Mexica: A History Podcast
Mexica: A History Podcast
Rulers of Tenochtitlan - The First Rulers (Ep 10)
In this follow-up episode we explore the rulers of Tenochtitlan, or the tlatoque. From the first tlatoani, Acamapichtli, to the final traditional tlatoani, Cuauhtémoc, we'll explore all the "Aztec rulers." In this episode Tenochtitlan emerges from the marshes of Lake Texcoco, the first three rulers find themselves subject to King Tezozomoc.
Part 1 - Acamapichtli, the first ruler of Tenochtitlan.
Part 2 - Huitzilihuitl, the second ruler of Tenochtitlan.
Part 3 - Chimalpopoca, the third ruler of Tenochtitlan.
~ Music Credits ~
Araucanian War Song by Down for the Count
Away by Meydän
Daniel Birch, www.danielbirchmusic.com
Breathe by Daniel Birch
Sustained Light by Daniel Birch
Episode 10 Credits
Written, researched, performed and produced by Jeremy Lipps.
Episode 1 - The First Tlatoque of Tenochtitlan
Welcome back to Mexica: A History Podcast, thank you for listening. My name is Lipps, writer and producer of this project. Previously the podcast told the story of Hernan Cortes, Moctezuma and the conquest of the Aztec people. In these additional episodes I'll trace the line of rulers for the dominant Aztec group, the Mexica of Tenochtitlan. To cover some ground rules, the word "Aztec" is tricky, it could refer to any number of groups or political arrangements of the people of the Valley of Mexico. I will try to refrain from using this vague term. When I refer to the Aztecs, it is with the Triple Alliance nobility and their subjects in the Valley of Mexico in mind, or what people usually think of as the Aztec Empire. In most cases I will name the cultural group, like the Mexica, Culuans, Tepenecs or Cempoalans.
Ok, back to the Mexica leaders, and we'll start at the beginning when the Mexica were still new in the Valley of Mexico. The Mexica people had been nomadic for almost 200 years when they finally settled on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. As they were new, it was essential they found political ways of establishing themselves. So far in their history they had emerged from the ancestral land of Aztlan to become a vagrant clan in the Valley, already well populated by Nahuatl speaking peoples like the Cahluans and Tepanecs. They had become the equivalent of barbarian mercenaries or manual laborers, esteemed for their willingness to take on other’s tasks. Once their city on the island began to take shape the Mexica needed a noble-class.
Similar to European nobles, the Aztec nobles mingled amongst themselves. They were closer kin to the nobles of other cities than to the people they ruled over. The early Tenochtitlan rulers shared that original Mexica blood, but within a few generations they were mostly breeding among the noble-class. In fact, it was through inter-tribal marriage that the first ruler of Tenochtitlan was chosen. Tenoch, probably the most well-known of the Aztlan-journey leaders, and the namesake of Tenochtitlan, is not considered a tlatoani because he did not have the noble blood. The first of the Mexica rulers would have a direct bloodline to nobility.
Part 1 - The First Tlatoani
The rulers of Tenochtitlan were called Tlatoani, singular, or Tlatoque in the plural form. The Tlatoani was often related to the previous, however the rulership was not necessarily handed down from father to son. A council of nobles and elders would gather upon the death of the previous tlatoani and select the successor. Sometimes it did pass from father to son, but just as often from brother to brother or to cousins. That said, it did stay within the noble-class.
As the fledgling nation of the Mexica was seeking legitimacy, and its migration-era leaders faded into legend, a leading man of Tenochtitlan named Opochtli married a daughter of the king of Culhuacan, the ruling altepetl at the time. The child born of this union was named Acamapichtli, and with him the Mexica began their climb to dominance.
Acamapichtli - 1st Ruler of Tenochtitlan
Acamapichtli was not born in Tenochtitlan, and was likely a native of Texcoco or Culhuacan. His mother was Culhua royalty and his father was a Mexica noble. It was his mother that introduced noble Toltec blood into the Mexica line. It was this Toltec blood that made a person noble, akin to the blood of gods. His name means “fistful of reeds,” and his name glyph used in the many historic codices is essentially that, a fist holding a bundle of reeds.
The council of Mexica elders decided to select Acamapichtli because of his dual Mexica-Colhuacan lineage and so cemented the political place of the newly established island-city of Tenochtitlan. Acamapichtli was crowned and became the first Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan around 1382. His mother being from Culhuacan, the dominant city-state at the time, was a critical consideration in his election. The Mexica were then a minor newcomer in a place with thousands of years of history, they needed status.
