Tlatelolco (altepetl)

Infobox Former Country
conventional_long_name = Tlatelolco
common_name = Tlatelolco
continent = North America
region = Mesoamerica
country = Mexico
government_type = Monarchy
title_leader = Tlatoani
leader1 = Quaquapitzahuac
year_leader1 = 1403–1418
leader2 = Tlacateotl
year_leader2 = 1418–1426
leader3 = Quauhtlatoa
year_leader3 = 1428–1460
leader4 = Moquihuixtli
year_leader4 = 1460–1473
leader5 = Itzquauhtzin
year_leader5 = 1475–1520
common_languages = Nahuatl
religion =

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symbol_type = Glyph
s1 = Viceroyalty of New Spain
flag_s1 = Flag of New Spain.svg

Tlatelolco ( _nc. Tlatelōlco IPA2|tɬa.te.'loːl.ko (sometimes also called Xaltelolco) was a pre-Columbian Nahua altepetl (state) in the Valley of Mexico. Its inhabitants were known as "Tlatelolca". The Tlatelolca was a part of the Mexica ethnic group a Nahuatl speaking people who arrived in central Mexico in the 13th century. They settled on an island in Lake Texcoco where they founded their city on the northern part - the other Mexica group, the Tenochca founded their city Tenochtitlan on the southern part. The city was closely tied with its sister city which was largely dependent on the market of Tlatelolco, which was the most important site of commerce in the area.

History

In 1337 thirteen years after the foundation of Tenochtitlan the Tlatelolca declared themselves independent from the Tenochca and instated their first independent Tlatoani (ruler). Under the king Cuacuauhpitzahuac (1376-1417) the first two stages of the the Main Pyramid of Tlatelolco were constructed. Under Tlacateotl the Tlatelolca assisted the Tenochca in the war against the Tepanecs and shortly there after the first war between the Tenochca and Tlatelolca erupted. During Tlacateotl's reign the third stage of the Main Pyramid was also constructed. Under Cuauhtlatoa (1427 - 1467) the Tlatelolca conquered the citystate of Ahuilizapan (Now Orizaba, Veracruz), and fought against the people of Chalco along with the Tenochca. The fourth and fifth stages of the Main Pyramid was also constructed in this period. The ruler Moquihuix constructed the sixth stage of the temple, but in 1473 he was defeated by the Tenochca Tlatoani Axayacatl and Tlatelolco was subjugated to Tenochtitlan. The ruler Itzcuauhtzin ruled Tlatelolco in a period where it was almost completely incorporated into Tenochtitlan.

After the Spanish Conquest in 1521, Tlatelolco became a municipality of New Spain, and was renamed Santiago Tlatelolco. Tlatelolco remained an important location partly because of the foundation of the university Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, which was the first school of higher learning in the Americas. Today its remains are located within Mexico City.