Editing Moctezuma I (section)

== Reign ==
As ''[[tlatoani]]'', Moctezuma solidified the alliance with two neighboring states, [[Tlacopan]] (a small city-state) and [[Texcoco (Aztec site)|Texcoco]]. Tlacopan, located on the western shore of Lake Texcoco, controlled seven city-states to the northwest, while Texcoco was located on the eastern shore and rule over nine city-states in the northeast.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berdan|first=Frances F.|pages=1–8|doi=10.1002/9781118455074.wbeoe025|title = The Encyclopedia of Empire|year = 2015|isbn = 9781118455074|chapter = Aztec Empire}}</ref> As the two regions were added to Moctezuma's empire, the Aztecs relied on already established city-states to increase military power. In this skillfully crafted [[Aztec Triple Alliance|Triple Alliance]], 2/5ths of the spoils would go to Tenochtitlan and another 2/5ths to Texcoco, with the remaining 1/5 given to Tlacopan.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The allure of Nezahualcoyotl: pre-Hispanic history, religion, and Nahua poetics|last=Lee|first=Jongsoo|publisher=University of New Mexico Press|year=2008|location=Albuquerque}}</ref>

Among the Aztecs' greatest achievements, Moctezuma and [[Nezahualcoyotl (tlatoani)|Nezahualcoyotl]] of Texcoco organized the construction and completion of a double aqueduct pipe system,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/teno_1/hd_teno_1.htm|title=Tenochtitlan {{!}} Essay {{!}} Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History {{!}} The Metropolitan Museum of Art|last=Bencze|first=Authors: Heidi King, Agnes|website=The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History|language=en|access-date=2018-04-22}}</ref> supplying the city of Tenochtitlan with fresh water. This provided an ample supply of fresh water to Texcoco's various communities, which extended over a distance of {{convert|12|km|mi}} from their lakeshore to the hills of Tetxcotxinco.

Early in his rule, he conquered the state of [[Oaxaca]] in 1445.<ref name=":22">Knight, Judson. "Montezuma I." In ''Science and Its Times'', edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, 89-90. Vol. 2, 700 to 1449. Detroit: Gale, 2001. ''Gale Virtual Reference Library'' (accessed February 22, 2018).</ref> Moctezuma then went on to extend the boundaries of the Aztec empire beyond the [[Valley of México]] to the [[Gulf of Mexico|Gulf]] Coast, known as the "Sea of the Sky", for the first time, subjugating the [[Huastec people]] and [[Totonac]] peoples and thereby gaining access to exotic goods such as cocoa, rubber, cotton, fruits, feathers, and seashells.<ref name=":22" /> The Aztec were then known as the "Neighbors of the Sea of the Sky", as they controlled all the territory up to the Gulf of Mexico.

=== Natural disasters ===
As a ruler, Moctezuma faced and overcame many natural disasters. In 1446, a swarm of locusts destroyed the region's crops<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/montezuma-i-0|title=Montezuma I - Dictionary definition of Montezuma I |website=encyclopedia.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-04}}</ref> In 1449, Lake Texcoco flooded the city.<ref name=":0"/> In 1450, a frost and drought again destroyed the region's crops. These droughts and frosts continued for four years.<ref name=":1"/> The famines resulted in some selling their children<ref name=":0"/> or themselves<ref name=":1"/> into slavery, and the city lost most of its population. This drought resulted in Moctezuma's period of peace ending.<ref name=":32">De Rojas, J. L. (2012). ''Tenochtitlan: Capital of the Aztec Empire''. University Press of Florida.</ref>

