of their centuries-long rivalry with the Aztec Empire, the Tlaxcalteca allied with Hernán Cortés and his fellow Spanish conquistadors; they were instrumental in the invasion of Tenochtitlan, helping the Spanish to reach the Valley of Anahuac and providing a key contingent of the invasion force--though this alliance was, perhaps, motivated by self-preservation moreso than political calculation.

The leaders of the four cities of Tlaxcala agreed to accept