What was the name of the Aztec warrior society that wore eagle feathers?

The Aztec warrior society that wore eagle feathers was the Eagle warriors. Also called eagle knights, they were an elite military order known in Classical Nahuatl as cuāuhmeh, related to the word for eagle, cuāuhtli.

Eagle warriors formed one of the two most prestigious warrior orders in Mexica society; the other was the Jaguar warrior order. Their clothing and helmets used eagle imagery, including eagle heads and feathers, to express speed, power, and the warriors’ close connection with the sky and the sun.

Aztec soldiers advanced through military achievement, especially by capturing enemies alive for sacrifice. Although elite warrior ranks were strongly associated with nobility, exceptionally successful commoners could also gain access to prestigious orders. The term “eagle warriors” is therefore more precise than treating every feathered Aztec soldier as a member of this society.

A common mix-up is confusing Eagle warriors with Jaguar warriors. The two were allied elite orders, but eagle imagery and feathers identified the former, while jaguar skins and jaguar symbolism identified the latter.