Señorío of Cuzcatlán
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Capital | Cuzcatlán |
Official language | Nahuat |
Government | Monarchy tributary Tagatecu (inhereted) |
Establishment Dissolution |
approx.1200 1528 |
Was a pre-Columbian nation of Período Posclásic that extended from the Paz river hazta the Lempa river (that is to say, most of the western and central zone of El Salvador), this was the nation of Pipiles. No longer codices survive that speak to us on this señorío. But cronistas Spanish like: Juarros, Palaces, Lozano, etc; they reveal to us that sometimes codices existed, in addition wrote what they said and all that nahuas compared with the other nations of mesoamericana, revealing that this señorío received great influence of Aztec Toltecas and , allowing to know better Señorío east.
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[edit] Origins
The Piípiles arrived at El Salvador around the year 900 D.C, some cities were attacked and burned by them, others as Tehuacán left them free the entrance and in the end they became pipiles cities, others as Chalchuapa and Cihuatán were allied with the pipiles and they left them frees the entrance. According to the legend the city of Cuzcatlán was founded by exiliado Tolteca Ce Acatl Topiltzin called Quetzalcoatl around year 1054. In Century XIII probably the pipiles were unified, the fall of Tula and the Toltecas produced the aim of the alliances which in the end I take to the occupation of Chalchuapa and the conquest and destruction of Cihuatán by the pipiles, For the 1400 heridataria monarchy habia established according to is said by Tutecotzimit, pocomames which they occupied señorío that boat great part of the department of Ahuachapán and part of the department of Santa Ana and which tapeworm by Atiquizaya capital was conquered by the pipiles
[edit] Political Organization
The Señorío de Cuzcatlán (Lordship of Cuzcatlán) was divided in the chieftainships of:
- Cuzcatlán
- Izalco
- Apaneca
- Ahuachapán
- Guacotecti
- Ixtepetl
- Apastepeque
- Tehuacán
These chieftainships at a first moment were independent, later were put under by the Chieftainship of Cuzcatlán (whose capital: the city of Cuzcatlán (today Antiguo Cuzcatlán) like Izalco, was founded by the king of Tolteca Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl), like with Aztec, the chieftainships did not form a unified political system, but rather a system from tribute to the city of Cuzcatlán. all the mentioned chieftainships previously As well divided in pueblos or aldeas, and these in calpules (calpullis) (the heads of calpullis had the title of Alahuaes ), in where the Earth and the foods were communitarian and each family received her earth land to cultivate.
[edit] Government
Señor de Cuzcatlán (who also were cacique of Cuzcatlán) and the caciques of each one of the chieftainships showed the title of: Tagatécu . As second in the government were chosen to Tatoni (prince) that showed the title of: Cihuacúat ; they were attended by an advice of old and four captains who took care of part of the obligations of the government and helped it in having communication and consults with the priests.
As far as the succession in the government: when died Tagatécu, the older son happened to him in the control, but when the headquarters corresponded to a minor one they named like Regente to a brother of the deceased. In case Tagatécu did not have children or brothers, the control took the relative closest than it had the necessary dowries for the government.
[edit] Tagatécus Or Señores de Cuzcatlán
Was many Tagatécus or Señores de Cuzcatlán; which the name has forgotten with the exception of last cuatros Tagatécus de Cuzcatlán, of which the historians speak: like Domingo Juarros; these are:
- Cuachimicín: It governed before the conquest, it was overthrown and executed by the priests
- Tutecotzimit: Successor of the previous one, restored the hereditary system
- Pilguanzimit
- Tonaltut
- Atlacatl
[edit] Military service
The soldiers Pipiles, used like clothes corselete or vest (done of cotton) and mashte (species of tabarrabo). The soldiers pipiles was organized in ordenenes the military of:
- Horsemen Jaguars (tigers)
- Horsemen Eagles
- Brave Owls (this third order appeared later that the previous ones)
The soldiers Pipiles had like arms:
- Tecuz (Lance): two types tenian: first of long spear and sharpened end, that according to Pedro de Alvarado 30 handspans of length (6,30 meters). Second it was the wild sow, of more maneuverable short spear and.
- Macuáhuit (Macana): Pipiles had two types: first it was a mallet that had to the sharpened sides obsidian knives or perdenal. Second it consisted of flat wood tables with grooves or incisions where filosas adapted leaves or lascas of obsidian or pedernal.