The Mexica, and their sister community, Tlatelolco, fell into subjugation by Tezozomoc and the Tepanec people. When Acamapichtli had become ruler he knew he was leading a subjugated people. The Mexica military served Tezozomoc, and helped to enforce his empire. Despite remaining a tributary to the Tepanecs, Acamapichtli had set the new Mexica city up for success by expanding the island.
During his reign the city of Tenochtitlan expanded into the lake to the east, and districts were laid out to help plan the growing city. Despite the tribute due to Azcapotzalco the Mexica continued to thrive and grow. In one story from Duran, he tells how Tezozomoc demanded an extraordinary amount of tribute, including fully grown live trees, to be delivered. When the Mexica paid the tribute in full, on time, Tezozomoc was amazed - this story, whether true or some colonial myth - serves to illustrate the productivity of the Mexica people.
According to Duran, Acamapichtli’s queen, Ilancueitl, could not conceive a child and each of the lords, including the Aztlan-era founder Tenoch, gave him a daughter. Duran tells of a slave girl so beautiful that despite his queen and many concubines, this slave girl had stolen his heart. From her came a baby boy named Itzcoatl, who would become a consequential Tlatoani and one of Acamapichtli’s three grandsons to rule. It would be Itzcoatl who would finally free the Mexica from their Tepanec rulers.
The Florentine Codex summarizes Acamapichtli’s reign like this: Acamapichtli was the first lord of Mexico of Tenochtitlan: who had dominion of Mexico, "twenty-one years, all was quiet in the land: and there were no wars in his time.” This is obviously a very over-simplified statement as the Mexica were essentially mercenaries for Tezozomoc. Additionally, the Anales de Tlatelolco indicate he led campaigns against communities on the southern Lake Xochimilco.
During his reign, Acmapichtli laid out the four main districts of Tenochtitlan, including Cuepopan and Moyotlan. Through his physical person and lineage he established the Mexica-Tenochtitlan monarchy, from which the subsequent eight tlatoque would issue. Before his death he also laid out the process on how the next tlatoani should be selected. A council of leaders from the four districts would elect the next ruler, rather than it flow from father to first-born son the council would consider the abilities and persona of the future king.
He seems to have died peacefully, perhaps from illness, around 1400, the date varies by source. According to Duran, Acamapichtli expressed regret that he could not free his people from Tepanec control. From one of his noble wives came a son named Huitzilihuitl, who the new council would select to succeed him. Acamapichtli was buried in a modest grave, it is said, without treasure or slaves as other rulers typically were, due to the humble status of the Mexica.
Huitzilihuitl - 2nd Ruler of the Mexica
The second Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, and the first that was born in the city, was Huitzilihuitl or formally known as Huitzilihuitzin. He was the son of the first tlatoani, Acampichtli, and a Mexica mother named Tezcatlan Miyahuatzin. His name translates to hummingbird feather, and his name glyph is shown as a green hummingbird head with feathers on the sides. The hummingbird was an important spiritual animal to the Mexica and their feathers were valued more than precious metals.
Huitzilihuitl was born into a growing Mexica community still subject to the Tepanec people of Azcapotzalco and their king Tezozomoc. Before he died, Acampachtli established the calpultin, a council of the four districts, that would not only consider nobility, but ability of potential rulers. Huitzilihuitl was the first selected by this council for his kindness and peaceable manner, according to Duran. The Cronica Mexicayotl describes him as a “very beloved son.”
A quick historic note, there was an earlier Mexica ruler named Huehue Huitzilihuitl, who ruled before the Mexica had settled in Tenochtitlan and were still living in Chapultepec. These are two separate men, who ruled at different times and in different capacities. Huehue Huitzilihuitl was captured and executed by the rulers of Culhuacan. It was almost a hundred years later that Tlatoani Huitzilihuitl reigned in Tenochtitlan.
Huitzilihuitzin took the throne at about age 16, after the death of his father circa 1403. Militarily, he aligned the Mexica with Azcapotzalco in their feud with Texcoco. During his reign he took several wives from other altepetls with an eye toward bolstering the Mexica nobility, including noblewomen from their Tepenec rulers in the cities of Tlacopan and Azcapotzalco. His political alignment was so important that a group of Mexica nobles went to Tezozomoc and asked for a daughter to marry Huitzilihuitl. Tezozomoc agreed, providing his daughter Ayauhuacihuatl to marry the Mexica king.
The new queen immediately went to work advocating for her new people to her father Tezozomoc. And Tenochtitlan profited greatly from her efforts, receiving gifts and reduced tribute levels. The queen also bore a son. When word was sent to Tezozomoc in Azcapotzalco, he was overjoyed and had his priests pray on a name. They returned with the name Chimalpopoca. The name was received in Tenochtitlan and given to the new prince. The baby would grow to become a favorite of his powerful grandfather.
