During the conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Spanish conquistadors, vastly outnumbered by indigenous peoples, made alliance with other ethnic groups in the Aztec Empire, including the Tlaxcaltecs. This strategy was found to be very effective as the Aztecs had a very bad reputation in the region for cannibalism and other inhumane practices and native alliances were crucial to the Spanish victory. After a few decades, the Spanish consolidated their rule in what became the viceroyalty of New Spain through the Valladolid Debate. The crown recognized the indigenous nobility in Mesoamerica as nobles, freed indigenous slaves, and kept the existing basic structure of indigenous city-states. Indigenous communities were incorporated as communities under Spanish rule and with the indigenous power structure largely intact. However, the viceroys and indigenous people both resisted to gain more freedom for themselves.