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The Totonac Wars are a serie of conflicts that opposed the Azcapotzalco Tlatholoyan and the Grand Empire of Thae Kaew during the late 15th century. Totonacapan was an economically advanced region, serving as a trading hub between Irathava and Nepantia. It was divided into three states, Papantlan, Tuxpan, and Cempoala, with Papantlan enjoying the greater prestige out of them for its size, population, and position as the successor of the old Tajin. It's the conquest of Papantlan by Azcapotzalco that would trigger the following conflicts, as the Tlatholoyan was now threatening the coastal states, some of which were vassals or allies of the Thae Kaew.

Prelude

Since its rulers have claimed the title of Huetlatoani ("Great Speaker" or "Emperor") 60 years prior, the city of Azcapotzalco expanded greatly outside of its home valley. It's latest successful campaign, triggered by a plea for help from its allied city of Teotlan, was led by the Huetlatoani Chimalopoca against the kingdom of Xelaju, ended with a crushing victory and the installation of a permanent Nahua settlement to keep the defeated kingdom in check.

Chimalopoca's son, Tezozomoc II, continued his father and great-grandfather's expansionists policies. Using the murder of Azcapotli merchants and the staunch refusal of Papantlan to allow Azcapotli troops in its territories to secure trades, Tezozomoc launched a successful invasion of Papantlan in 1490. Papantlan's king found refuge in the neighboring state of Tuxpan, another Totonac state.

All three Totonac states then formed a defensive alliance against Azcapotzalco, as they feared Tezozomoc II would seek any excuse to invade all of their lands and gain an access to the ocean. The same year, this League of the Three Hearts sent emissaries to the Thae Kaew, their main economic partner and until-then nominal hegemon. The Thae Kaew answered positively to the Totonacs' demands and reinforced their trade ports in Nepantia. Undeterred by this sudden display of force, Tezozomoc II nonetheless started a new campaign against Tuxpan for harboring the exiled king of Papantlan.

Wars

First Totonac War or War of Tuxpan

Because they continued to protect and support the exiled king of Papantlan and his network of resistants to the Tepanec occupation, Tezozomoc II sent one of his general at the head of an army of 40,000 men to invade Tuxpan.

At first unopposed, the Tepanecs met in battle with the allied forces of the Totonacs cities and the Thae, and were defeated. Retreating to their main camp, the Tepanecs sent multiple raids in the countryside, and finally moved to besiege a fortified settlement that controlled the access to the main river. A second battle there ended with another defeat for the Tepanecs, who then abandoned the campaign and returned to their territories.

Encouraged by these first results, the allied forces moved into the Tlatholoyan, with the goal to free Papantlan and re-install its monarch on the throne. They were helped in that goal by local rebels who rose up at the new of the army's arrival. However they were stopped by the re-organized Tepanec forces 10km south of Papantlan and while the battle was inconclusive, it push back the Totonacs to their main camp.

Both armies then released their levies as the harvest were getting closer. To compensate, Azcapotzalco sent reinforcement in the form of knights and other professional soldiers. It's army was now smaller, but better organized. For a few months it hunted down Totonacs rebels, destroying their camps and villages, stopping Totonacs convoys and burning down all fields in a 20 to 30km radius around the Totonac camp. They fled before Totonacs' sorties, denying them a fight that could've relived them and they were ultimately forced to return to Tuxpan, abandoning their positions.

Following this inconclusive war, Azcapotzalco and the League signed a truce.