HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



233 



turned loaded with fpoils, and brought with them a 

 number of prifoners to be facrificed to the god of war. 

 We do not know the year either in which this war hap- 

 pened, nor the time of that of Quauhnahuac, but it ap- 

 pears to have been towards the end of the reign of Itz- 

 coatl. 



The lord of Xiuhtepec, a city of the , country of the 

 Tlahuicas, more than thirty miles to the fouthward of 

 Mexico, had requefled of his neighbour, the lord of 

 Quauhnahuac, one of his daughters to wife, which de- 

 mand was granted. The lord of Tlaitexcal made after- 

 wards the fame pretenfions, to whom fhe was immediately 

 given, notwichftanding the promifes made to the firfl, 

 either on account of fome offence which he had done to 

 the father, or fome other reafon of which we are igno- 

 rant. The lord of Xiuhtepec being highly offended at 

 fuch an infult, delired to be revenged ; but being unable 

 for this himfelf, on account of his inferiority in forces, 

 he implored the afTiflance of the king of Mexico, pro- 

 mifing to be his conftant friend and ally, and to ferve 

 him whenever he fhould require it with his perfon and 

 his people. Itzcoatl eilieeming the war jufl, and the oc- 

 caiion fit for the exteniion of his dominions, armed his 

 fubjefts, and called upon thofe of Acolhuacan and Ta- 

 cuba. So great an army was certainly neceiTary, the 

 lord of Quauhnahuac being very powerful, and his city 

 very flrong, as the Spaniards afterwards experienced 

 when they befieged it. Itzcoatl commanded that the 

 whole army ihould attack the city at once, the Mexicans 

 by Ocuilla on the weft fide, the Tepanecas by Tlatzaca- 

 pulco on the north, and theTezcucans together with the 

 Xiuhtepechefe by Tlalquitenanco on the eaft and fouth. 

 The Quauhnahuachefe trufting to the natural ftrength of 

 Vol. I. G g the 



