Tozcuecuextli (1272) was a political figure in the Aztec Empire.
Life
Tozcuecuextli was born in the surroundings of
Xaltocan
Xaltocan was a pre-Columbian city-state and island in the Valley of Mexico, located in the center of Lake Xaltocan, part of an interconnected shallow lake system which included Lake Texcoco; this place is now inside the village of San Miguel Jalt ...
. His father, Iztacmixcoatzin, is considered the origin of the Nahuatlacas and the Mexica. He was educated within a
calpulli In pre-Columbian Aztec society, calpulli (from Classical Nahuatl '' calpōlli'', , meaning "large houses", singular calpul) were units of commoner housing that had been split into kin-based or other land holding groups within Nahua city-states or ...
(neighborhood) of builders.
In 1226, he married Tlaquilxochitzin, princess of Tzompanco, with whom he fathered
Huitzilihuitl I, his successor, the following year.
Upon the death of Iztacmixcoatzin in 1233 or 1239, Tozcuecuextli took command and shortly after, at the suggestion of Huitziltzin, he emigrated to the
Sierra de Guadalupe to exploit the forest and the andesite deposits, near the shore of
Lake Texcoco
Lake Texcoco (; ) was a natural saline lake within the ''Anahuac'' or Valley of Mexico. Lake Texcoco is best known for an island situated on the western side of the lake where the Mexica built the city of Mēxihco Tenōchtitlan, which would la ...
, south of Ecatepec. , across the lagoon in canoes they transport material more efficiently and continually do work for
Azcapotzalco
Azcapotzalco ( ; ; from ''wikt:azcapotzalli, āzcapōtzalli'' “anthill” + ''wikt:-co, -co'' “place”; literally, “In the place of the anthills”) is a Boroughs of Mexico City, borough (''demarcación territorial'') in Mexico City. Azcap ...
and its dependent towns, without forgetting to do the same with the lordship of
Tenayocan. They asked for permission to found their first capital in 1240, Huixachtitlan.
In 1245, Tlotzin launched himself against
Colhuacan and defeated them with the help of Tozcuecuextli. Marital alliances were also established, which in the long run would give rise to the last Colhua lineage and the second Mexica (the first was Xaltocamecatl).
Pantitlán also exploits the Sierra de Guadalupe, so at a certain point their interests lead them to war against Huixachtitlan, the final battle taking place near Tecpayocan, the
Mexitin win but Tecpatzin dies. Also shortly after Huitziltzin died, Tozcuecuextli ordered that his remains be transformed into tlaquimilolli (sacred wrapping) and they gave him the name
Huitzilopochtli.
Tozcuecuextli continued to rule, and his new right arm Huehue Cuauhtlequetzqui (father of
Cuauhtlequetzqui of 1281) supported him until his death in 1272.
He died in
Tlachco.
References
Bibliography
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*{{Cite book , last=de Tovar , first=Juan , title=Ramirez Codex , publisher=SEP , year=1975 , location=Mexico City
1272 deaths
Aztec royalty