=== Flower War ===
[[File:War_between_Tenochtitlan_and_Chalco.jpg|thumb|War between Tenochtitlan and Chalco<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://arqueologiamexicana.mx/mexico-antiguo/moctezuma-ilhuicamina-el-que-se-muestra-enojado-el-que-flecha-al-cielo-1440-1469|title=Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, "El que se muestra enojado, el que flecha al cielo" (1440-1469)|date=2016-07-05|work=Arqueología Mexicana|access-date=2018-04-08|language=es}}</ref>]]
After the famine ravaged through Aztec agricultural resources, a series of conflicts, known as the [[Flower war|Flower War]], involved the Triple Alliance and the city-states of Huejotzingo, Tlaxcala, Cholula, in the Tlaxcala-Pueblan Valley of central Mexico. Believing the famine to have occurred due to their gods' anger, Moctezuma supported the order for an increase of human sacrifices to please them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/aztec-and-maya-law|title=Tarlton Law Library: Exhibit - Aztec and Maya Law: Introduction|last=Hilkin|first=Liz|website=tarlton.law.utexas.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-04-05}}</ref> Thus began the war to accumulate as many victims as possible for sacrifice. The war lasted until the Spanish arrived and recruited enemies of the Triple Alliance to conquer all of Mexico. In preparation for the war, Moctezuma would issue three declarations of war and provide weapons to the enemy region. If the last declaration was not accepted by the enemy region, then within 20 days the Aztecs would attack.

===Expeditions as ruler===
In the 1450s, Aztec forces under Moctezuma would invade the [[Valley of Oaxaca]] in a bid to extend Aztec hegemony.<ref name=mixtecvsaztec>{{cite news|url=https://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/oaxaca_cultures.html|title=The Mixtecs And Zapotecs: Two Enduring Cultures of Oaxaca|first=John P.|last=Schmal|publisher=Houston Institute for Culture|accessdate=October 2, 2024}}</ref>  In about 1458, Moctezuma led an expedition into [[Mixtec]] territory against the city-state of [[Coixtlahuaca]]. The Mixtecs were defeated, despite the support of contingents of [[Tlaxcala (Nahua state)|Tlaxcala]] and [[Huexotzinco]] warriors, traditional enemies of the Aztecs. While most of the defeated princes were allowed to retain their positions, the Mixtec ruler Atonal was ritually strangled and his family was taken as slaves. The [[Codex Mendoza]] records that the tribute owed by [[Coixtlahuaca]] consisted of 2000 blankets (of five types), two military outfits with headdresses and shields, green gemstone beads, 800 bunches of green feathers, 40 bags of cochineal dye, and 20 bowls of gold dust. He took many girls from [[Coixtlahuaca]] and had ten harems all to himself. He stole three of them from his dead brother Huehue Zaca.<ref>Smith (2003, p. 161).</ref> Similar campaigns were conducted against [[Cosamaloapan]], Ahuilizapan ([[Orizaba]]), and Cuetlachtlan ([[Cotaxtla]]).

[[File:Aztecexpansion.png|thumb|none|400px|Map showing the expansion of the Aztec empire showing the areas conquered by the Aztec rulers. The conquests of Moctezuma is marked by the colour pink.<ref>Map based on Hassig (1988)</ref>]]

=== Opposition to his reign ===
It is reported that Moctezuma's half-brother Tlacaelel opposed his leadership in the early years. However, other historians report that he was once given the opportunity to rule and turned the opportunity down. He took over the empire in 1469 after the death of Moctezuma.<ref name=":22"/>

=== Social, political, and economic reforms ===
While Moctezuma did lead conquests against others, he was able to maintain peace from 1440 to 1453 within his empire.<ref name=":32"/> With this peace, his government was able to enact social, political, and economic reforms.

He enacted codes which determined what people of certain classes could wear and what their houses could look like. For example, only noblemen or great warriors could have a home with a second [[Storey|story]]. No one was allowed to have towers, because he claimed they could only be granted by the gods.

He also created legal and education policies that were determined by class. In the palace, different classes were to be received in different rooms. No mixing was allowed under the punishment of death. Only Moctezuma was allowed to give a death sentence, and all judges had to notify him of any death penalty rulings.<ref name=":32" /> Religion was also emphasized, and religious schools were required in every neighborhood.<ref name=":32" />