One hundred years before its fall, the Aztec Empire went through an incredible change. The emperor's son, Tlacaelel, declared that the god of war, Huitzilopochtli, was to be the highest of all gods.
From then on, the Aztecs lived in service of the god of war. Human sacrifice became a massive part of Aztec society, with hundreds of thousands of people slaughtered each year as offerings to the gods.
10.They Staged Wars Just To Get Human Sacrifices
The Aztecs' divine duty was to fill the insatiable appetites of their gods through human sacrifice. Usually, the Aztecs used enemies whom they had defeated in war as offerings. But there were only so many wars to be fought and only so many enemies to capture. They needed more victims.
The Aztecs made a deal to use the neighboring city-state of Tlaxcala like a farm for humans. The two armies organized staged battles just to capture prisoners for human sacrifice.
It was a mutual agreement by both sides. The losing army wouldn't cry or complain about their fate. They understood that this was their part of the bargain, and they would allow themselves to be led to their deaths.
9.Some People Volunteered
To the brave, becoming a human sacrifice to the gods was an honor. In fact, when the Spanish came and tried to free Aztec prisoners, some were furious that they had been robbed of the honor of a godly death.
It wasn't just enemy soldiers who ended up under a ceremonial knife, though. Criminals and debtors were also sent to the altar in disgrace. Others signed up eagerly, wanting the honor of dying for their gods. By tradition, whole groups of prostitutes willingly signed up to be sacrificed to the goddess of love.
During a drought, some Aztecs resorted to selling their children into slavery for 400 ears of maize. If the children didn't work well, they could be sold again. And if a slave was sold twice, they could become a gift to the gods.
8.The Festival Of Toxcatl
During the month of Toxcatl, one man was chosen for a special honor based on his looks. He needed smooth, slim skin and long, straight hair. For the next year, this man would be treated like a god.
He would be dressed up like the god Tezcatlipoca. His skin would be painted black, and he would wear a flower crown, a seashell breastplate, and lots of jewelry.
The man would be given four beautiful wives to do with as he pleased. He was only asked to walk through the town playing a flute and smelling flowers so that the people could honor him.
When 12 months had passed, he would walk up the stairs of a great pyramid, breaking his flutes as he climbed to the top. As an adoring crowd watched, a priest would help him lie down on a long altar made of stone. Then they'd rip his heart out of his body.
Afterward, they would pick a new Tezcatlipoca and start all over again.
7.The Ritual Of Sacrifice
Usually, a victim would be taken to the top of a great pyramid and laid down over a sacrificial stone. A priest would stand over him, holding a knife with a blade of volcanic glass. That blade would come down upon the victim's chest and break it open, and the priest would tear out his still-beating heart.
The priest would hold the heart up high for all to see. Then he would dash it to pieces against the sacrificial stone. The lifeless body would be rolled down the steps of the pyramid, where butchers were waiting below to dismember the body piece by piece.
The skull would be removed and placed on a rack along with the skulls of the other sacrificed dead. Then the flesh from the body would be cooked into meals and fed to the nobles.
