He is chiefly remembered for subjugating Tlatelolco, Tenochtitlan's sister city, in 1473. Using as a pretext the insulting behavior of a few Tlatelolcan citizens, he invaded his neighbor, killed its ruler, and replaced him with a military governor. The Tlatelolcans lost any voice they had in forming Aztec policy.
He took power in 1469; he was preceded on the throne by Moctezuma I and followed by his brother Tízoc.