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The Aztec Wars of Flowers
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The role of ritualised warfare in Aztec society
So what do warriors in a militaristic society do to keep fighting fit in between active campaigns? The Aztecs had monthly ceremonies in which warriors showed off their prowess in military demonstrations and performed mock-maneuvers, though there was no drill practice in the modern sense. There were also ceremonial battles named the War of Flowers, which were fought according to strictly observed rules and where the best warriors of various Aztec states actually met in a very real battle to show off their warlike abilities and take captives for sacrifice.
A treaty was made between the Azteca and some of the unconquered city-states close by (such as Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo) who also practiced human sacrifice, that a War of Flowers would take place at stated times, for the express purpose of both sides taking prisoners of war. The battle was not intended to end in conquest, and at times when it would be inconvenient (for economic reasons, or because of natural disasters) it would not take place. The cihuacoatl ("Snake Woman", a sort of deputy to the Azteca leader) Tlacaellel compared the ritual battle with a market where food for the gods was acquired: "This tianguez (market)... shall take place in Tlaxcala and Huetzingo, so say I, Tlacaellel; for if we were to place it further away, for instance in Yopitzingo, Michoacan or in Huasteca, or near those coasts... it would be transferring it to very distant provinces, not easily accessible to our armies. They are very remote regions, and we must admit that our God does not care for the flesh of these barbarians. Therefore our markets and our festivals shall only take place in these six cities which I have named... the inhabitants of which will constitute warm food which has only just left the oven tender for our God. And this war shall be organized that our aim will not be to destroy the cities, but that they shall always remain standing so that whenever we might wish to do so and whenever our God might desire to eat and to enjoy himself, we can come there just like anyone who goes to the market in order to buy food." The relationships between the rulers of the states involved in the War of Flowers seem strange to us. For example after the battles with Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo their leaders were invited to Tenochtitlan where they attended the ceremonies at which their own followers were sacrificed, and returned home with rich gifts from the Aztecs. While the supposed purposes of these stylized combats were to provide an opportunity for combat training and to provide prisoners for ritual sacrifice to the ever-hungry gods, I think there's no doubt that a major (if less openly acknowledged) purpose was to remind everyone of Aztec military might and discourage any threatening noises from their neighbors. For example, the city-state of Tlaxcala managed to keep its complete independence until the 16th century, but although the Tlaxcalteca were never actually conquered and later told the Spanish that the War of Flowers was a recognition of the Aztecs' inability to conquer them (the Aztecs of course claimed they spared Tlaxcala in order to ensure a ready supply of human sacrifices for their war....), they faced the Aztecs in the Flower Wars for almost a century... little wonder then that they chose to ally themselves with the Spanish invaders! The Aztecs had been harsh and bloodthirsty rulers of those they conquered, and probably many tribes probably (and very naively) thought the Spanish would deliver them. Sources consulted: Friedrich Katz, The Ancient American Civilizations Richard F. Townsend, The Aztecs Aztec (Catalogue of the "Aztec" exhibition staged at the Royal Academy of Arts, London 2002-3), essay "Aztec Society: Economy, Tribute and Warfare" by Frances Berdan |
Amoxcalli
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