Reading T.R. Ferenbach’s Fire and Blood, a History of Mexico, I encountered the Mexica (or Aztec as they are called in English) concept of flower wars. Which made me think of the San Antonio Fiesta’s Battle of The Flowers.
The Mexica version was the fifteenth century pursuit of thousands of prisoners for human sacrifice to the bloodthirsty Aztec gods. The San Antonio one, which began in 1891 as an April 21 salute to the heroes of the Texas revolution, has become a chamber of commerce event where floats are decorated with flowers.
In early years the Texas participants threw flower petals at each other. Otherwise the only apparent connection between the two is that some San Antonians undoubtedly are descendents of the Mexica. But, to my cluttered mind, it’s a strange coincidence that probably bears scrutiny.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
Sorta OT, but have you read the book Aztec by Gary Jennings? He writes about the Flower Wars and how they came about.
I’ve read a few of his books and they’ve all been good (Aztec is my favorite) and very meticulously researched. Everything I’ve been able to check from that book was accurate. It’s sorta like the Mexica version of “I Claudius”.
Aztec is very interesting, but there is one part that puts some people off, he describes, in minute detail, various sexual exploits and human sacrifice.
I look at it as the narrator is trying to freak the monks out. They act all superior to him and yet, he’s obviously far more intelligent than they (not hard for 1600s Spanish Inquisitor monks) so he’s messing with them.
But… it has plenty of parts that are pretty much pr0n.
It’s worth a read if you can handle that. The human sacrifice parts are pretty darn brutal, but it’s interesting to see how the Aztecs lived.
Without the human sacrifice, they were much more civilized than the Spanish, and with the human sacrifice, they were a little more civilized than the Spanish (the Spanish couched their human sacrifice in terms of “heretics”, that’s just semantical IMO and the Spanish destroyed cultures in the name of their god. Wiped them from the face of the Earth so only bits and pieces are left).
The Journeyer is about Marco Polo and Raptor is about the period just around the fall of the western Roman Empire and the various goth tribes.
I haven’t read the sequels of Aztec because the ending of that book depresses me.
I’ve heard of it, Jennings’ book, but not read it. The Mexica, according to Ferenbach, sacrified thousands of people every year, or even more often, depending on whether they needed rain. Their method was to cut open the chest and rip the beating heart out. They (or their god) liked the blood hot.
Apparently their priests wore capes of human skin. Charming behavior. Believe I would take an Inquistor monk over that.
Ferenbach, quoting from the Mexican historians, doesn’t make Mexica society very appealing. Their civilization, such as it was, was limited to the elite. Likewise the Spanish, I suppose.
But the Aztec were sheep, punished for any sort of individualism. That’s one reason Cortes was able to whip them with such a small force, though the many other Mexica allies he was able to recruit helped. They hated the Aztecs from years of providing their sacrifice victims in the Flower Wars.
I’ve heard of it, Jennings’ book, but not read it. The Mexica, according to Ferenbach, sacrified thousands of people every year, or even more often, depending on whether they needed rain. Their method was to cut open the chest and rip the beating heart out. They (or their god) liked the blood hot.
Apparently their priests wore capes of human skin. Charming behavior. Believe I would take an Inquistor monk over that.
Ferenbach, quoting from the Mexican historians, doesn’t make Mexica society very appealing. Their civilization, such as it was, was limited to the elite. Likewise the Spanish, I suppose.
But the Aztec were sheep, punished for any sort of individualism. That’s one reason Cortes was able to whip them with such a small force, though the many other Mexica allies he was able to recruit helped. They hated the Aztecs from years of providing their sacrifice victims in the Flower Wars.
Well that’s weird.
This is the second site where I can’t see newer versions of the page.
I can see that there is now a second comment here, but I can only see mine. No matter how much I hit “refresh” or go and “delete internet files” I can’t see the second comment.
That used to happen at one other website. It happens here most of the time.
And yes, I’m using an ancient version of Explorer so it’s my fault.
It’s just weird that only two websites act that way, Mean Mr. Mustard (now gone) and this one.
Now that I’ve hit “preview” I can see your response.
Yes, they did all that. However, Cortez’ “allies” were mostly the Mexica’s enemies. Mexico was similar to Europe in that it was full of “nations” that spoke different languages and had different customs (they mostly all did human sacrifice).
The Mexica and two other nations (the Triple Alliance) were the most powerful force, but they were different from say, Rome. They just wanted tribute and were very big on free trade, they didn’t take over your country.
There were two or three tribes who fought the Flower Wars with the Triple Alliance. The Tlaxcala were the most powerful, the Mexica couldn’t conquer them, and they were Cortez’ biggest allies (much to their chagrin).
I have to disagree on Spanish monks. They were brutal and evil and did some of the most despicable things in the name of their god. They too murdered thousands of people a year in the name of their god. Raped them too. And soldiers raping in the name of their god was perfectly okay. Seriously, read up on the 30 years war. The Spanish were considered the most brutal regime at the time. They were the most brutal regime in a very brutal age.
As for individuality, ummmm, yeah.
