Texcoco, State of Mexico

Texcoco on the map of México

Texcoco ( Tetzcohco Nahuatl, meaning unclear, colonial time Tezcuco ), with full official name Texcoco de Mora is a town in Mexico in the state of México to the east of Mexico City. Texcoco has a population of about 105,000 and is situated on the northeastern shore of the now dried-up Lake Texcoco.

History

In pre-Columbian Texcoco time was an independent city-state of Acolhua, a Nahua ethnic group ( a people who spoke Nahuatl ). Has prevailed in the city, among other Nezahualcóyotl, the king of Acolhua, who was also a noted poet, philosopher and philanthropist. Early on he formed an alliance with Tenochtitlan (today Mexico City), increased as a member of the Aztec Triple Alliance on the politico second city of the Aztec Empire and received 40 percent of the tribute levied by the Empire. The city was a center for education and culture, and had a famous library of works from earlier Mesoamerican civilizations. This large library collected the most important works from all over the Aztec Empire and was burned by the Spanish conquistadors because they considered their contents as pagan and anti-Christian.

Nezahualpilli, the ruler of the city of Texcoco, died in 1515, even before the arrival of the Spaniards. Moctezuma, the ruler of Tenochtitlan attacked in succession to the throne, and certain Cacama, one of the sons of Nezahualpilli the new ruler of Texcoco. Ixtlilxochitl II, a half-brother Cacamas felt left out and deprived of his throne. With a few followers, he was allowed to settle and rebelled against his half-brother. This rebellion was still going on when the Spaniards were staying as guests of Moctezuma in Tenochtitlan.

After the Spaniards had captured Moctezuma, Cacama operation to overthrow the Aztec ruler and wanted to take military action against Cortés. But the hearing of the plans. He let Cacama capture and put him in chains. In its place he put a brother Cacamas to the throne of Texcoco. His name was Cuicuitzcatl, and Ixtlilxochitl felt left out one more time.

After his loss-making retreat in the Noche Triste Hernán Cortés led war against the Aztecs. Cuicuitzcatl fought in this war on the side of Tenochtitlan against the Spanish. As Cortés Texcoco occupied almost without a fight, he fled with his followers from the city. Shortly thereafter Cortés Ixtlilxochitl summoned and sat him on the throne of Texcoco. The new ruler proved to be a loyal friend of the conquistadors and as an enemy of the Aztecs. At the Battle of Tenochtitlan in 1521, many warriors from Texcoco fought on the side of the Spaniards.

From the year 1827 to 1830 Texcoco was the capital of the State of México.

Attractions

Worth seeing are the murals by Diego Rivera in the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo. In the former Hacienda Rivera has painted a chapel, as it were, his "Sistine Chapel ", but with socialist designs.

A popular destination is the ruins of the palace of Nezahualcóyotl on the Cerro del Tetzcotzingo, with the so-called Baths of Queen and a still clearly recognizable, complex system of water pipes.