7. Why ally with the Quauhquecholteca?
The Mexica and the Tlaxcalteca were the greatest military powers of their day.
Cacao pods growing on a tree. Cacao was highly valued and traded throughout Mesoamerica.
Aztec stone sculpture of a man holding a cacao pod. (Brooklyn Museum of Art)
The triple alliance: pictorial symbols for Texcoco, Tenochtitlan, and Tlacopan. (Codex Osuna)
Why would the Spanish want to ally with the Quauhquecholteca?
Quauhquechollan was politically important because of its geographic location for two reasons:
- Quauhquechollan was at the frontier between the two most powerful military and political forces of the day: the Mexica (Aztec) and the Tlaxcalteca.
- Quauhquechollan was also located at the crossroads of major trade routes that connected the Basin of Mexico with the Puebla/Tlaxcala Valley, and that extended as far as Veracruz and Central America. It was in a perfect geographic position to influence and control trade, monitor military movements, and gather intelligence.