이츠코아틀과 목테수마 1세 시기의 정치․사회 개혁

The object of this investigation is to inquire into the social-political reforms of two Mexica kings, Itzcoatl and Moctezuma, and also to analyze the social-political changes that took place in Tenochtitlan in regards to the political organization and the character of calpulli from the kingdom’s foundation until the reign of the third king,Chimalpopoca. After the victory against the Tepaneca city states, King Itzcoatl began his political reform by creating tlacxitlan, with the intention of improving the system for choosing kings and consolidating the jurisdiction of the royal family and the central organization known as teccalli, that existed in the internal organization of every calpulli. As the king and his family consolidated their political-economic power on the basis of a monopoly of yaotlalli, the leaders of calpulli lost their political-military independence, and were transformed into mere government officials. Furthermore, a military group called telpochcalli, traditionally under the jurisdiction of a calpulli, assumed a different aspect as a military system under the control of central government. The calpulli lost its traditional value based on consanguinity and identical religious beliefs, and instead turned into “an administrative barrio”. The reforms undertaken by Itzcoatl and Moctezuma opened up a gate for the Mexica commoners that allowed social ascension through military merits acquired during wars, which was highly important in the Tenochtitlan social system based on castes. Not only the royal family and the nobility but also the commoners competed intensely for the acquisition of military merits, thus making it possible for Tenochtitlan to be reborn as a military city state.