Huitzilihuitl pursued his father's politics, building ties, slowly strengthening the city and army but like his father he did not break free from Tepanec control, but through marriage he loosened its grip. His reign saw the spread of cotton weaving, elevating Mexica clothing from the coarser maguey (agave) fabrics to the much softer cotton fabrics. Additionally he built schools, temples and renovated the Templo Mayor. He also was known to have issued laws to codify Mexica society. His legacy would continue through his sons, including two future tlatoque, Chimalpopoca and Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, as well as the powerful warrior, advisor and shaper of Mexica politics and culture, Tlacaelel.
The Florentine Codex summarized his reign like this: Vitsivitl, was the second lord of Tenochtitlan: the one who had dominion. Twenty and one years: and he began the wars, and fought with those of Culhuacan.
When Queen Ayauhuacihuatl died it left the Mexica people heartbroken as she had taken them into her heart and was their protectress. A year later Huitzilihuitl also died around 1417, much beloved for his growth of the city. His son Chimalpopoca, the favored grandson of Tezozomoc, would succeed him.
Chimalpopoca - 3rd Ruler of Tenochtitlan
While it's commonly accepted Chimalpopoca is the son of Huitzilihuitl, and grandson of Acamapichtli, there are versions of history that say his father was Acamapichtli, the first ruler of Tenochtitlan. It does seem he was the favorite grandson of the ruler of Atzcapozalco, Tezozomoc, according to several sources. I’m going to go with the version where he is the grandson of Acamapichtli and Tezozomoc. Chimalpopoca’s name means smoking shield and his name glyph is shown as a shield, or chimalli in Nahuatl, with smoke rising off the top.
According to Duran he was only 10 years old at the time of his selection around 1417, Duran’s dates are often inaccurate. He was likely born in Tenochtitlan, as its mentioned that messengers were sent to Atzcapotalco after his birth to inform his grandfather Tezozomoc.
Militarily, Chimalpopoca kept the Mexica alliance with the Tepanecs, and they remained a vassal to the Tepanec capital of Azcapotzalco. After a war in 1418, the Mexica support of the Tepanecs was rewarded with the city of Texcoco. However, Chimalpopoca kindly allowed the ruler of Texcoco, the legendary Nezahualcoyotl, to live in Tenochtitlan rather than be exiled to the mountains. Chimalpopoca would leave a lasting imprint on his nephew Nezahuacoyotl.
The Chapultepec Springs and the fresh water that spilled out became an object of Mexica desire, and the nobles went to Chimalpopoca to urge him to use his favoritism with his grandfather Tezozomoc. The Mexica king went to his grandfather and asked permission to access the water. Permission was given but soon tensions rose between the two cities as the people disagreed about granting the Mexica water rights. Tepanec nobles became increasingly disgruntled with Tezozomoc and his weakness for his grandson. To push things further, the Mexica requested the clay and lyme to build the aqueduct. Nevertheless, Tezozomoc allowed the aqueduct to be built while averting violence, for the moment.
Chimalpopoca’s death is shrouded in intrigue as several narratives exist on the cause of his demise. One version says after fending off an attack by Coyoacan's ruler, Maxtla, Chimalpopoca was taken hostage by the Tepanecs and taken to Azcapotzalco, where he died. Either by suicide, murdered by the Tepanecs or assassinated by his uncle Itzcoatl, the next tlatoani or self-sacrificed. Duran claims he was murdered in his palace by order of the Tepanecs, along with his young son Teuctleuac. Both the History of the Chichimeca Nation and the Cronica Mexicayotl agree that Chimalpopoca was assassinated by the Tepanecs along with Tezozomoc to end the alliance and the drain on resources.
The next ruler of the Mexica would bring the sword to the Tepanecs, lacking the loyalty his nephew Chimalpopoca had to their now dead king Tezozomoc. Itzcoatl also had a much more grand vision for the Mexica.
Florentine Codex summarizes his reign like this: Chimalpopoca, was the third lord of Tenochtitlan, and he was for ten years.
His rule, from about 1417 to 1427, oversaw the building of a wooden aqueduct from Chapultepec into the city, as well as construction of a causeway to Tlacopan - both significant infrastructure improvements for early Tenochtitlan. He is remembered for the favors he garnered from his powerful grandfather, Tezozomoc.
The first three Mexica rulers were marked by their relationship to the Tepanecs, a largely one-sided subjugation under Tezozomoc in the capital of Azcapotzalco. The next three rulers would be remembered for taking the Mexica to the forefront of power in the Valley of Mexico. Join me for Episode Two, Tenochtitlan Rising where we meet the fierce Itzcoatl, the first Moctezuma and the great ruler Axayacatl. Thanks for listening.
