234 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



the city, were willing to ftand the attack. The firft who 

 began it were the Tepanecas, who were vigoroufly re- 

 pulfed ; but all the other troops immediately advancing, 

 the citizens were forced to furrender and fubje^i: them- 

 felves to the king of Mexico, to whom they paid annually, 

 from that time forward, a tribute in cotton, pepper, and 

 other commodities, which we fliall mention hereafter. 

 By the conquefl: of that large, pleafant, and ftrong city, 

 which was the capital of the Tlahuicas, a great part of 

 that country fell under the dominion of the Mexican 

 king ; a little after to thefe conquefts were added Quan- 

 titlan and Toltitlan, confiderable cities fifteen miles to the 

 northward of Mexico j but any other particulars we 

 know not. 



In this manner a city, which fome fliort time before 

 was tributary to the Tepanecas, and not much efteemed 

 by other nations, in lefs than twelve years found itfelf 

 enabled to command thofe who had ruled over it and the 

 people who thought themfelves greatly fuperior. Of 

 fuch importance to the profperity of a nation is the wif- 

 dom and bravery of its chief. At length in the year 

 1436 of the vulgar era, in a very advanced age, after a 

 reign full of glory, the great Itzcoatl died : a kingjuftly 

 celebrated by the Mexicans for his lingular endowments, 

 and the unequalled fervices he rendered them. He ferv- 

 ed the nation upwards of thirty years as general, and 

 governed thirteen as their fovereign. Befides refcuing 

 them from the fubje^lion of the Tepanecas, extending 

 their dominions, replacing the royal family of the Che- 

 chemecas on the throne of Acolhuacan, enriching his 

 court with the plunder of conquered nations, and having 

 laid, in the triple alliance which he formed, the founda-^ 

 tion of their future greatnefs, he added to the noblenefs 



and 



