 The town itself is said to have been founded on January 8, 1532 although a copy of the royal decree states 1534.The decree by Charles V names the founders as Diego Gabriel, Juan Ponce de León, Francisco de Barba Torres y Paredes, Francisco Contreras and Antonio Gómez Fabián, all conquistadors.Because of Tlaxcala’s role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Otomi of Ixtenco were able to avoid the establishment of encomiendas and some of the worst of Spanish abuse, although studies of human remains from that time indicated that the people still suffered from overwork and malnutrition.