Moctezuma I

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For other uses, see Montezuma.

Montezuma Ilhuicamina, or Montezuma I (the surname meaning "solitary one who shoots an arrow into the sky") was born to an Aztec noble named Huitzilihuitl. He took power as Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan in 1440; he was preceded by Itzcóatl and followed by Axayacatl in 1469.

Accomplishments

Montezuma solidified the alliance with two neighboring peoples, Tlacopan (a small sovereign kingdom) and Texcoco. In this skillfully crafted Triple Alliance, 4/5ths of a newly conquered territory would be divided between Texcoco and the Aztecs, with the remaining 1/5th given to Tlacopan.

Among the Aztecs' greatest achievements, Montezuma I and the King of Texcoco organized the construction and completion of a double aqueduct pipe system, supplying the city of Tenochtitlan with fresh water.

Montezuma extended the boundaries of the Aztec empire beyond the Valley of México to the Gulf Coast. He subjugated the Huastec and Totonac peoples and thereby gained access to exotic goods such as cocoa, rubber, cotton, fruits, feathers, and seashells.

See also: Montezuma II, Aztec emperor, c. 1502–1520.

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