Page:Mexican Archæology.djvu/46

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MEXICAN ARCHÆOLOGY

ence of Tenochtitlan, on the east to the Mexican gulf, on the south-east and south to the northern portion of the Mixtec territory and the Cuernavaca region, while on the west and north-west he penetrated into the Toluca valley and the country of the Otomi. At home he built the great Uitznauac temple and, on the advice of Nezahualcoyotl, constructed the ten-mile causeway from Atzacoalco to Iztapalapa in order to guard against inundation, besides adding many buildings to the city and enlarging the code of laws. He died in 1469, preceded in 1464 by Quauhtlatoa the king of Tlaltelolco, who was succeeded by Moquiuix. Axayacatl now became lord of Tenochtitlan, and events moved fast in the valley. Totoquihuatzin, ruler of Tlacopan, died the next year, and was succeeded by Chimalpopoca,[1] while the long life of Nezahualcoyotl came to an end in 1472, and Nezahualpilli assumed the power in Tezcoco. The following year Moquiuix intrigued with the Chalca and others against Axayacatl, and the latter stormed Tlaltelolco and killed the traitor. From this time Tlaltelolco was definitely united to its neighbour, and placed under a governor, the kingship being abolished. This reign was signalized, as far as external affairs were concerned, by an expedition to the Zapotec territory, as far as and beyond Tehuantepec, and though no doubt the province cannot be said to have been absolutely conquered, yet it had the effect of opening up the road to the fertile district of Soconusco, rich in cacao, feathers and gems. Archæologically considered the Zapotec country constitutes an extremely interesting region, if only for the reason that they and the smaller tribes immediately in their neighbourhood possessed no legends hinting at immigration, but claimed that their ancestors issued from caves, rocks or trees in the locality. Similar myths were found among the Mixtec also, but

  1. Sahagun states that this prince came to the throne in 1489, but the Codex Telleriano-Remensis assigns that year to his death.