their yellow confront-paint and conch-trounce trumpets, and priests, who bore images of Huitzilopochtli. The main torso of the army, oft stretching some 25 kilometres along narrow trails, had the elite units leading from the front. Next came ordinary units from each of the empire's allies, starting with the armies of Tenochtitlan, and finally, the troops acquired from tribute quotas brought upward the rear. When necessary, camps were unproblematic diplomacy with reed mat shelters for the elite and the open up-air for ordinary troops.
Aztec Warriors
Weapons & Armour
Aztec warriors were taught from childhood in weapons handling and they became adept users of clubs, bows, spears, and darts. Protection from the enemy was provided via round shields (chimalli), and, more than rarely, helmets. Torso armour (ichcahuipilli) was also worn and made from quilted cotton fiber which was soaked in saltwater to make the garment stiffer and more resistant to enemy blows.
Clubs or swords (macuahuitl) were studded with fragile simply super-abrupt obsidian blades. Spears were short and used for jabbing and stabbing the enemy at close quarters. The atlatl was a sprint-throwing device made of wood, and using 1, an experienced warrior could direct accurate and mortiferous darts (mitl) or javelins (tlacochtli) while remaining a condom distance from the enemy or during the commencement stage of battle when the ii armies lined up facing each other. Shields of wood or reeds were fabricated more resistant with leather additions and decorated with heraldic designs such as birds, geometric shapes, and butterflies. Elite warriors could wearable leather helmets, elaborately carved with symbols of their rank and unit. In that location was no uniform every bit such, but ordinary warriors wore a simple tunic over a loincloth and wore war-paints. Elite warriors were much more than impressively decked out with exotic feathers and animal skins. The Jaguar warriors wore jaguar skins and helmets with fangs, whilst the hawkeye warriors were dressed for battle in feathered suits consummate with talons and a beaked helmet.
Strategies
Usually campaigns began in order to redress a wrong such as the murder of traders, the refusal to requite tribute, or failure to send representatives to of import ceremonies at Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs likewise sought to create a buffer zone between their empire and neighbouring states. These areas were treated slightly improve, allowed greater autonomy and were obliged to give less tribute. All the same another reason for state of war was the Coronation Wars. These were traditional campaigns whereby a new Aztec tlatoani proved his worth following his accession by conquering regions and acquiring tribute and prisoners for sacrifice.
Actual fighting was usually preceded by diplomatic missions where ambassadors (quauhquauhnochtzin) reminded of the price of defeat in battle and attempted to persuade a peaceful alternative of reasonable tribute and acceptance of the supremacy of the Aztec gods. Additionally, spies (quimichtin or 'mice') could be sent into the target surface area disguised every bit merchants and dressed in local costume. If, upon the failure of affairs, war was nonetheless necessary and the defending army was defeated, then the principal urban center was sacked and the whole region considered conquered.
The battlefield is the identify:
where one toasts the divine liquor in war,
where are stained red the divine eagles,
where the jaguars howl,
where all kinds of precious stones rain from ornaments,
where wave headdresses rich with fine plumes,
where princes are smashed to bits.
Nahuatl song.
On the battlefield, unremarkably a plain, combat was typically preceded past both armies facing each other with much shouting, posturing, and the beating of drums and blowing of conch-trounce trumpets and bone flutes. Leaders positioned troops to best take reward of local geographical features, and they led from the forepart and very much past example, throwing themselves into the boxing. Equally the two armies faced off, heavy stones were thrown and followed by a more deadly volley of darts. So came a encarmine hand-to-mitt combat, where the obsidian-bladed spears and clubs slashed the enemy creating fearsome wounds. Here all lodge was lost and battle became a series of independent duels where warriors tried to capture their opponent live. Indeed, administration with ropes followed the fighting in order to immediately truss up the vanquished for later cede. Ruse tactics could besides be employed, such every bit pretending to flee the battlefield or hiding in covered trenches in order to ambush enemy troops. Victory conventionally came when the enemy's main temple had been sacked. The bailiwick and sheer ferocity of the Aztec warriors was commonly far superior to that of the enemy and ensured success subsequently success across ancient Mexico.
Aztec Empire Map
The Flowery Wars
Besides the desire for new territory and war-booty, the Aztecs very often specifically went on campaign in society to acquire sacrificial victims. Indeed, both sides agreed to the battle beforehand, agreeing that the losers would provide warriors for sacrifice. The Aztecs believed that the blood of sacrificial victims, particularly of brave warriors, fed the god Huitzilopochtli. Taken as captives later on battles, the victims had their hearts removed and the corpse was skinned, dismembered and decapitated. These campaigns were known equally xochiyaoyotl or a 'flowery war' considering the victims were defeated warriors who were trussed upwards, and with their splendid plume war costumes, looked like flowers every bit they were unceremoniously transported back to Tenochtitlan. I Aztec general, named Tlacaelel, likened this procedure to shopping in a market and stated that the victims should be equally easy to selection up as tortillas. A favourite hunting ground for these military expeditions was the eastern Tlaxcala state and cities such as Atlixco, Huexotzingo and Cholula. The earliest known example of a xochiyaoyotl was in 1376 CE against the Chalca, a conflict which, perhaps unsurprisingly, developed into a full-calibration state of war. Generally speaking, though, the intention was but to have a sufficient number of victims and not to start all-out hostilities; for this reason many Aztec campaigns were not decisive engagements aimed at territorial control. Nevertheless, the flower wars must have reminded who the rulers were and may also have served equally a regular pruning of opposition military power.
The Victor's Spoils
First and foremost, successful warfare brought the Aztecs new territory and secured and extended their lucrative trade network. Parcels of land were also distributed to nobles and aristocracy warriors. Defeat did not necessarily mean the terminate of the vanquished's way of life, for conquered rulers were very frequently left in ability, although sometimes populations were massacred and children relocated and dispersed in other communities. Generally, the existent price of defeat was essentially agreements to pay regular tributes in both appurtenances and people to their new masters. Tribute could exist in the form of slaves, military service, gold dust, precious jewellery, metals, blankets, dress, cotton, exotic feathers, shields, cochineal dye, rubber, shells, grain, chillies, chocolate beans (cacao), and table salt. Curiously, the Aztecs also took away statues and idols, especially religiously of import ones. These 'captives' were symbolically held at Tenochtitlan and illustrated that the new masters controlled not just a people's territory but at present also their faith and ideas.
The Aztec Collapse
The Aztecs were very successful in acquisition neighbouring territories, especially during the reigns of Moctezuma I, Ahuitzotl, and Moctezuma Ii (Montezuma), just they did occasionally suffer defeats. 1 of the worst of these was against their long-time enemies, the Tarascans, in 1479 CE when an regular army of 32,000 led by Axayacatl was wiped out in two engagements near Taximaloyan. The Aztecs were also constantly having to put down rebellions, and these conquered peoples were frequently all too happy to side with the European invaders when they came in 1519 CE. Scholars accept besides noted that the style Aztec warfare was conducted - pre-boxing diplomacy, the absenteeism of surprise attack, and specially the lack of a need to completely destroy the enemy - gave the more direct Spanish conquistadores a singled-out advantage when they sought to colonize aboriginal Mexico. Token victories such as the flower wars were not role of the military vocabulary of the European invaders, and the boxing for Mesoamerica was, so, possibly the Aztecs' first and last experience of total war.
This article has been reviewed for accurateness, reliability and adherence to academic standards prior to publication.
Source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Aztec_Warfare/
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