After arriving to the Valley of Mexico, the first Spanish crossed through here on their way to Tenochtitlan. The peoples here allied themselves with the Spanish in 1521 against the Aztecs, an alliance which allowed the people here to suffer less modification of their lifestyles than in other parts of early New Spain. However, this area remained a tributary province with tribute going to the Spanish instead of the Aztecs. The area was divided into encomenderos, but the natives maintained much of their communal farmland despite efforts by hacienda owners to confiscate them.