There are two overlapping stories about the founding to the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which would become modern Mexico City. The first is told by the archeological and historic record, and the second comes from the Mexica themselves, which is both mythological and historical. The central highlands of what is now Mexico were occupied for many centuries before the founding of the city. To the northeast are the ruins of Teotihuacan, whose empire and civilization mysteriously disappeared around 750 CE. After that, the Toltecs ruled the area in and around the Valley of Mexico until about 1200 CE. After the fall of the Toltec capital of Tollan, large migrations of people moved into the Valley of Mexico, bringing with them the concept of city-state. This led to the founding of a number of semi-autonomous urban centers around Lake Texcoco each claiming legitimacy as descendents of the Toltecs. By the early 16th century, at least a dozen of these city-states had reached 10,000 in population with Tenochtitlan by far the largest at 150,000.
The Mexica who would found Tenochtitlan were part of the last wave of migration of Nahuatl-speaking peoples into the valley. Their presence was resisted; however, taking advantage of the nearly-constant conflict among the city-states along the lakeshores, the Mexica were able to establish their city on an islet in Lake Texcoco. Continuing to take advantage of the volatile political situation, they conquered the Valley of Mexico, exacting tribute from the same powers that resisted their migration in the first place.
The Mexica story states that they came from a land called Aztlan, which is described as an island in the middle of a lake. They were told by the god Huitzilopochtli to go and look for a promised land. They first arrived to what is now known as Culhuacan around 800 CE but then left and returned to Aztlan. Wandering from Aztlan again, they arrived at Patzcuaro. They thought that was the land promised to them by Huitzilopochtli, but the god told them to continue. They went east and arrived to Chapultepec, on the edge of what was then Lake Texcoco. The god told them that their promised land was close but that they would have to fight for it. Their first opponent was a chief named Cópil, son of a witch named Malinalxochitl and sister of Huitzilopochtli. The Mexica surrounded Cópil's forces, captured and sacrificed the chief's heart to Huitzilopochtli.
However, their arrival was still opposed by the lords of Azcapotzalco, Tlacopan, Coyoacán and Culhuacan. At first they tried diplomacy to convince the Mexica to leave. The Mexica fought these lords and lost, retreating to a place called Acocolco and hid in the marshes, becoming subjects of a people named the Colhuas. Two years later, the Colhuas asked the Mexicas to fight with them against Xochimilco. While the Mexica impressed the Colhuas with their battle skills, they were expelled again when they sacrificed the hearts of their captives to Huitzilopochtli. They went to Tizapan in 835 AD, living there until about 882 CE. After that, they wandered the rim of Lake Texcoco for another 400 years.
There are two overlapping stories about the founding to the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which would become modern Mexico City. The first is told by the archeological and historic record, and the second comes from the Mexica themselves, which is both mythological and historical. The central highlands of what is now Mexico were occupied for many centuries before the founding of the city. To the northeast are the ruins of Teotihuacan, whose empire and civilization mysteriously disappeared around 750 CE. After that, the Toltecs ruled the area in and around the Valley of Mexico until about 1200 CE. After the fall of the Toltec capital of Tollan, large migrations of people moved into the Valley of Mexico, bringing with them the concept of city-state. This led to the founding of a number of semi-autonomous urban centers around Lake Texcoco each claiming legitimacy as descendents of the Toltecs. By the early 16th century, at least a dozen of these city-states had reached 10,000 in population with Tenochtitlan by far the largest at 150,000.
The Mexica who would found Tenochtitlan were part of the last wave of migration of Nahuatl-speaking peoples into the valley. Their presence was resisted; however, taking advantage of the nearly-constant conflict among the city-states along the lakeshores, the Mexica were able to establish their city on an islet in Lake Texcoco. Continuing to take advantage of the volatile political situation, they conquered the Valley of Mexico, exacting tribute from the same powers that resisted their migration in the first place.
The Mexica story states that they came from a land called Aztlan, which is described as an island in the middle of a lake. They were told by the god Huitzilopochtli to go and look for a promised land. They first arrived to what is now known as Culhuacan around 800 CE but then left and returned to Aztlan. Wandering from Aztlan again, they arrived at Patzcuaro. They thought that was the land promised to them by Huitzilopochtli, but the god told them to continue. They went east and arrived to Chapultepec, on the edge of what was then Lake Texcoco. The god told them that their promised land was close but that they would have to fight for it. Their first opponent was a chief named Cópil, son of a witch named Malinalxochitl and sister of Huitzilopochtli. The Mexica surrounded Cópil's forces, captured and sacrificed the chief's heart to Huitzilopochtli.
However, their arrival was still opposed by the lords of Azcapotzalco, Tlacopan, Coyoacán and Culhuacan. At first they tried diplomacy to convince the Mexica to leave. The Mexica fought these lords and lost, retreating to a place called Acocolco and hid in the marshes, becoming subjects of a people named the Colhuas. Two years later, the Colhuas asked the Mexicas to fight with them against Xochimilco. While the Mexica impressed the Colhuas with their battle skills, they were expelled again when they sacrificed the hearts of their captives to Huitzilopochtli. They went to Tizapan in 835 AD, living there until about 882 CE. After that, they wandered the rim of Lake Texcoco for another 400 years.