Codex Mendoza: A Glimpse into the Aztec World

I found a worthy introduction to an exemplary 16th century treatise on the Aztec people and their culture.

Codex Mendoza: A Glimpse into the Aztec World

According to records, the codex was commissioned by the first viceroy of Mexico, Antonio de Mendoza, as a gift for King Charles V of Spain. Mendoza was mostly popular at the time of his reign, and helped oversee the construction of many roads, bridges, and aqueducts. He also established the first printing press in the New World, which printed books and documents in Spanish and Nahuatl.

The document itself can now be found in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford and is full of illustrations and passages covering a wide range of Aztec topics.

The first section of the codex details the origins of the Aztecs and their grand rise to power. The writers recount several epic tales of how the Aztecs conquered neighboring tribes and formed alliances after arriving in the Valley of Mexico in the 13th century.

The genealogy of many Aztec rulers, beginning with the legendary figure of Huitzilopochtli and ending with Moctezuma II , is also chronicled in this section in exquisite detail. This first section also highlights significant historical events, such as the founding of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and the construction of several essential temples and other buildings.

That alone would make this document invaluable as a resource for understanding the Aztec civilization. But wait there's more....

The second section of the codex, equally as fascinating as the first, is a meticulous account of tributes paid to the Aztec empire by the various regions and people under its control. Each region is accompanied by a picture and a description of the tribute paid, as well as the ethnic group that paid the tribute.

This section offers a glimpse into the economy of the Aztec empire, as well as some of the cultural and geographic diversity of the regions under Aztec control. It also tells us a bit more about the relationships the Aztecs had with surrounding regions.

And if that weren't enough there is an even more intimate look a the religious aspect of their culture.

The third section of the codex is devoted to the religious beliefs and practices of the Aztecs. It includes a detailed Aztec calendar , along with descriptions of the religious ceremonies and rituals that they held regularly. It also discusses the role of priests in Aztec society, the various deities they worshipped, and some of the sacrifices and offerings made to these deities.

Now it must be recognized that these accounts can be expected to exemplify the efforts of a European person to convey the Aztecs to their people, far removed from the subject. However, the content is both ambitious and nevertheless largely accurate as can be expected.

a reply to: Maxmars

I shall fact check my new neighbors on it for science and academia.