According to the Aztecs own accounts, they had sacrificed several thousand people for the consecration of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan, sources vary greatly with numbers from 4,000 up to 80,400 people. Moctezuma II was also unsure of how to respond to Cortés and the other Spanish conquistadors because their arrival into the Aztec territory coincided with an important Aztec prophecy in relation to the Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl. Though the human sacrifice is the most talked about, there were actually many types of sacrifices in the empire. When the Spanish arrived, they seemed as appealing an alternative as any other to the current system of tribute bondage. KnowledgeNuts © 2021. Disease like smallpox (lack of Aztec immunity). The Aztecs decided it was time for the Spanish to leave. When the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his men arrived in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán in 1521, they described witnessing a grisly ceremony. Although due to the abundance in tribes and civilisations around the Mexico and Southern American … How long will the footprints on the moon last? The native belief that the Spaniards were gods is a bit lame in light of the fact that the Spaniards considered the Aztecs to be satanic heretics... One group confused the cross for … I'm doing my R.E home work and i need to know how the aztecs worshiped their gods. Does Matthew Gray Gubler do a voice in the Disney movie Tangled? Although Montezuma II did not trust Cortés, he also was worried that Cortés was the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. (he was the God of Rain and Water) dropsy, leprosy and rheumatism . No Aztec thought they were gods, but there was a strong feeling of unease, and some of them interpreted them as divine emissaries or sorcerors or semihuman monsters. Their empire was composed of bustling cities that were… When the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his men arrived in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán in 1521, they described witnessing a grisly ceremony. Subscribe here! They did not want to kill them because they might be gods after all, but the Aztecs wanted them to move along. The Spanish took advantage of this Aztec belief and conquered Mexico within two years. All Rights Reserved. “He who surpasses or subdues mankind, / Must look down on the hate of those below.” —, When Coca-Cola Made ‘White Coke’ For A Soviet War Hero, The Difference Between The Leviathan and Kraken, In the Hall of Maat: Burying the White Gods, The Snack Food That Once Honored An Aztec God, The Tree So Deadly It Was Used As A Torture Instrument, We Use Way More Than 10 Percent Of Our Brains, The Pueblo Revolt Was The First American Revolution, The 16th-Century Myth Of Giants In South America, Ponce De Leon Didn’t Search For A Fountain Of Youth. Chapter 13 of the assigned readings talks about the Aztec and how they came to power and their collapse. This granted the Spanish further justification for the annexation of these new territories. “The Spanish were able to ultimately conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan not because of guns or steel,” she said, “but because of their fierce, skilled indigenous warrior allies.” The Aztects had never seen those type of things Tēōtl represented the so called "Aztec God", the impersonal force, the power behind the world. The Spanish had better weapons and armor. Before the Spanish arrived in the early 1500's, the Aztec, or Mexica, people had built an impressive civilization. The Aztec peoples included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th centuries. then when the spanish arrived in Tenochtitlan, the aztecs saw horses and guns and thought they were from the sky. The Aztecs were Native American people who lived in Mesoamerica.They ruled the Aztec Empire from the 14th century to the 16th century.. The Spanish had weapons similar to those which the gods had. The Aztec language, Nahuatl, was the dominant language in central Mexico by the mid-1350s. Episode #9- Did the Aztecs Think Cortés Was A God? The foreigners couldn’t possibly be worse than the Mexica, right? After all they had “welcomed” Cortes as one of their gods. It's like asking why King Richard the first didn't bring a bunch of gold to give to the poor when he went to the holy land like Mansa Musa did. Of course, if the portends and symbols all had pointed to the Spanish being returning gods, the reason for Mexica leaders’ indecision is clear. The Conquistadors: A Very Short Introduction, by Matthew Restall, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto Second, where did the Aztecs think they came from. - The Spanish thought that the Aztecs had great wealth, although they were disgusted with the ritual sacrifices, they thought it was uncivilised and wanted to convert the to Christianity. Why did the Aztecs think the spanish were gods? We know the earliest name given to the Spanish was Castilteca, meaning 'people from Castile'. At the heart of the Aztec universe was a great temple called the Huey