Aztec Tribute System

Timeline

1. c. 1375–1400Azcapotzalco · Valley of MexicoUnder Tepanec hegemony, the Mexica paid tribute and labor to Azcapotzalco; the tribute list covered food, game, and handicrafts, forming early tribute conventions.
2. c. 1401–1410Tenochtitlan · Valley of MexicoCapital priests and administrators recorded tribute types and payment cycles in pictographic codices, laying the archival and classificatory foundation for the later empire-level tribute network.
3. 1428–1519Mexican Highlands of Mesoamerica · MexicoAfter Tenochtitlan became the tribute center, the system expanded into a multi-level collection regime; subject city-states paid the empire according to fixed lists, supporting military expansion and court consumption.