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Acamapichtli ( nci-IPA, Ācamāpichtli, aːkamaːˈpit͡ʃt͡ɬi, meaning "Handful of reeds") was the first '' Tlatoani'', or
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
, of the
Aztecs The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
(or Mexica) of Tenochtitlan, and founder of the Aztec imperial dynasty. Chronicles differ as to the dates of his reign: according to the Codex Chimalpahin, he reigned from 1367 to 1387; according to the Codex Aubin, he reigned from 1376 to 1395; and according to the
Codex Chimalpopoca ''Codex Chimalpopoca'' or ''Códice Chimalpopoca'' is a postconquest cartographic Aztec codex which is officially listed as being in the collection of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia located in Mexico City under "Collección An ...
, he reigned from 1350 to 1403.Simon, Z (2021). "Ten Chronologies of Ancient Mexico"


Biography


Family and early life

Acamapichtli was not a native of Tenochtitlan. Blood relationships between rulers were an important aspect of politics in 14th century Mexico, and as relative newcomers, the Mexicans were at a disadvantage. On the death of
Tenoch Tenoch (or Tenuch, ) was a ruler of the Mexicas (Aztecas) during the fourteenth century during the Aztec travels from Aztlán to Tenochtitlan. Tenoch's father was Iztac Mixcoatl, who had a total of seven sons with two wives. The Tenochtitlan ...
, the elders of the Mexica '' calpultin'' decided to elect a ''tlatoani'' who could secure the fledgling city's position through ties to powerful groups in the region. They sent a delegation to the leaders of Culhuacan. Although the Culhua had only recently ejected the Mexica from Tizaapan, some intermarriage had taken place between the two peoples during their period of association. Acamapichtli was the product of one such union. His father, Opochtli Iztahuatzin, was a Mexican leader, while his mother Atotoztli I was the daughter of the King Coxcoxtli and sister of King
Huehue Acamapichtli Huehue Acamapichtli (''Ācamāpichtli'' ːkamaːˈpit͡ʃt͡ɬi= "Handful of reeds", ) was a king (Nahuatl: ''tlatoani'') of Culhuacán. He was a son — and successor — of King Coxcoxtli and his wife. His sister was Atotoztli I of Culhuacán ...
. He also had ties to the
Acolhua The Acolhua are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in or around the year 1200 CE. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs (or Mexica) as well as the Tepanec, Chalca, Xochimilca and others. The most important poli ...
of Coatlinchan. In addition to these concrete ties, the Culhua nobility claimed direct descent from the
Toltecs The Toltec culture () was a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture that ruled a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico, during the Epiclassic and the early Post-Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, reaching prominence from 950 to 1150 CE ...
, making their bloodline particularly prestigious. The Spanish colonial historians Diego Durán,
Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxochitl Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. It is equivalent to the G ...
, and Fernando Alvarado Tezozómoc each mention Acamapichtli's maternal uncle, who occupied the throne of Culhuacan in 1324.


Reign

Acamapichtli began his rule as ''cihuacóatl'' (governor). At the time of his designation he was 20 years old, living in Texcoco with his mother. After his acceptance of the throne, he was brought to Tenochtitlan and made his entry into the city with great pomp. He married
Ilancueitl Ilancueitl (Nahuatl for "old-woman skirt"; ) was the first queen of Tenochtitlan. Biography Ilancuéitl was a daughter of the then ruler of Culhuacán, Acolmiztli, and she married Acamapichtli, the first ruler of Tenochtitlan. She bore no chil ...
, daughter of the then ruler of Culhuacán, Acolmiztli. To integrate these ties with the city of Tenochtitlan, Acamapichtli took a wife from each Tenochtitlan ''
calpulli In precolumbian Aztec society, a calpulli (from Classical Nahuatl '' calpōlli'', , meaning "large house") was the designation of an organizational unit below the level of the altepetl "city-state". In Spanish sources, they are termed ''parcialidad ...
'' (in addition to his first wife Ilancuetl). In the same year, Tenochtitlan's sister city of Tlatelolco also installed an outsider as ''tlatoani'' —
Cuacuapitzahuac Quaquapitzahuac (died 1417) was the first ruler of the Aztec city of Tlatelolco. His name, which means "Slender Horn", was pronounced in Classical Nahuatl, and is also spelled Cuacuauhpitzahuac, Cuacuapitzahuac, and Quaquauhpitzahuac. His nephe ...
, son of Tezozómoc, ''tlatoani'' of the Tepanec city of
Azcapotzalco Azcapotzalco ( nci, Āzcapōtzalco , , from '' āzcapōtzalli'' “anthill” + '' -co'' “place”; literally, “In the place of the anthills”) is a borough (''demarcación territorial'') in Mexico City. Azcapotzalco is in the northwestern ...
, the other major power in the region. Despite Acamapichtli's Culhua ancestry, his city rapidly fell into the Tepanec orbit and became a tributary of Azcapotzalco. During his reign Mexica forces fought for Azcapotzalco against various city states, notably Chalco, and were eventually allowed to wage war on their own. Expeditions were sent against Cuauhnahuac (modern Cuernavaca) and Xochimilco. Tribute was due to the Tecpanec rulers every full moon, a tribute said to be oppressive and capricious. In spite of the hostility of Azcapotzalco, Tenochtitlan progressed. The island on which the city was situated (and the only territory subject to its rule) was enlarged to the east with the addition of dirt and rock. The Mexica were careful, however, to maintain a proper distance from the mainland, for defensive purposes in the event of war. Built in the middle of Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan suffered from limited farmland. Acamapichtli built up the city's agricultural base by expanding the ''
chinampa Chinampa ( nah, chināmitl ) is a technique used in Mesoamerican agriculture which relies on small, rectangular areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico. They are built up on wetlands of a lake o ...
'' system ("floating" gardens) around the island, and by capturing lakeshore chinampas from other cities, particularly Xochimilco. He also made improvements to the city's architecture — the earliest excavated level of the
Great Pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest Egyptian pyramid and the tomb of Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu. Built in the early 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years, the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ...
, Temple II, dates to his reign. During his reign, the city was divided into four neighborhoods or ''
calpulli In precolumbian Aztec society, a calpulli (from Classical Nahuatl '' calpōlli'', , meaning "large house") was the designation of an organizational unit below the level of the altepetl "city-state". In Spanish sources, they are termed ''parcialidad ...
s'': Moyotlán in the southwest; Zoquipan in the southeast; Cuecopan in the northwest; and Atzacualco in the northeast. Houses of cane and reeds were replaced with houses of stone. A great temple, or ''
teocalli A ''teocalli'' (Nahuatl: "God-house") is a Mesoamerican pyramid surmounted by a temple. The pyramid is terraced, and some of the most important religious rituals in Pre-Columbian Mexico took place in the temple at the top of the pyramid. The famo ...
'', was also constructed. It is said that during his reign, the first Aztec laws were made. In 1382, Acamapichtli was named ''tlatoani''. He was crowned with even more pomp than before, at the altar of Huitzilopochtli. He ascended the steps accompanied by the highest-ranking warriors. He was anointed with oil and water by the chief priest, who placed on his head the crown or ''xiuhuitzolli''. This same ceremony was repeated in all the subsequent Aztec coronations, with the difference that, from 1427, the new ''tlatoani'' was accompanied by the rulers of Texcoco and Tlacopan, the other two towns of the Aztec Triple Alliance. Acamapichtli was an astute politician who strengthened his position more by alliances with his neighbors than by wars (of which there were only two or three during his reign). He avoided difficulties with the more powerful rulers, in the case of Tezozómoc, by paying the demanded tribute. Tezozómoc asked for a chinampa cultivated with beautiful flowers, and the Aztecs formed one, raised the flowers, and floated the chinampa to him over the lake.


