Tlacopan
Tlacopan (emphasis on the middle syllable, Nahuatl : Tlacōpan , formed from tlacōtl , stick, stick, and the local suffix -pan , in the range of ..., a meaningful translation is not possible) was a formerly important city-state of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica . It was located on the western shore of Lake Texcoco and was connected to the Aztec metropolis Tenochtitlán by a dam .
Pre-Columbian period
Initially, Tlacopan, founded by Tlacomatzin , belonged to the Tepanec empire and was a vassal state of the neighboring Azcapotzalco . After the death of the King of Azcapotzalco in 1427/1428, however, Tlacopan allied with Tenochtitlán and Texcoco - up to then also tributary states - and subjugated the former great power, which then sank into insignificance. It took on their leadership role and, as a member of the Aztec Triple Alliance, rose to become the leading political force in the region. So Totoquihuaztli , the ruler of Tlacopan, gave himself the title Tepaneca tecuhtli ( "Ruler of the Tepaneks" ), which he probably took over from the rulers of Atzcapotzalco. Although Tlacopan was always loyal to the Aztecs, it remained the weakest partner in the Aztec Triple Alliance and received only a fifth of the tribute payments that resulted from the joint campaigns of conquest.
Spanish conquest
After the so-called Noche Triste ( “Sad Night” ), Hernán Cortés made his first stop here after being expelled from Tenochtitlán.
When Tenochtitlán was destroyed in 1521 , Tlacopan was razed to the ground. Particularly heavy fighting raged here, as one of the dam bridges that connected the Aztec capital with the mainland had its starting point here.
Modern times
After the Spanish conquest, the name Tacuba, which was adapted to the Spanish pronunciation, became increasingly popular . Tacuba was one of the few permanent encomiends , that is, not limited to the lifetime of the beneficiary and his immediate descendants . It was bestowed on June 27, 1526 by Hernán Cortés on the occasion of her marriage to Moctezuma's legitimate daughter , Isabel .
Tacuba remained an independent community until the end of the 19th century, with around 10,000 inhabitants. Today Tacuba is a district of Mexico City, which is mainly characterized by industrial plants and belongs to the administrative district "Miguel Hidalgo". As a sight u. a. to mention the "Arbol de la Noche Triste" ("Tree of the Sad Night"): According to legend, Hernán Cortés is said to have mourned his initial defeat at Tenochtitlán under this Mexican bald cypress .
literature
- Richard F. Townsend: The Aztecs . Thames and Hudson, London 1992, ISBN 0-500-02113-9 ( Ancient Peoples and Places 107).
- Bernal Díaz del Castillo : History of the Conquest of Mexico. Edited and edited by Georg A. Narciß. Insel-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1988, ISBN 3-458-32767-3 ( Insel-Taschenbuch 1067), (Spanish original title: Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España ).
