Interestingly, Tlaxcala, in reward for allying with the Spanish conquistadores, because an autonomous colony independent of the rest of Mexico (but subject to t

Interestingly, Tlaxcala, in reward for allying with the Spanish conquistadores, because an autonomous colony independent of the rest of Mexico (but subject to the King of Spain like the other Spanish colonies). The brutal repression and enslavement of the natives also didn't apply to Tlaxcala. They seemed to do pretty well for themselves during the colonial period. Tlaxcala didn't become a part of the rest of Mexico until it was absorbed when Mexico became independent from Spain. The Wikipedia article is a pretty interesting read. In reading the accounts of Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who accompanied Cortez to Mexico, I think it's pretty clear that the Tlaxcalans were definitely the deciding factor in the Spanish victory. Despite their technological superiority, the Spanish had small numbers, and they would have been soundly beaten by the Aztecs (called Mexica by Bernal Diaz) if it hadn't been for the Tlaxcalan army assisting them. That book is a fascinating read.