Montezuma II Takes the Mexica Throne

1502

In Tenochtitlan, a severe priest-warrior named Moctezuma Xocoyotzin was lifted onto the jaguar mat. He tightened court etiquette until nobles could no longer meet his gaze, extended tribute as far as Oaxaca, and began watching the eastern horizon for omens his seers could not quite read. His reign would see the Aztec Empire reach its greatest extent, from the Gulf coast to the Pacific and from Huastec to Mixtec lands.