Once the aztecs had decided to conquer a particular city, they
sent an ambassador from Tenochtitlan to offer the city
protection. They pointed out very politely the advantages of
being able to trade with the Empire. All they asked for was a
small gift of gold or precious stones for the emperor. The city
was given twenty days to consider their request. If the city
refused, more ambassadors arrived. This time the talk was
tougher, less about the advantages of joining the Aztecs than
about the destruction and death which came to any city that did
not submit. To show how confident they were about the outcome of
any future war, the Aztecs gave the enemy chief, magic potion,
to make him strong in battle and presents of weapons for this
soldiers! If this did not work, a third ambassador arrived
twenty days later. Polite talk was replaced by blood curdling
threats about what would happen after the city lost the war.
This included destruction of the city's temple, enslavement of
most of the population, and a promise t