Tepeyacac

Tepeyacac, later called Tepeaca, lies on the road between the Valley of Mexico and the Gulf coast. It was a major Indigenous centre in the Puebla region, and its position made it valuable to powers seeking to control the routes across the highlands. The Mexica brought it under their rule in the fifteenth century.

In 1520, after withdrawing from Tenochtitlan, Hernán Cortés established a Spanish town in the province and named it Segura de la Frontera. From there he wrote to the Spanish king about the campaign and ordered a fort constructed. The town became a base for operations against neighbouring communities. Franciscan friars established a convent at Tepeyacac in 1529, making it an early centre of missionary activity among the peoples of the region.