The Mexica Flower Wars: Ritual Combat or Imperial Strategy?

This episode dives into the xochiyaoyotl, or Flower Wars, fought between the Mexica Triple Alliance and their neighbors, especially Tlaxcala and Huexotzinco. Lucas and Luna explore whether these were ritualized battles to capture sacrificial victims or a calculated imperial strategy to weaken enemies without all-out war. They discuss the origins under Tlacaelel, the role of the military orders (cuauhtli, ocelomeh), the famous declaration by Xicotencatl the Elder at Cortés's arrival, and modern scholarly debates. Specific sources include the Florentine Codex and accounts by Diego Durán. The episode also touches on the controversy surrounding the number of victims and the political implications of these wars. #Xochiyaoyotl #FlowerWars #Tlaxcala #Huexotzinco #Mexica #Aztec #Tlacaelel #Xicotencatl #Cuauhtli #Ocelomeh #FlorentineCodex #DiegoDuran #RitualWarfare #Mesoamerica #Tenochtitlan #History #FexingoHistory #MilitaryStrategy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo