The Tlaxcalan Betrayal: Allies of the Conquest

In Episode 227, Lucas and Luna explore the complex and often overlooked role of the Tlaxcalteca in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. While Hernán Cortés is frequently remembered as the singular architect of Tenochtitlan's fall, the reality was a coalition forged through decades of rivalry with the Mexica. This episode delves into the diplomatic negotiations between Cortés and the Tlaxcalan leadership, particularly Xicotencatl the Elder and the younger Xicotencatl, whose initial resistance turned into a crucial alliance. We examine the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, a pictographic manuscript that offers a distinctly indigenous perspective on these events, contrasting sharply with Spanish accounts like those of Bernal Díaz del Castillo. The conversation also touches on the encomienda system granted to Tlaxcalan allies, which preserved their status as nobles but bound them to Spanish authority. Listeners will discover how ancient enemies became indispensable partners in one of history’s most transformative military campaigns, reshaping the political landscape of Mesoamerica forever.

#Tlaxcalteca #HernanCortes #Tenochtitlan #Xicotencatl #LienzoDeTlaxcala #FlorentineCodex #Mexica #Nahua #Encomienda #BernalDiaz #Mesoamerica #SpanishConquest #IndigenousAllies #Cuauhtemoc #NocheTriste #Otumba #History #FexingoHistory

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