Heirs and succession

Acamapichtli's first wife bore him no children, so he took another wife, Tezcatlan Miyahuatzin. She was the mother of
Huitzilíhuitl Huitzilihuitl or Huitzilihuitzin (Nahuatl language; English: ''Hummingbird Feather'') (1370s – ''ca.'' 1417) was the second ''Tlatoani'' or king of Tenochtitlan. According to the Codex Chimalpahin, he reigned from 1390 to 1415, according to t ...
, who succeeded to the throne after the death of his father. Another son of Acamapichtli,
Itzcóatl Itzcoatl ( nci-IPA, Itzcōhuātl, it͡sˈkoːwaːt͡ɬ, "Obsidian Serpent", ) (1380–1440) was the fourth king of Tenochtitlan, and the founder of the Aztec Empire, ruling from 1427 to 1440. Under Itzcoatl the Mexica of Tenochtitlan threw of ...
, also became ''tlatoani'' in 1427. He was the son of a beautiful slave Acamapichtli had bought in the market of Azcapotzalco. She was of noble birth, but had been captured and enslaved. Although ''tlatoani'' was not strictly a hereditary title, candidates were clearly restricted to a small class of princes, and all later Aztec rulers descended from Acamapichtli. Before his death, Acamapichtili called together the chiefs of the four neighborhoods into which he had divided the city, and asked them to elect his successor. Before the death of Acamapichtili, they chose his eldest son Huitzilíhuitl. Acamapichtili approved the election, and then died. After the death of his father, Huitzilíhuitl consolidated his power by ordering a new election, with more electors, including important warriors and priests.


Personal life

Among his wives were
Ilancueitl Ilancueitl (Nahuatl for "old-woman skirt"; ) was the first queen of Tenochtitlan. Biography Ilancuéitl was a daughter of the then ruler of Culhuacán, Acolmiztli, and she married Acamapichtli, the first ruler of Tenochtitlan. She bore no chil ...
, Tezcatlan Miyahuatzin,
Huitzilxotzin Huitzilxotzin () was a Queen of Tenochtitlan as a wife of Aztec emperor Acamapichtli. She was a daughter of Tenqacatetl and mother of Prince Tlatolqaca. She was a grandmother of Princes Cahualtzin, Tetlepanquetzatzin and Tecatlapohuatzin. S ...
, and
Xiuhcuetzin Xiuhcuetzin was a Queen of Tenochtitlan as a wife of Aztec emperor Acamapichtli. She was a daughter of Ahatl and mother of Prince Quatlecoatl. See also *List of Tenochtitlan rulers This is a list of Mesoamerican rulers of the ''altepetl'' of ...
.


See also

* List of Tenochtitlan rulers


References


Bibliography

* * * "Acamapichtili", ''Enciclopedia de México'', v. 1. Mexico City: 1987. * García Puron, Manuel, ''México y sus gobernantes,'', v. 1. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984. * Orozco Linares, Fernando, ''Gobernantes de México''. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, . * Tezozómoc, Fernando Alvarado, '' Crónica mexicana''. 1891. * Tezozómoc, Fernando Alvarado, ''
Crónica mexicayotl The ''Crónica Mexicayotl'' is a chronicle of the history of the Aztec Empire from the early Nahua migrations to the colonial period, which was written in the Nahuatl language around the 16th century. Its authorship is debated because the earliest ...
''. 1949.


External links


Acamapichtli Entry in The Visual History Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Acamapichtli Aztec nobility Tenochca tlatoque Year of birth missing 1395 deaths 14th-century monarchs in North America 14th-century indigenous people of the Americas 14th century in the Aztec civilization Nobility of the Americas