Teocalli. Unsure of whether or not Cortés was the god, … - The Aztecs thought that the Spanish were Gods with advanced technology, although they thought that the punishment of burning someone on the stake and the effectiveness of steel swords equally as horrifying. The Aztec religion originated from the indigenous Aztecs of central Mexico. Well, the Spanish told them, Castile. The people believed that these gods were not satisfied until they received an offering of the blood of innocent people. So if things were going great, they attributed it to the gods helping them and being happy with them. They wanted to avert disaster by paying the endless debt. The name "Aztec" comes from the phrase "people from Aztlan". They had never seen them before. Second, where did the Aztecs think they came from. When did organ music become associated with baseball? It is also important to remember that the Spanish conquerors did everything they could to destroy the Aztec religion, which they believed was created by the devil. He was the god who met with an ant to provide humans with their first maize to plant, and he was responsible for saving all humanity at the beginning of the Fifth Sun. The Spanish played their part later on in the myth-making. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron god of arts and knowledge. They were then surprised when the Spaniards took their leader Montezuma as a prisoner, along with all his royal household and noblemen. Any mention of being hailed as a god is conspicuously absent from Cortes’s letters and memoirs. When the Spanish returned, … They felt that in order for the sun to rise each day the Aztecs needed to perform rituals and sacrifices to give the sun strength. : 86–87 How effectively is still a matter of speculation, since Marina did not speak the dialect of the Aztecs, nor was she familiar with the protocols of the Aztec nobility, who were renowned for their flowery, flattering talk. Enguerarrard. They hated the Aztecs because they had raided their cities for people to sacrifice to their gods. It was, of course, the warrior class which had been responsible for Mexica ascendancy and later for its demise when the Spanish could not be defeated. The people believed that they owed a blood-debt to the gods. (Part I) from Our Fake History on Podchaser, aired Monday, 16th November 2015. Except no one, not even the Spanish, initially suggested there was any case of mistaken identity. They came to realize they were just men pretty quickly though and the Spanish were very cruel in trying to achieve their goals. Through the re-examination of the word ‘teotl’ and closer look at the actions we know the Aztecs took in regards to the Spanish presence , we can say with certainty they did not view Cortes as a god. Which is the Spanish conquest of the Mexica was made possible thanks largely to the Mexica’s oppression of subject peoples. There are a lot of good books and documentaries on the subject. Often the term "Aztec" refers just to the people of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs under Spanish rule were not allowed to practice their old religion and were expected, under penalty of law, to adopt the dominant Spanish Catholic religion. The Spanish were helped by the Tlaxcala, a Mesoamerican civilisation rival of the Aztecs, and other native tribes which allied with them to defeat the Aztecs, especially in the siege of Tenochtitlan because the Spanish falsely promised them territories and a tax-free partnership in the post-conquest rule of Mexico. Straightforward enough, so where did the belief the Spanish were gods come from? Still, we can’t help but think that many didn’t wish to die, but accepted it as inevitable. Then they went from one place to the other wearing on top of their heads a little pot that has never been used for cooking. The Aztecs (/ ˈ æ z t ɛ k s /) were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. Montezuma II tried to keep Cortés from getting all the way to Tenochtitlan, but Cortés continued his march. Why did the Aztecs think the spanish were gods. They did not like the Incas siding with the Spanish. : 181 Some accounts would claim that this idol or deity was Quetzalcoatl, and that the Aztecs were defeated because they believed the Spanish were supernatural and didn't know how to react, although whether or not the Aztecs really believed that is debatable. The story was likely an apocryphal invention of the conquered Mexica to recast their defeat as a result of religious symbols, not military failings. Answer Save. 3 years ago. Ataxalpa knew that the Spaniards were not gods. You really think a few hundred Spanish could conquer the entire Aztec Empire? Everyday items as well as colors, animals’ numbers and dates of the calendar had special meanings because each was associated with a deity – a rattlesnake, for example, was thought to represent the Aztec creator God, Quetzalcoatl. Ataxalpa knew that the Spaniards were not gods. That, along with Spanish steel, guns, and horses, was the reason for the small Spanish retinue’s unlikely conquest. