Love-Making And Marriage In The Aztec Civilization

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Have you ever asked your school teacher for permission to get married? No? Well, if you'd been an Aztec, this would be just one of many things you'd have to do if you wanted to settle down! And did you know the saying Tying the Knot originates in a literal Aztec wedding tradition? Welcome to A Day in History, where we will be deep-diving into the astounding traditions of the Aztec people, from wedding preparations to married life and childbirth. In this video, you'll learn about the rich worlds of deities and crazy religious rituals that provided order to day-to-day Aztec life.

Aztec society was clearly defined, with a complex, rigid social structure similar to a Caste system. Families would arrange their children's marriages to determine prestige and connections, and to strengthen their dynasty. With so many factors to consider, it's no surprise that Aztec marriages were an incredibly complicated logistical nightmare to organise. A boy's parents would begin the process of finding a lucrative match by consulting with a female matchmaker. Or “ah atanzah” (ar-uh art-ans-ah) in the Aztec language of Nahuatl. After securing a match, the groom's parents would need to negotiate with the 'House of Youth' - a school that was part of the sophisticated, mandatory education system for Aztec Boys. This would include inviting their sons' Headmaster and teachers to a special evening. Where they would give grand speeches and ply the school staff with food and alcohol. Sometimes, a young man in school might realise he was ready to marry before his parents decided. In these cases, it was really down to the groom-to-be himself to grovel for teachers' permission - a process that included donating twelve large blankets to teachers.

The best information we have about weddings come from surviving illustrated Aztec manuscripts - known as Codices. From these we know that weddings lasted a whole five days. They'd begin with guests arriving from midday for a lengthy feast and drinking session.

#aztecs #history #azteccivilization #aztecwarrior #aztecreligion

Scriptwriter: Ingrid Banerjee Marvin

Video Editor & Motion Graphics: Naman Meena

Voice-over Artist: Chris Redish

Music: Motionarray.com

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