From Tlascala Sandoval turned to Chalco. In certain maizefields in front of the capital the Mexicans stood prepared with twelve thousand warriors to dispute possession. He charged them at the head of his cavalry, but, though yielding for a moment, they rallied and with their long pikes compelled him to fall back upon the infantry and allies. The second charge was more successful, and within two hours the foe was in flight, during which large numbers were slaughtered and some captives taken, including three leading men, while but few of the Spaniards were even wounded.
The Chalcans came forth to tender an ovation, and the two young rulers Acazitzin and Omacatzin[1] accompanied the troops to personally offer allegiance to Cortés, together with some small presents. Their father had always admired the Spaniards and sought to serve them,[2] and on his death-bed, during the late small-pox epidemic, he had recommended them and their counsellors to submit to the white chief, for to him and his children of the sun did prophecy point as rulers of that land. So important an accession gave no little pleasure to Cortés, who treated the young prisoners with every consideration. At their own request he confirmed them in the lordship, assigning to the eldest Chalco city, with more than half the towns in the province, while the younger received Tlalmanalco and Chimalhuacan, with Ayotzinco and other places subject to them.[3]
The eight captives were kindly treated, and sent to
- ↑ Ixtlilxochitl, Hist. Chich., 314. On another page, 307, he names Omacatzin and four other caciques, and Chimalpain, several others, Hist. Conq., 36-7; but they appear nearly all to be sub-caciques. Brasseur de Bourbourg calls the first lord Itzcahuatzin.
- ↑ He had served the Spaniards during the late uprising. Cortés, Cartas, 178-9.
- ↑ Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 123; Clavigero, Storia Mess., iii. 174. After taking them back to Chalco, Sandoval escorted from Tlascala some Spaniards and Don Fernando, the new ruler of Tezcuco.
to this incident Sandoval left orders that no reënforcements from Villa Rica should advance beyond Tlascala till further orders. Hist. Verdad., 122. Prescott wrongly assumes that this attack occurred on the march to Chalco.
