Chalco
13th century – 1521
Glyph
Status	Tributary of theAztec Empire (from 1465)
Capital	Itzcahuacan,Tlalmanalco (de facto)
Common languages	Nahuatl
Religion	Pre-Columbian Nahua religion
Historical era	Pre-Columbian
• Established	13th century
• Aztec conquest	1465
• Spanish conquest	1521
Succeeded by Viceroyalty of New Spain

Chālco[ˈt͡ʃaːɬko] was a complexpre-ColumbianNahuaaltepetl orconfederacy in centralMexico. It was divided into the four sub-altepetl ofTlalmanalco/Tlacochcalco,Amaquemecan,Tenanco Texopalco Tepopolla andChimalhuacan-Chalco, which were themselves further subdivided intoaltepetltlayacatl, each with its owntlatoani (king). The first two of these eventually took on more importance than the other two. Its inhabitants were known as theChālcatl[ˈt͡ʃaːɬkat͡ɬ] (singular) orChālcah[ˈt͡ʃaːɬkaʔ] (plural).

According toChimalpahin, the original peoples of Chalco were theOlmeca-Xicallanca, Xochtec, Quiyahuizteca, and Cocolca. They were known as sorcerers and rain-makers, and their capital was at the future location of Amaquemecan. There was a nearby sacred mountain known as Chalchiuhmomozco orTamoanchan which was home to the water cult of Chalchiuhmatlalatl.

After the collapse ofTollan, Chalco was settled by a number of differentToltec andChichimec groups.

Among the Toltec groups were the Acxotec, traders who patronized the deity Acollacatl Nahualtecuhtli. The Acxotec were accompanied by the Mihuaque, Tlaltecahuaque, Contec and Tlailotlaque, who all lacked nobilities of their own. Another Toltec group was the Teotenanca, originally fromAztlan but immediately fromTeotenango where they had fought byTopiltzin Quetzalcoatl of Tollan. They patronized the deity Nauhyotecuhtli Xipil, probably a form ofXiuhtecuhtli, and were divided into sixcalpulli. In Chalco, the Teotenanca settled in Amaquemecan, occupying the districts of Tzacualtitan Tenanco (ruled by the Teohuatecuhtli) and Atlauhtlan Tenanco (ruled by the Tlailotlactecuhtli). A third Toltec group was theNonoalca Teotlixca Tlacochcalca, who originated in Huehuetlapallan Nonoalco, migrating by sea to Tollan, where they performed gladiatorial sacrifice, and from there to Chalco. They arrived after the Acxotec and Mihuaque and ruled over them in Tlalmanalco by two rulers (the Teohuatecuhtli of Opochuacan Tlacochcalco, and the Tlatquictecuhtli of Itzcahuacan Tlacochcalco). Their patron god wasTlatlauhqui Tezcatlipoca. A separate Nonoalca group, clearly related to the Nonoalca ofPuebla, settled in the Panohuayan district of Amaquemecan and were ruled by the Tlamaocatl tecuhtli.

Chief among the Chichimec groups in Chalco were the Totolimpanec, who originated in Aztlan Chicomoztoc and arrived after the Nonoalca. They conquered Amaquemecan from the Olmec, settling in the district of Itztlacozauhcan where they were ruled by the Chichimeca tecuhtli. Their patron gods were 1 Flintknife (Mixcoatl), 9 Monkey (Itzpapalotl) and 9 Wind (Ehecatl). Accompanying the Totolimpanec were the Tecuanipantlec, who lived in two districts of Amaquemecan and patronized Citecatl (a name for Mixcoatl).^[1]

In the 14th and early 15th centuries,flower wars were fought between the Chalca and theAztecs. Serious war erupted in 1446. According to the Amaqueme historianChimalpahin, this was because the Chalca refused a Mexica demand to contribute building materials for the temple ofHuitzilopochtli.^[2] Chalco was finally conquered by the Aztecs underMoctezuma I in or around 1465, and the kings of Chalco were exiled toHuexotzinco.^[3] The rulerships were restored byTizoc in 1486, who installed newtlatoque.^[4] This was achieved, in part, by the diplomacy work carried out by the Chalcan musicianQuecholcohuatl when he performed a politically-driven composition forAxayacatl in 1479.^[5] This story was recorded byChimalpahin in the seventh of his Eight Relations (seeThe liberation of Chalco). Chalco paid moretribute toTenochtitlan in the form of food than any other region in theValley of Mexico, probably because of its fertile soil and location.^[6]

TheSpanishconquistadorsPedro de Alvarado andBernardino Vázquez de Tapia reached Chalco in thefall of 1519. The Chalca allied with the Spaniards and participated in thedefeat of the Aztecs.^[7]: 320Hernán Cortés claimed Chalco for himself as anencomienda, but failed to maintain his possession of it. Chalco was designated acorregimiento by 1533.^[8] Several places outside the traditional region of Chalco were added to it in colonial times.^[9]

• Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias, current municipality, home to ancient Chalco altepetl and part ofGreater Mexico City.
• Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, municipality, part of Greater Mexico City.

• Gerhard, Paul (1993).A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.ISBN 0-8061-2553-5.
• Schroeder, Susan (1991).Chimalpahin & the Kingdoms of Chalco. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.ISBN 0-8165-1182-9.

19°16′0″N98°54′0″W / 19.26667°N 98.90000°W /19.26667; -98.90000

• States and territories established in the 13th century
• Complex altepetl
• 1521 disestablishments in North America
• Indigenous peoples of Mexico
• Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire
• 13th-century establishments in North America
• Former monarchies of North America
• States and territories disestablished in 1521
• 1521 disestablishments in Mexico
• Former Native American polities

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