They were organized into about fifty small city-states each with a hereditary ruler (tlatoani).

He was a hereditary ruler who shared executive powers with civilian officials appointed to various levels of office according to their performance in bureaucratic examinations.

Each tribe had its own hereditary ruler.

Some were ruled by princes or other hereditary rulers, some were governed by bishops or abbots.

A hierarchy of places and rulers emerged: hamlets without hereditary rulers paid tribute to a nearby village.