The calpixqui, the tribute collectors, were the eyes and ears of the Mexica state in the subject provinces. The calpixqui were drawn from the Mexica nobility, and they were appointed by the Tlatoani for periods of several years. The calpixqui were responsible for the collection and the transport of the tribute, for the supervision of the local rulers, and for the maintenance of order in the province.
The Role of the Calpixqui
The calpixqui had a wide range of responsibilities in the subject provinces. The most important of these was the collection of the tribute, which was the principal source of the wealth and the power of the Mexica state. The calpixqui were required to know the tribute lists of the Codex Mendoza and other sources, and they were required to verify the amounts owed by each province.
The calpixqui were also responsible for the supervision of the local rulers, who were often the same rulers who had governed the territory before Mexica conquest. The calpixqui were required to report on the conduct of the local rulers, and they were required to ensure that the local rulers were loyal to the Mexica state. The calpixqui were also responsible for the maintenance of order in the province, and they had the power to suppress any revolts or acts of defiance.
The Powers of the Calpixqui
The calpixqui had considerable power in the subject provinces, and they were among the most powerful officials in the Mexica state. The calpixqui had the power to fine, imprison, and even execute those who violated the Mexica laws, and they were often resented by the local population, who saw them as agents of foreign oppression.
The calpixqui had the power to command military forces in case of emergency, and they had the power to requisition supplies and labor for the Mexica state. The calpixqui also had the power to intervene in the internal affairs of the subject provinces, and they often did so to suppress potential revolts or to enforce the Mexica will.
The Accountability of the Calpixqui
The calpixqui were subject to a system of accountability, and they were required to report to the central government on a regular basis. The calpixqui were required to submit detailed reports on the tribute that had been collected, the conduct of the local rulers, and the general state of the province. The calpixqui were also subject to inspection by the central government, and they could be removed from their positions if they were found to be corrupt or incompetent.
The calpixqui were required to be honest, diligent, and fair in the performance of their duties, and they were subject to severe penalties if they were found to be corrupt. The Mexica had a sophisticated system of accounting, and the calpixqui were required to keep detailed records of the tribute that they had collected. The calpixqui were also required to be aware of the laws and customs of the subject provinces, and they were required to respect the local traditions as long as they did not conflict with the Mexica laws.
The Survival of the Calpixqui Tradition
The calpixqui tradition shaped the Mexica administrative system. The calpixqui tradition has been compared to similar institutions in other imperial systems, including the Roman system of provincial governors and the British system of colonial administrators. The calpixqui tradition has also been studied for its insights into the workings of the Mexica state, and it has been used to inform the modern understanding of the Mexica political system.
The Spanish conquest brought the calpixqui system to an end, and the Spanish imposed their own system of colonial administration. Yet the calpixqui tradition has survived in modified form in the Mexican administrative system, and it shaped the Mexican political and cultural heritage.
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