The Mexica people

The Mexica people, were a Nahuatl speaking indigenous people of Mexico and the rulers of the Aztec empire.

History
The Mexica were the last Nahuatl speaking people to settle in the valley of Mexico. Being so, they had no place to settle, and found themselves living within the boundaries of a pre-established kingdom. It is said that the Mexica tricked the king of the land into offering his daughter as a sacrifice. When the king found the Mexica priest dancing at a feast, wearing his daughter's skin, he was mildly upset and banished them. The Mexica were forced to wander, searching for a sign that would mark their new home. The sign was an eagle perched on a cactus, with a snake in its talon, a symbol that now features on Mexico's flag. The Mexica eventually found that sign on a swampy island in the western part of lake Texcoco. The Mexica built their city, Tenochtitlan on that island, expanding it by building artificial island called chinampas. Eventually, the Mexica came to dominate the valley of Mexico, forming Aztec empire, and Tenochtitlan become one of the largest cities in the world, Rivaling Old World European cities.

When the Aztec met the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, they believed him to be the second coming of Quetzalcoatl, but Cortés came to conquer. The Spanish had no trouble taking down the Aztec empire, as many surrounding indigenous peoples disliked them and allied themselves with Cortés. The Aztec empire fell when Cortés besieged and destroyed Tenochtitlan, rebuilding it as Mexico city. The Mexica people were decimated by outbreaks of smallpox and other European introduced diseases, the rest were massacred by the Spanish or assimilated into colonial Mexican society. Although the Spanish tried to erase the Nahua's culture and way of life, many parts of it still lives in modern Mexican culture. The Nahuatl language is still spoken by 1.7 million people.