Cabildo of San Juan Tenochtitlan

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The cabildo of San Juan Tenochtitlan was a governing council established in the 16th century to give a Spanish-style government to Tenochtitlan.

The cabildo consisted of a single governor, a number of alcaldes and regidores, and a number of other minor officials.

Contents

[edit] Governor

Initially the governorship was given to the tlatoani (indigenous dynastic ruler), and the first four governors were thus referred to as cacique y gobernador ("Indian ruler and governor") or señor y gobernador ("lord and governor"). Subsequent, non-dynastic governors were referred to juez-gobernador ("judge-governor") or simply gobernador ("governor").

In 1564, the governor received a salary of 400 pesos per year.[1]

  1. Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin (1538–1541)
  2. Diego de San Francisco Tehuetzquititzin (1541–1554)
    Esteban de Guzmán (1554–1557) — juez de residencia
  3. Cristóbal de Guzmán Cecetzin (1557–1562)
  4. Luis de Santa María Nanacacipactzin (1563–1565)
  5. Francisco Jiménez (1568–1569)
  6. Antonio Valeriano the elder (1573–1599)
  7. Gerónimo López (1599–1608)
  8. Juan Bautista (1609)
  9. Juan Pérez de Monterrey (1610–1614)

[edit] Alcaldes

New alcaldes were elected yearly. Until 1600, Tenochtitlan was served by two alcaldes. In odd-numbered years, the alcaldes would be representatives of the "barrios" of San Pablo Teopan and San Juan Moyotlan, while in even years, the alcaldes would be representatives of San Sebastián Atzaqualco and Santa María la Redonda Cuepopan. In 1600, the number of alcaldes was increased to four, one for each district; in 1610 it was increased again to eight, with two for each district.

In 1564, alcaldes were receiving salaries of 50 pesos.[2]

1555 Alonso de San Miguel (San Pablo) Miguel Díaz (San Juan)
1556 Miguel Sánchez Yscatl (San Sebastián) Cristóbal de Guzmán Cecetzin (Santa María)
1557 Tomás de Aquino Yspopulac (San Pablo) Luis de Santa María Nanacacipactzin (San Juan)
1558 Martín Cano (San Sebastián) Pedro de la Cruz Tlapaltecatl (Santa María)
1559 Pedro García Tenylotl (San Pablo) Lucas Cortés Tenamaz (San Juan)
1560 Miguel Sánchez Yscatl (San Sebastián) Melchior Díaz Suchipepena (Santa María)
1561 Luis de Paz Huehuezaca (San Pablo) Toribio Vásquez Tlacuscalcal (San Juan)
1562 Martín Cano (San Sebastián) Pedro de la Cruz Tlapaltecatl (Santa María)
1563 Tomás de Aquino Yspopulac (San Pablo) Lucas Cortés Tenamaz (San Juan)
1564 Martín de San Juan Ezmalin (San Sebastián) Antonio de Santa María Mexicaytoa (Santa María)
1565 Pedro Dionisio (San Pablo) Toribio Vásquez Tlacuscalcal (San Juan)
1566 Miguel Sánchez Yscatl (San Sebastián) Francisco Xuárez (Santa María)
1567 Luis de Paz Huehuezaca (San Pablo) Martín Hernández Acatecatl (San Juan)
1568 Juan García Totoco (San Sebastián) Diego de Tovar (Santa María)

[edit] Regidores

Tenochtitlan had twelve regidores, an unusually high number. Like alcaldes, regidores represented the four subdivisions of Tenochtitlan, although with disproportionate representation of San Juan Moyotlan.

In 1564, regidores were receiving salaries of 20 pesos.[2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Gibson (1964): p. 186.
  2. ^ a b Gibson (1964): p. 187.

[edit] References

Gibson, Charles (May 1953). "Rotation of Alcaldes in the Indian Cabildo of Mexico City". The Hispanic American Historical Review 33 (2): pp. 212–223. 
Gibson, Charles [1964] (1983). The Aztecs Under Spanish Rule: A History of the Indians of the Valley of Mexico, 1519–1810. Stanford: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-0912-2. OCLC 9359010. 
Lockhart, James [1992] (1996). The Nahuas After the Conquest: A Social and Cultural History of the Indians of Central Mexico, Sixteenth Through Eighteenth Centuries. Stanford: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2317-6. OCLC 24283718.