Chichimec migrations after the Toltec decline

Timeline

1. 1271–1280Tula (former Toltec capital) · HidalgoTula, as the Toltec political center, had already declined in preceding centuries; by the 13th century only limited habitation remained at the site. Though Toltec cultural influence persisted in artistic styles and religious traditions, centralized power had collapsed, leaving room for northern nomadic peoples to move south.
2. 1271–1280Northern edge of the Valley of Mexico · Valley of MexicoChichimec groups (including branches that would later become the Mexica) continued to penetrate the northern edge of the Valley of Mexico in the 13th century, coming into contact, conflict, and fusion with settled agricultural peoples; archaeological and textual evidence shows various semi-nomadic settlements formed in this phase, reshaping the valley's political landscape.