THE AZTECS 189 



arch while other and more recent writers have declared 

 that the tribal organization of the Aztecs was essenti- 

 ally democratic. The truth doubtless lies between 

 these extremes. The people were warlike by nature and 

 all men. except a few of the priesthood, were soldiers. 

 Honors depended largely upon success in war and war- 

 riors were arranged in ranks according to their deeds. 

 The common warriors formed one rank and next came 

 those who had distinguished themselves by definite 

 achievements which gave the right to Avear certain arti- 

 cles of dress or to bear certain titles. The chiefs were 

 elected for an indefinite term of office from the most 

 distinguished fighters and could be removed for cause. 

 But while the offices of- state were elective there was, 

 nevertheless, a tendency to choose from certain power- 

 ful families and at least the foundation of an aristo- 

 cratic policy. A chief was succeeded by his son or 

 brother except when these candidates were manifestly 

 unfit. In the actual succession of the great war chiefs 

 of Tenochtitlan, a peculiar system seems to have been 

 followed in that the candidates from the older genera- 

 tion were ordinarily exhausted before the next lower 

 generation became eligible. Thus Huitzilihuitl, Chimal- 

 popoca. and Itzcouatl were all sons of Acamapichtli, and 

 the last and greatest was born of a slave mother. Then 

 followed Moctezuma Ilhuicamina I, the son of Huitzili- 

 huitl. This chief had no male heirs but the children of 

 his daughter ruled in order: Axayacatl, Tizoc, and 

 Ahuitzotl. Moctezuma II was the son of the first of 

 these as was Cuitlahua, while Cuauhtemoc, the last 

 Aztec ruler, was the son of Ahuitzotl. This peculiar 

 succession was not in vogue in Tezcoco, where son suc- 

 ceeded father and the lawful wife was chosen from the 

 royalty of Tenochtitlan. In the various annals, the 

 genealogies are often indicated and the evidence that 