- Tahuítul (arc) and Mit (arrows): the arrows took in the part of back a beam of hirientes pens or opposite adapted lascas to him of obisidiana or pedernal.
- Malacate (disc or rodela): that it served in the hands-to-hand combat.
[edit] Economy
One of the cultures that dependia the economy of the Señorío de Cuzcatlán was the cacao, this was the currency of the pipiles and only the governors podian to prepar the Chocolat (Chocolate). Another important product was the one of used cotton to elaborate its clothes. The pipiles tenian varied colors for their clothes removed from plants or fruits. used the resin of Balsam. The hunting and the fishing also were important part of the economy of the Señorío de Cuzcatlán. The commerce was important part for the development of all the mesoaméricanas cultures.
The currencies of the pipiles ones were the cacao, the monetary units and the numerical units were the same ones, like the other mesoaméricanos towns the pipil system was vigesimal, the units was represented by points, the twenty (panti (in nahuat)) by a flag, the four hundred (zonte (in nahuat)) by a little tree or hair, eight thousands (xiquipil (in nahuat)) by a ceremonial stock market and sixteen thousands (carga (in nahuat)) by a coat or pitcher.
[edit] Religion
Through cronistas and archaeology we know that the Señorío de Cuzcatlán well was organized with respect to the priesthood, Gods, rites, etc. One of the peregrination places was the sanctuary to the goddess nuictlán (constructed by EC Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl) located in the lake of Güija.
[edit] Gods
Señorío of Cuzcatlán had many Gods, that are such of Aztecas and Toltecas, between these are: Xipe Totec, Quetzalcoatl, Ehécatl, Tláloc, Chac mool, Tonatiuh, Chalchitlicue, etc. In addition there were Gods that were own of señorío of cuzcatlán like: Itzqueye. The fundamental God or supreme era Téotl, and of all the other Gods already mentioned the pair of main Gods era: Quetzalcoatl and Itzqueye, aquienes ofrecia a celebration publishes, nun and ceremonial Mitote call (if were to Quetzalcoatl lasted 15 days and if it were to Itzqueye lasted 5 days, every day sacrificed a slave).
[edit] Priesthood
The great priest or Pope was call Tecti, this one dressed a long Túnica blue color and took to one Diadema sometimes in the head and a species of Mitra, worked of different colors, that had in the ends a handful of pens of Quetzal; he also brought a Walking stick in the hand. After this venia Tehuamatine, this era the one that said to the luck and the predictions. Later was the cuatros called priests Teupishque, these dressed clothes different colors and were the members of the advice who dealt with the ceremonial subjects, hacistian to all the rites and each took hold and maintained an extremity of which hiba to sacrifice itself. And finally was Tupilzín, it was in charge to keep the objects from cult and to open the chest and to remove to them the heart to them to the victims during the sacrifice. The priests vivian in called temples Teupas, the palace or Teupa of the Tecti was next to the pyramid or greater temple.
[edit] It influences of other pre-Columbian towns
Since we have seen the Señorío de Cuzcatlán now highly were influenced by Aztec and Toltec and , as much in Mayas and in Pipiles, and not only in the monk, military man and politician; but also in the sculpture (example: the Chac Mool found in Tazumal), in the ceramics (like the found one in the Lake of Gravel), in the architecture (like: pyramid 2 in Tazumal and a site in the Lake of Gravel) and, through which says cronistas, also in the calendar, mathematics, medicine and education. The pipiles had poquitas differences in the calendar, architecture, mathematics, etc; although they were very few these differences, these differentiated from Aztec and Toltec.
[edit] Fall and end of the Señorío de Cuzcatlán
After the fall of the Aztec Empire, Pedro de Alvarado cross a river Paz 6 of june 1524, the soldier and cacique of Izalco Atonal, he makes the defense and he declares battles in Acaxual and Tacuzcalco until being asinado. When 17 of june Pedro de Alvarado arrives at Cuzcatlán, Tagatécu Atlacatl (in mountains) makes the defense until it defeats to Alvarado. In 1526 destroys the villa founded by Gonzalo de Alvarado and finally it is defeated and died by Diego de Alvarado in 1528.