Tecoaque facts for kids
Tecoaque is an ancient city in Mesoamerica, located in western Tlaxcala state, central Mexico. It was home to the Acolhua people, who were part of the powerful Aztec Empire. Tecoaque had many temples with white stucco and was home to about 5,000 people, mostly priests and farmers.
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What is Tecoaque Like?
Tecoaque has a special round building built for Ehecatl, the god of wind. Parts of this three-level building, which faces east, were fixed up in 1992. Nearby, you can also see where people lived and a large rectangular open area called a plaza.
Tecoaque's World Heritage Status
This important ancient site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on December 6, 2004. This means it's being considered to become a protected site of global importance.
The Capture of Spanish Travelers in 1520
The story of Tecoaque is linked to the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico. The Aztec emperor Moctezuma first allowed the Spanish, led by Hernán Cortés, into his capital city, Tenochtitlan. Cortés then took Moctezuma as a hostage to try and control the Aztec Empire.
While Cortés was away dealing with another Spanish leader named Pánfilo de Narváez, his officer Pedro de Alvarado ordered a terrible event. He killed nearly 1,000 Mexica people during a festival called Toxcatl.
After Cortés returned with more soldiers, he sent a group of supplies and people ahead. This group included "Spanish women and children, enslaved Africans, and other servants carrying goods and leading animals."
Why Were the Spanish Captured?
When Cortés learned about Alvarado's massacre, he rushed back to Tenochtitlan. But soon after, he and his men were forced to flee in what is known as La Noche Triste (The Sad Night). Many of his soldiers died. Before leaving, the Spanish killed Cacamatzin, the king of the Acolhua people, whose capital was Texcoco.
Not long after this, the slow group of travelers Cortés had sent ahead came through a mountain pass. Recent discoveries show that Acolhua warriors captured this group of Spanish travelers. The Acolhua were part of the Aztec Empire and were reacting to the murder of their king, Cacamatzin. This shows that the Aztecs did fight back against the Spanish Conquest.
What Happened to the Captured Travelers?
The Aztecs held the Spanish group captive. Over six months, several hundred Spaniards and their enslaved people were killed. When Cortés later found out what had happened to his people at Tecoaque, he sent an army to destroy the town.
See also
In Spanish: Tecoaque para niños
