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The Tlaxcalan Exodus: Migration and Settlement in Spanish Texas
Description
When the Spanish conquered Tenochtitlan, they did so with tens of thousands of Tlaxcalan allies. But what happened to those allies after the war? This episode traces the little-known story of Tlaxcalan colonists who migrated north into the arid frontier of Nueva España, settling in towns like San Esteban de la Nueva Tlaxcala and serving as buffers against hostile Chichimeca peoples. Lucas and Luna explore the terms of their collaboration—exemptions from tribute, the right to carry swords and ride horses—and how these privileges gradually eroded as the Spanish Crown tightened its grip. We discuss the founding of San Miguel de Aguayo in Nuevo León, the role of Tlaxcalan captains in pacifying the Gran Chichimeca, and the cultural hybridity that emerged as Tlaxcalans intermarried with local groups like the Guachichiles. Drawing on colonial records and the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, we examine how a conquered people became colonizers themselves, and what that says about the messy, tangled nature of empire.