Just like in Europe where the Divine Right of Kings and related blather meant the local nobleman could sleep with your daughter and wife and you were a slave (serf) and God said it was okay.
Just like in safe, Catholic Spain where if you bathed too much, you might be one of them thar Jews and killed. So better to be dirty and disease ridden like everyone else.
Just like in… well, everywhere there are people. Individuality is always punished unless you are an artist and can get a bunch of rich fools to “discover” you.
As for the society being only for the elite, ummmmm, yeah.
Just like everywhere else in the world at the time.
Until the industrial revolution (and even after it in most parts of the world and it’s still the norm), the vast majority of all “civilizations” were/are top heavy. They needed the masses to support the ruling class. Heck, that’s one of the problems with America right now, the “elite” are trying to reassert themsevles.
Take, oh, say China. Where around 100 million people are living in relative luxury and they are supported by the other billion. Or India, or…
The Mexica actually had a middle class, their artisans could make money, their traders could become rich and they were much more free than any serf in Europe at the time where you did what your father did and that’s that.
Seriously, read Aztec and see if you change your mind.
Well that’s weird.
This is the second site where I can’t see newer versions of the page.
I can see that there is now a second comment here, but I can only see mine. No matter how much I hit “refresh” or go and “delete internet files” I can’t see the second comment.
That used to happen at one other website. It happens here most of the time.
And yes, I’m using an ancient version of Explorer so it’s my fault.
It’s just weird that only two websites act that way, Mean Mr. Mustard (now gone) and this one.
Now that I’ve hit “preview” I can see your response.
Yes, they did all that. However, Cortez’ “allies” were mostly the Mexica’s enemies. Mexico was similar to Europe in that it was full of “nations” that spoke different languages and had different customs (they mostly all did human sacrifice).
The Mexica and two other nations (the Triple Alliance) were the most powerful force, but they were different from say, Rome. They just wanted tribute and were very big on free trade, they didn’t take over your country.
There were two or three tribes who fought the Flower Wars with the Triple Alliance. The Tlaxcala were the most powerful, the Mexica couldn’t conquer them, and they were Cortez’ biggest allies (much to their chagrin).
I have to disagree on Spanish monks. They were brutal and evil and did some of the most despicable things in the name of their god. They too murdered thousands of people a year in the name of their god. Raped them too. And soldiers raping in the name of their god was perfectly okay. Seriously, read up on the 30 years war. The Spanish were considered the most brutal regime at the time. They were the most brutal regime in a very brutal age.
As for individuality, ummmm, yeah.
Just like in Europe where the Divine Right of Kings and related blather meant the local nobleman could sleep with your daughter and wife and you were a slave (serf) and God said it was okay.
Just like in safe, Catholic Spain where if you bathed too much, you might be one of them thar Jews and killed. So better to be dirty and disease ridden like everyone else.
Just like in… well, everywhere there are people. Individuality is always punished unless you are an artist and can get a bunch of rich fools to “discover” you.
As for the society being only for the elite, ummmmm, yeah.
Just like everywhere else in the world at the time.
Until the industrial revolution (and even after it in most parts of the world and it’s still the norm), the vast majority of all “civilizations” were/are top heavy. They needed the masses to support the ruling class. Heck, that’s one of the problems with America right now, the “elite” are trying to reassert themsevles.
Take, oh, say China. Where around 100 million people are living in relative luxury and they are supported by the other billion. Or India, or…
The Mexica actually had a middle class, their artisans could make money, their traders could become rich and they were much more free than any serf in Europe at the time where you did what your father did and that’s that.
Seriously, read Aztec and see if you change your mind.
Oh, one other thing, according to Jennings and a book on Aztecs I got from Amazon to check up on the book, the Flower Wars were mutually decided on and absolutely voluntary.
There was a bad drought and some seer said that the gods weren’t getting enough sacrifices, so they had a war where taking prisoners was the rule and then, had a great sacrifice in all six nations (three on each side) at once (many thousands all at the same time) and it rained, so they kept doing it. The Mexica lost prisoners for sacrifice in the other nations too. The whole purpose of the Flowery Wars was to give all sides prisoners to sacrifice.
According to Jennings, the Mexica actually didn’t want to do the last few as they were getting enough sacrifices from their other wars of “conquest” (taking tribute and opening trade) that they didn’t need more sacrificees, but they had already agreed to do it so they did.
Oh, one other thing, according to Jennings and a book on Aztecs I got from Amazon to check up on the book, the Flower Wars were mutually decided on and absolutely voluntary.
There was a bad drought and some seer said that the gods weren’t getting enough sacrifices, so they had a war where taking prisoners was the rule and then, had a great sacrifice in all six nations (three on each side) at once (many thousands all at the same time) and it rained, so they kept doing it. The Mexica lost prisoners for sacrifice in the other nations too. The whole purpose of the Flowery Wars was to give all sides prisoners to sacrifice.
According to Jennings, the Mexica actually didn’t want to do the last few as they were getting enough sacrifices from their other wars of “conquest” (taking tribute and opening trade) that they didn’t need more sacrificees, but they had already agreed to do it so they did.