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The Triple Alliance Period

Garden of the Triple Alliance
Garden of the Triple Alliance, on Calle Tacuba. Photo: Thelma Datter on Wikimedia Commons

The Triple Alliance period begins with the death of Tezozomoc  in 1427.

1427
Tezozomoc bequeaths the Tepanec kingdom, today’s Azcapotzalco to his sons Tayatzin and Maxtla.  Maxtla is believed to have later poisoned Tayatzin. The kingdom at the time extended as far south as Coyoacán and Tizapan.

1427-1440
Itzcoatl—the “Obsidian Serpent” who lived from 1380 until 1440—reigns as tlatoani of Tenochtitlan.

1428
Maxtla, though, is soon overthrown by the Aztec Triple Alliance, representing the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, the Acolhua people of Texcoco, the remaining Tepanec people of Tlacopan. Tlacopan was the dominant Tepanec city, but a much weaker partner within the alliance than were Tenochtitlan and Texcoco.

1431–1472
Nezahualcoyōtl, (born April 28, 1402) only the most notable of the Triple-Alliance leaders, reigns over Texcoco, in a period remembered for his poetry and his aversion to blood sacrifice.

1435
The town of Zapotitlán is founded on the southern slopes of the Xaltepec volcano in what is today Iztapalapa. The Tlatelolco people, as a reward for assisting in the conquest over the Tepanec people, receive increased fishing rights. These included mainland territories that would later become San Juan de Aragón. The award also included the island today called Peñón de los baños.

1486-1502
Ahuitzotl’s celebrated reign as tlatoani  leads to one of the greatest expansions of Mexica power. He is succeeded upon his death by Moctezuma II in 1502.

1507
What was likely the last New Fire Ceremony in history is celebrated on November 6 at Cerra de la Estrella in today’s Iztapalapa.

1519

Arrival of the Spaniards: The Mexica leader, Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, meets with Hernán Cortés on November 8. The meeting is said to have taken place near the present day Hospital de Jesus.

1521
On August 13, México-Tenochtitlan falls to the invading Spanish army.

 

The Ancient PeriodNew Spain: The Colonial Period