Mexican Army

Quick Facts: Who was Mexican Army?

Subject:

Mexican Army

Known for:

The combined land and air branch of the Mexican Armed Forces, under SEDENA.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Mexican Army (Spanish: Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It includes the Mexican Air Force, the Special Forces Body, and the National Guard. The institution also has entrepreneurial state-run military industrial and corporate business branches' activities. With an active-duty force of 261,773 servicemembers (as of 2024), the Army is the largest component of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is under the authority of the Secretariat of National Defense (Spanish: Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, SEDENA) and is headed by the Secretary of National Defence, who is directly answerable to the President.

Career & Major Achievements

In the prehispanic era, there were many indigenous tribes and highly developed city-states in what is now known as central Mexico. The most advanced and powerful kingdoms were those of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan, which comprised populations of the same ethnic origin and were politically linked by an alliance known as the Triple Alliance; colloquially these three states are known as the Aztec. They had a center for higher education called the Calmecac in Nahuatl, this was where the children of the Aztec priesthood and nobility receive rigorous religious and military training and conveyed the highest knowledge such as: doctrines, divine songs, the science of interpreting codices, calendar skills, memorization of texts, etc. In Aztec society, it was compulsory for all young males, nobles as well as commoners, to join part of the armed forces at the age of 15. Recruited by regional and clan groups (calpulli) the conscripts were organized in units of about 8,000 men (Xiquipilli). These were broken down into 400 strong sub-units.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Aztec nobility (some of whom were the children of commoners who had distinguished themselves in battle) led their own serfs on campaign. Itzcoatl "Obsidian Serpent" (1381–1440), fourth king of Tenochtitlán, organized the army that defeated the Tepanec of Azcapotzalco, freeing his people from their dominion. His reign began with the rise of what would become the largest empire in Mesoamerica. Then Moctezuma Ilhuicamina "The arrow to the sky" (1440–1469) came to extend the domain and the influence of the monarchy of Tenochtitlán. He began to organize trade to the outside regions of the Valley of Mexico.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1381: 1381 Milestone — Itzcoatl "Obsidian Serpent" (1381–1440), fourth king of Tenochtitlán, organized the army that defeated the Tepanec of Azcapotzalco, freeing his people from their dominion.
2. 1440: 1440 Milestone — Then Moctezuma Ilhuicamina "The arrow to the sky" (1440–1469) came to extend the domain and the influence of the monarchy of Tenochtitlán.
3. 2024: 2024 Milestone — With an active-duty force of 261,773 servicemembers (as of 2024), the Army is the largest component of the Mexican Armed Forces.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Mexican Army

True or False: “Did the Aztec military structure mandate that all young males, regardless of noble status, join the armed forces at age 15?”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The text explicitly states that in Aztec society, it was compulsory for all young males, nobles as well as commoners, to join part of the armed forces at the age of 15.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud — Historical peer (Died in 2024) (2024): Somaliland politician, served as President from 2010 to 2017.
• Akira Toriyama — Historical peer (Died in 2024) (2024): Pioneering manga artist, creator of Dr. Slump and the global phenomenon, Dragon Ball.
• Erik of Pomerania — Historical peer (Born in 1381) (1381): King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, ruling over the Kalmar Union.
• John Ball (priest) — Historical peer (Died in 1381) (1381): English priest central to the Peasants' Revolt, known for radical sermons on social equality.
• Gilles de Rais — Historical peer (Died in 1440) (1440): French nobleman and knight, known for his military service and later conviction for heinous crimes.
• Hugo van der Goes — Historical peer (Born in 1440) (1440): A pivotal Flemish painter of the Early Netherlandish school, known for monumental altarpieces.
• Filippo Lippi — Historical peer (Died in 1469) (1469): Master Italian Renaissance painter and Carmelite priest of the Quattrocento.
• Guru Nanak — Historical peer (Born in 1469) (1469): Founder of Sikhism, an Indian mystic and poet who taught the message of Ik Onkar.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mexican Army