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? . Indeed, much of that "the primitive natives were in awe of the great white men" stuff is just bullshit. The Florentine Codex, written in the 1550s, is a native account of the Spanish conquest and the earliest extant example of the deification of the Spanish. If they were not The sources for this account of the conquest were likely aging former warriors who had battled the Spanish. The Aztecs believed that 13 heavens radiated above it, while below were … They built large pyramid temples which were like their churches on which innocent people were sacrificed to the gods! was supposed to return from the east on a boat. The Aztec built Chinampa. After the Spanish Conquest, many Spanish priests and friars learned enough of the Aztec’s language to talk with Aztec survivors of the battles and diseases. That's how the Aztecs did things. And as the conquistadors made their way inland toward the Mexica capital, Tenochtitlan, the Spanish solicited native allies. Aztec Gods were numerous and were worshipped daily. But, in the 1500s, when the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, entered Aztec territory with a small band of his men, the Aztec misunderstood why they were there. The Aztecs believed that their gods had a direct influence on their own fate. Huitzilopochtl. Xipe Totec (pronounced Shee-peh Toh-tek) … Some arguments in favor of Montezuma’s belief that Cortez was the god Quetzalcoatl begin with the god’s promise to return after he died in a pyre or sailed off in a boat traveling east. The Aztecs did many things to keep the gods happy. The appearance of the Europeans was similar to some descriptions of the gods. By 1521, the Aztec culture was officially eradicated and a new culture, consisting of a combination of Aztec and Spanish elements, emerged. After their hearts were extracted and given to the gods, their bodies were thrown down into the plaza. Well, a question of mistaken identity, i.e., that the Mexica believed the Spaniards to be gods sounds a lot better than the alternative. How did the Aztec create farmland within lake Texcoco. Perhaps you think of the Spanish conquistadors or their beautiful capital at Tenochtitlan. Legends say that Aztlan was the first place the Aztecs ever lived. There was a prophecy that lead them to believe this. The Aztec had attacked one of their rivals, and since the Spanish had allied with many of the Aztecs enemies, they were caught up in the battle. The rituals were horrific. Quetzacoatl was supposed to come back teh same year to distroy the land . Did you know? Two the most important gods in Aztec religion were Aztec Gods called tēōtl and tēixiptla. They reacted much like the Romans did to the Huns-at the worst they were the armies of Satan, … Some Aztecs did not want to fight against the soldiers … So, the conjecture written 50 years later was based upon that quote and some remarks by Cortez to the Spanish Crown as to the naiveté of the Aztecs. 3. This article is part of our larger resource on Aztec civilization. Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, by Matthew Restall Between 1519 and 1521, the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, allied with Tlaxcala and other enemies of the Aztecs. Some were an extraction of … Is there a way to search all eBay sites for different countries at once? Pre-Columbian civilizations - Pre-Columbian civilizations - Aztec culture to the time of the Spanish conquest: At the time of the Spanish conquest the dominant people of Meso-America were the Aztec. Mexico’s Aztec community, whom the Spanish conquistadors met in Mexico during the 16th Century, believed in a complex and diverse realm of gods and goddesses. There is evidence the Aztecs did view the Spanish as sent from god when they first arrived. In class, we learned a lot about the civilizations of the Maya and the Inca but not much about the Maya. He was one of the most human-loving of the gods in the Aztec pantheon. p. 8. One of their gods was light-skinned with a beard who Scholars studying the Aztec (or Mexica) religion have identified no fewer than 200 gods and goddesses, divided into three groups. The conquistadors’ unprovoked invasion suddenly had the tacit acceptance of the conquered. The Aztecs called themselves the "People of the Sun". 4. To get a better understanding of how this myth came to permeate both European and Mesoamerican histories of the conquest, we need to examine the works of prominent thinkers in post … What the Spanish thought:-. Also, there was ritual blood-letting, whe… Gold and conversions to the Catholic church. The Mexica empire which Hernan Cortes encountered in 1519 was actually a confederation of several disparate Native American peoples brought together under the Mexica yoke. The greatest empire to rule over Mexico, the Aztecs were a phenomenal indigenous civilization which ruled far and wide for over 300 years.Brought to a grounding halt in the 1400s by invading Spanish conquistadores, the last great Mesoamerican empire has left an impressive legacy behind, overshadowing that of the Toltecs from whom the ruling crown was snatched in the early 13th century. gods themselves, they may have been messengers from the gods. So, the conjecture written 50 years later was based upon that quote and some remarks by Cortez to the Spanish Crown as to the naiveté of the Aztecs. 