The Evolution of Names: Mexico in the 1500s
Mexico as we know it today did not exist in the 1500s. Its pre-1521 landscape was a diverse collection of various ruling entities. This period laid the foundation for what we now call Mexico. In this article, we explore the names and governance of this region during the 1500s, focusing on New Spain and the profound impact of the Aztec Empire and Spanish conquest on the area.
Pre-1521: A Diverse Landscape
Before the Spanish conquest, the area we now refer to as Mexico consisted of numerous independent states and city-states. Each entity had its own rulers and territorial boundaries. One of the most prominent and powerful of these was the Aztec Empire, also known as the Mexica civilization. The capital of this empire, Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), stood on an island in Lake Texcoco.
The Aztec Empire was not a unified state in the modern sense. It was composed of a number of smaller principalities that paid tribute to the central rulers. The Aztecs controlled the valley of Mexico and parts of modern-day central-west Mexico, extending their influence as far as the northern state of Zacatecas and the Yucatán Peninsula in the east.
The Conquest and the Rise of New Spain
The conquest of the Aztec Empire by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his troops began in 1519 and was completed in 1521 with the fall of Tenochtitlan. After this victory, the Spanish faced the challenge of conquering the remaining independent territories in the region.
The Spanish conquistadors followed a strategy of gradual conquest, systematically subjugating the various indigenous peoples. By the early 1520s, they had control over most of the region that would later be called Mexico. In 1524, the Spanish established the first Spanish colony in the region, which they called New Spain (Nueva Espa?a), a name that would persist until Mexico gained its independence in 1821.
New Spain and its Cities
New Spain was a vast territory that included all of the land colonized by the Spanish in the western part of the New World. It was composed of various provinces and territories, each governed by Spanish officials. The area was vast, and the Spanish had difficulty maintaining control over such a broad expanse. Important cities like Zacatecas, Veracruz, and CDMX (Mexico City) played crucial roles in the early Spanish colonial period.
Zacatecas became a major source of silver, which became the economic backbone of New Spain. It was founded in 1546 and quickly developed into a prosperous city, its wealth evident in the many fine buildings and architecture. The historical site of Zacatecas is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Veracruz, on the east coast, was another significant city. It was a key port and a vital gateway for supplies and settlers. Unlike CDMX, Veracruz was relatively successful in maintaining some level of control over its territory. However, it could not control the vast expanses of the interior, particularly not the northern regions.
CDMX, the modern-day Mexico City, was initially the capital of New Spain. Its strategic location near the center of the region made it a logical choice. However, the Spanish ultimately deemed it too difficult to control, especially in light of its distance from the coast and the size of the territory to administer. The capital was eventually moved to San Juan de Ulúa on the island of Coatzacoalcos, and then back to Mexico City in 1825, after independence.
Veracruz, on the other hand, could not control the vastness of the territories. CDMX, as much as it tried, could not control the Philippines from a distance. Thus, the concept of governance in New Spain became more centralized, with the viceregal capital in Mexico City acting as the administrative center for the entire region.
The fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521 marked the end of an era and the beginning of another. The period from 1521 to 1821, when Mexico gained its independence, was a time of tremendous change and transformation for the area. The name “New Spain” encapsulated the Spanish control and influence over this vast and diverse territory, but it also hinted at the complexities of governance and the challenges of managing such a vast region.