The emperor Motecuhzoma sat atop a complex social and political hierarchy, and the Aztec populace owed allegiance and tribute to nobles at several levels. Below the emperor were the kings of ...

They may not have been royalty, but they were of a higher status than non-nobles in Aztec society. They lived in their own neighborhoods in the capital cities and had their own ceremonies ...

When Pedro de Alvarado, his second in command, heard of a plan to retaliate, he trapped thousands of unarmed Aztec nobles in the sacred precinct during a religious ceremony and had his men cut ...

In addition to its social, intellectual, and artistic development, the Aztec civilization was also highly developed. In this highly organized society, large numbers of nobles dominated the top, with ...