Author: mexicapodcast

Aztec Rulers: Ahuitzotl, Eighth Tlatoani

About the Aztec ruler Ahuitzotl.

Formal name: Ahuitzotzin
Life:14??-1502
Reign: 1486-1502, 1485-1502 (Tira de Tepechpan)
Name: Water possum
Place of Birth: Likely Tenochtitilan

Upon the death of Ahuitzotl’s brother, Tizoc, the lords met and powerful advisor Tlacaelel began to advocate for his young nephew, a child at the time according to Duran. Other sources say he was already an accomplished military leader and priest. A huge inaugural festival was thrown with allies and enemies invited.

One of his first efforts was to put down a rebellion in the north where the Huastec Nation. He joined the other Triple Alliance leaders, notably King Nezahualpilli of Texcoco, in wars of conquest across the empire.

Aztec Rulers: Tizoc, Seventh Tlatoani

Formal name: Tizocicatzin
Life:1449-1486
Reign: 1481-1486, 1481-1485 (Tira de Tepechpan)
Name: He who makes sacrifices, he who does penance
Place of Birth: Likely Tenochtitlan

Upon the death of his brother, Axayacatl, the two remaining leaders of the Triple Alliance, Nezahualpilli of Texcoco and Chimalpopoca of Tlacopan, met and selected Tizoc to be the next tlatoani of Tenochtitlan. He was a grandson of former emperors Moctezuma I and Itzcoatl, and the middle brother of three who would follow, in order, as tlatoani.

Acuecuexco Aqueduct to Tenochtitlan

In the Churubusco neighborhood of Coyoacan there were a number of springs that watered the indigenous communities there. Tenochtitlan’s Tlatoani Ahuitzotl, in a desire to feed his growing city, asked to use the water from Coyoacan, and the Acuecuexco spring, among others. Tzutzuman, ruler of Coyoacan, advised against an aqueduct into the city, that it might cause a flood, according to Duran. Whether it was unwanted advice or just the refusal to grant permission to the water, it’s not totally clear, but it seems Ahuitzotl had Tzutzuman killed.

Tlatelolco Aqueduct and the Spring of Xancopinca

The spring is said to be the legendary hiding place of Moctezuma’s treasure and guarded by the ghost of La Malinche.

The aqueduct that fed Tlatelolco for hundreds of years originated at a mystical pool called Xancopinca, east of Atzcapozalco on the western shore of Lake Xochimilco. The aqueduct dates at least to the reign of Tezozomoc of Azcapotzalco, from 1370 to 1426.

Spring of Xancopinca shown in the Tira de Tepechpan.

Tenoch: Aztec Founding Father

Tenoch is the person, whether real or mythological, for whom the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan is named. But who Tenoch was, is a bit of a mystery.

He appears frequently in many of the codices, or ancient documents, preserved from before and after the Conquest. Tenoch is recognizable by his name glyph, a rock with a cactus growing on it and he appears in Mendoza, Aubin and Azcatitlan codices. Tenoch is mentioned in several post-conquest written historic documents. He shares his name glyph with the city of Tenochtitlan.