374 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



leagues, as it would not comprehend lefs than 50 de- 

 grees. 



The origin of this error is, that thofe authors were 

 perfuaded that there was no other fovereign in Anahuac, 

 but that of Mexico : that the kings of Acolhuacan and 

 Tiacopan were his fubje&s, and that the Michnacanefe 

 and TIafcalans, alfo depending on that crown, had lat- 

 terly rebelled. But none of thofe Mates ever belonged 

 to the kingdom of Mexico, This appears evident from 

 the tefHmony of all the Indian hiftorians, and all the 

 Spanifli writers who received their information from 

 them ; namely, Motolinia Sahagun, and Torquemada. 

 The king of Acolhuacan had always been the ally of 

 Mexico, from the year 1424, but was never the fubjecl:. 

 It is true, that when the Spaniards arrived there, the 

 king Cacamatzin appeared to depend on his uncle Mon- 

 tezuma ; becaufe, on account of the rebellious fpirit of 

 his brother Ixthlxochitl he required the protection of 

 the Mexicans. The Spaniards afterwards faw Cacamat- 

 zin come as ambaifador from the king of Mexico, and 

 ferve him likewife in other capacities. They faw him 

 alfo led prifoner to Mexico, by order of Montezuma. 

 All this renders the errors of the Spaniards, in great 

 meafure, very excufable ; but it is certain, that thofe de- 

 monftrations of fervices towards Montezuma were not 

 thofe of a valfal to his king, but thofe of a nephew to 

 his uncle ; and that Montezuma, in ordering him to be 

 taken to pleafe the Spaniards, arrogated to himfelf an 

 authority which did not belong to him, and did that king 

 a heavy injury, of which he afterwards repented. As 

 to the king of Tiacopan, it is true, that he was created 

 a fovereign by the king of Mexico, but he had abfolute 

 and fupreme dominion over his dates, on the fingle con- 

 dition 



