Formal Name: Chimalpopocatzin
Life: 13??/1407 (Duran)-1424/28
Reign: 1417-1424/28
Name: obsidian serpent
Place of Birth: Tenochtitlan
Died: Tenochtitlan, likely assassinated.
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 it’s mentioned that messengers were sent to Azcapotzalco 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, whose later loyalty to the Mexica would be invaluable.
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. There seems to have even been confusion as to what access meant, some Tepanecs believing buckets, while the Mexica meant an aqueduct. 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.
The man most affected by this soft loyalty from Tezozomoc toward Chimalpopoca, was Tezozomoc’s own son Maxtla.
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 to end the alliance and the drain on Tepanec 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.
His rule, from about 1417 to 1427, oversaw the building of a wood and clay 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.
Huitzilihuitl <<- Chimalpopca ->> Itzcoatl