Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 13, MAT-MIC

M E X
Mexico.
44
©hn'.^a ta¬
ken.
45
Tlatelolf o
reduced,
and ivlo-
quihuix
made kin^.
, gion, lie made war upon the Chalcefe, In order to pro¬
cure the prifoners who were to be facrificed at his
coronation 5 and fcarce was this ceremony over, when
a new war commenced, which terminated in the de-
ftruction of that city. Ihis quarrel happened be¬
tween the Chalcde and the Tezcucans. Twro of the
royal princes of Tezcuco having gone a-hunting on
the mountains which overlook the plains of Chaleo,
while employed in the chafe, and feparated from their
retinue, with only three Mexican lords, fell in with
a troop ol Chalcefe foldiers 5 who, to gratify the
cruelty of their mafter, carried them all prifoners to
Chaleo. i he cruel and inconfiderate tyrant who com¬
manded there inllantly put them all to death : after
which he caided their bodies to be falted, dried, and
placed in an hall of his palace, where they ferved as
iupporters to the pine torches burned there for lights
e' ery evening. 1 he king of Tezcuco, overwhelmed
With grief, and to the lalt degree exafperated at fuch
an inhuman act, called for the afliitance of the allied
kings. The city was attacked at once by land and wa¬
ter. The inhabitants, knowing that they had no mer¬
cy to expert, fought like men in defpair. Even the
old tyrant who commanded them, though unable to
walk, caufed himfelf to be carried in a litter among the
combatants not with (landing which they were totally
defeated, and the mod fevere vengeance executed upon
them.
Montezuma, on his return, found himfelf obliged
to encounter an enemy more formidable on account
of his vicinity, than more powerful ones at a diftance.
I his was the king of Tlatelolco, wrho had formerly
cpnfpired againd the life of Itzcoatl j and finding him¬
felf disappointed in this, had tried to reduce his power
by entering into a confederacy with fome of the
neighbouring lords. At that time his defigns proved
abortive, but he refumed them in the time of Monte¬
zuma ; the confequence of which was, that he was
defeated and killed. One Moquihuix xvas chofen in
his room 5 in whofe election it is probable that Mon¬
tezuma had a confiderable (hare. This was follow¬
ed by conqueds of a much more important nature.
The province of Cuikixcas, lying to the fouthward,
was added to his dominions, comprehending a traft
of country more than 150 miles in breadth j then,
turning to the wredward, he conquered another named
Tzompahuacan. This fuccefs, however, was for a fiiort
time interrupted by a war with Atonaltzin, lord of a
territory in the country of the Mixtacas. This prince,
puffed up on account of the great wealth he poffeffcd-,
took it into his head that he would allow no Mexican
to travel through his country. Montezuma fent am-
baffadors to know the reafon of fuch drange conduct •,
but Atonaltzin gave them no other anfwer than (bow¬
ing them fome part of bis wealth, making a prefent to
the king, and defiring them from thence to obferve how
much the fubjedts of Atonaltzin loved him j and that
he willingly accepted of war, which was to determine
whether he (hould pay tribute to the Mexicans or the
Mexicans to him. Montezuma having informed his al¬
lies of this infolent anfwer, fent a confiderable army
againd Atonaltzin, but had the mortification to be in¬
formed of its defeat •, in confequence of which the pride
af Atonaltzin was increafed to a great degree. Monte-
C 754 ]
M E X
zuma, greatly chagrined at this fird check, determined Mexico.
to head his next army in perfon ; but before he could
call together another, Atonaltzin had drawn into a
confederacy with him the Huexotzincas and Tlafca-
lans, who were glad of the opportunity, as they fup-
pofed, of reducing the power of the Mexicans. Their
numbers, however, availed but little; Montezuma in
the very fird engagement totally defeated the confe¬
derate army. The allies of Atonaltzin were partieu-Atonaltzin
larly unfortunate j for fuch of them as were not kill-defeated,
ed in the field of battle, w^ere dedroyed by their ownan<J !he
party out of revenge for the unfortunate event of the jlexican
battle.
By this viflory the Mexican monarch became maf-
ter n«t only of his dominions of Atonaltzin, but of
many other neighbouring princes, againd whom he
made war on account of their having put to death
fome Mexican merchants or couriers without any juft
caufe. The conqueft of Cuetlachtlan or Cotajla, how¬
ever, which he attempted in 1457, proved a much more
difficult talk. This province lies on the coaft of the
Mexican gulf, and had been formerly inhabited by the
Olmecans, whom the Tlafcalans had driven out. The
inhabitants were very numerous ; but dreading the
power of Montezuma, called in thofe of Tlafcala, toge¬
ther with the Huexotzincas, to their affiftance. Along
with thefe the allies drew the Cholulans alfo into the
confederacy j fo that this feems to have been the mod
formidable combination that had yet been formed
againft the Mexican power. Montezuma colledled an
exeellently equipped army ; which, however, he did
not on this occafion command in perfon. It contained
a great number of perfons of very high rank, among
whom were three princes of royal blood, and Moqiii-
huix king of Tlatelolco already mentioned. The com¬
bination of the three republics againft Mexico was not
known at court when the army fet out ; but Montezu¬
ma, being informed of it foon after, fent an order to hb
generals to return. This accorded fo ill with the ro¬
mantic notions of valour entertained by the Mexican-,
that a confultation of the generals wras held whether
they (hould obey it or not. At laft it was determined
that the king’s order (hould be obeyed j but no fooner
was this agreed to than Moquihuix accufed them all of
cowardice, and threatened, with his own troops, unaf-
fifted, to go and conquer the enemy. His fpeech had
fuch an effeft upon them all, that they went to meet
the confederates. The Cotaftefe fought with great va¬
lour, but wrere unable to refill the royal forces ) and
their allies were almoft totally deftroyed. Six thoufand
two hundred of them were taken prifoners, and foon af¬
ter facrificed to the Mexican god of war in the barba¬
rous manner already deferibed. The victory was (aid
to have been owing principally to the valour and good
condufl of Moquihuix, infoinuch that to this day a fong
made in his praife on that occafion is known in Mexico.
Montezuma was fo well pleafed with the victory, that
he not only forgave the difobedience of his orders, but
bellowed upon Moquihuix a princefs, one of his own
coufins, to wife.
During the reign of this great monarch a violent inundatiorv
inundation happened in Mexico. The lake, fuelled and famine
by the exceflive rains which fell in the year 1446, pour-at Mexico-
ed its waters into the city with fo much violence that
many