Tezozomoctli (originally Teçoçomoctli; ruled 1418Bierhorst (1992): pp. 80–81.–1430Bierhorst (1992): pp. 90–93.) was a ''

tlatoani ''Tlatoani'' ( , "one who speaks, ruler"; plural ' or tlatoque) is the Classical Nahuatl term for the ruler of an , a pre-Hispanic state. It is the noun form of the verb "tlahtoa" meaning "speak, command, rule". As a result, it has been variou ...

'' ("ruler" or "

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

") of the

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

Nahua The Nahuas () are a group of the indigenous people of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They comprise the largest indigenous group in Mexico and second largest in El Salvador. The Mexica (Aztecs) were of Nahua ethnicity, ...

altepetl The (, plural ''altepeme'' or ''altepemeh'') was the local, ethnically-based political entity, usually translated into English as "city-state," of pre-Columbian Nahuatl-speaking societiesSmith 1997 p. 37 in the Americas. The ''altepetl'' was ...

'' (

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

) of Cuauhtitlan in central

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. His palace was located at Huexocalco. Tezozomoctli was born in the Mexica city of Tlatelolco. His father was

Tlacateotl Tlacateotl (or Tlacateotzin; ? – 1426 or 1427/28) was the second Tlatoani of the Aztec city of Tlatelolco from 1417 until his death. Reign Under his rule the Tlatelolcas continued to expand their wealth and influence within the valley of Mex ...

, who was the second tlatoani of Tlatelolco. His mother was Xiuhtomiyauhtzin, the daughter of the tlatoani of

Coatl Ichan Acolmiztli I ("Arm of the Puma" in Nahuatl) was a ''tlatoani'' (ruler or king) of Coatlichan, Nahua ''altepetl'' (city-state). Family Acolmiztli was a son of a Chieftain named Tzompantzin and was married to the Princess Cihuateotzin of Cohua ...

, Acolmiztli.Chimalpahin (1997): vol. 2, p. 113. Tezozomoctli was probably named after his great-grandfather, the powerful ruler 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 p ...

. In the

Tepanec War The Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance ( nci, Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān, �jéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥ was an alliance of three Nahua city-states: , , and . These three city-states ruled that area in and around the Valley of Mexico ...

in the year 3 Rabbit (1430), Cuauhtitlan was attacked and defeated by the combined forces of the surrounding peoples. After being informed at his refuge at Cincoc Huehuetocan that Cuauhtitlan had been captured, Tezozomoctli travelled to Atzompan where he allegedly committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

poison Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tezozomoctli Nahua nobility Tlatoque 15th-century monarchs in North America 15th-century indigenous people of the Americas Year of birth unknown 1430 deaths Suicides by poison Suicides in North America Nobility of the Americas