5 Answers. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the 16th century, the conventional narrative declares that the native Aztecs (properly: the Mexica) mistook the conquistadors for gods. Montezuma, the ruler at that time, believed that the Spanish military leader, Hernán Cortés, was the great god Quetzalcoatl. They felt that in order for the sun to rise each day the Aztecs needed to perform rituals and sacrifices to give the sun strength. Aztec Gods Tlaloc The Aztecs named and worshiped nearly 1000 Aztec gods. This also tends to suggest that the Aztecs saw the Spanish as people not gods because they rendered them using the same forms as they would any other new people group they encountered. Like other Mesoamerican religions, it also has practices such as human sacrifice in connection with many religious festivals which are in the Aztec calendar. He destroyed the Aztec religious city of Cholula along the way. In the Hall of Maat: Burying the White Gods. In the Aztec "Legend of the Five Suns", all the gods sacrificed themselves so that mankind could live. The Aztec gods represented the most important things in Aztec life. The prophecy spoke of Quetzalcoatl’s arrival at the same time as the Spanish, and Quetzalcoatl was said to have white skin. It remains unknown why Moctezuma tolerated, and even cooperated with Cortes for so long, the Aztecs could have wiped out Cortes' entire party at any time. The Spanish were horrified by the idea that the Aztecs believed in deities that frequently expected blood and hearts from their worshippers, especially when these were obtained in such a brutal way. This is where they should settle. The Spanish were secretly glad to leave. The were told by the God Huitzilopochtli told the Aztecs to search for an Eagle on a Cactus. The most important gods in Aztec culture were Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun) and Tlaloc (god of rain). In the Aztecs, children were educated at home until it was estimated when they age 10 to 15. "Aztlan" means "place of the herons" in the Nahuatl language. For a comprehensive overview of the Aztec Empire, including its military, religion, and agriculture, click here. This description is based primarily on written documents from the 16th century but also includes some archaeological data. This is not surprising. People tell us that all classes in Aztec society the parents taught their children until the age three, then later expected them to be obedient, if they did not listen they were harshly punished. 1 decade ago. the spanish then knew the aztecs were rich. Why did the Aztecs think the spanish were gods . The Aztecs (/ ˈ æ z t ɛ k s /) were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. How do you explain the conquest of an impressive civilization like that of the Mexica by mere hundreds of conquistadors? It might be debatable that Catholicism worships more than one god if you analyze the trinity, being the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The intelligence reports speak of people wearing wool on their faces, like a lamb or like an alpaca, they’re just like an animal. Xipe Totec, God of Fertility and Sacrifice. Two of the most important gods they worshipped were Huitzilopochtli, the god of war and the sun, and Tlaloc, the rain god. Montezuma and the Aztec people did not understand the intentions of the Spanish troupes when they reached Tenochtitlan. Another important god was Quetzalcoatl (feathered snake), the god of learning and civilization. how did the aztecs worship their gods? This polytheistic religion has many gods and goddesses; the Aztecs would often incorporate deities that were borrowed from other geographic regions and peoples into their own … Some arguments in favor of Montezuma’s belief that Cortez was the god Quetzalcoatl begin with the god’s promise to return after he died in a pyre or sailed off in a boat traveling east. Many experts have identified at least 200 different gods/goddesses, divided into three groups: the heaven or the sky; the rain, fertility and agriculture; and, finally, war and sacrifice. The intelligence reports speak of people wearing wool on their faces, like a lamb or like an alpaca, they’re just like an animal. The Mexica did not believe in people becoming gods, or in gods coming to earth only in one particular year, or in anybody having a preordained right to conquer them. But if things were going poorly, they believed that the gods were unhappy with them and abandoned them. Aztec cosmology and religion was central to Aztec life, and is also central to the way the exhibition is organised. López de Gómara had never been to Mexico, but he was chaplain and secretary to the retired Hernando Cortés, who had led the conquistadors. The Aztec peoples included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th centuries.

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