Aztec Flower War Expansion (1487)

Timeline

1. 1487Great Temple · Valley of MexicoAhuitzotl presided over the dedication ceremony of the expanded Great Temple, holding religious rituals lasting several consecutive days. According to colonial-era chronicles, the ceremony required large numbers of sacrificial captives to appease the gods, directly driving an increase in military campaigns against neighboring city-states and in the frequency of Flower Wars.
2. 1487–1488Battlefields on the eastern edge of the Valley of Mexico · Puebla–Tlaxcala frontierAztec allied armies launched a series of ritualized campaigns against city-states such as Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo that maintained their independence. Both sides fought according to agreed rules, aiming to capture enemy warriors rather than occupy cities; the fruits of war served the advancement of noble warriors and the demands of religious sacrifice.
3. 1487–1490Gulf Coast of Mexico · Gulf Coast of MexicoIn addition to the Flower Wars in the valley, Ahuitzotl simultaneously dispatched armies to conquer city-states along the Gulf Coast, extending the tribute system to the Veracruz region. Military victories brought back more captives and luxury goods, consolidating his hegemonic position within the Triple Alliance.