Cuitláhuac
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cuitlahuac | |
 Cuitlahuac in the Primeros Memoriales. |
|
|
10th Tlatoani of Mexico Tenochtitlan
|
|
| 2 Flint 1520 |
|
| Cihuacoatl | Matlatzincatzin |
|---|---|
| Preceded by | Moctezuma II |
| Succeeded by | Cuauhtemoc |
|
Tlatoani of Itztapalapan
|
|
| Succeeded by | Ixhuetzcatocatzin (Alonso) |
|
|
|
| Died | 2 Flint (1520) |
| Father | Axayacatl |
| Mother | A daughter of Cuitlahuac I |
| Wife | A daughter of Moteixcahuia Quauhtlehuanitzin |
| Children | Ixhuetzcatocatzin (Alonso) Ana Luisa two others |
Cuitlahuac (c. 1476 – 1520)[1] or Cuitláhuac (in Spanish orthography; in Nahuatl: cuitlāhuac,[2] honorific form Cuitlahuatzin) was the 10th tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan for 80 days during the year Two Flint (1520).[3]
Cuitlahuac was the eleventh son of the ruler Axayacatl and a younger brother of Moctezuma II, the previous ruler of Tenochtitlan.[4] His mother's father, also called Cuitlahuac, had been ruler of Itztapalapan,[5] and the younger Cuitlahuac also ruled there initially.[6]
Cuitlahuac was made tlatoani of Tenochtitlan during the Spanish conquest of Mexico; After Pedro de Alvarado had ordered a massacre in the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs were very upset and started to fight and put a siege to the Spaniards. Hernán Cortés ordered Moctezuma to ask his people to stop fighting. Moctezuma told him that they would not listen to him and suggested Cortés free Cuitlahuac so that he could convince them to dispose of their arms and not fight anymore. Cortés then freed Cuitlahuac and once Cuitlahuac was free he led his people against the conquistadors. He succeeded and the Spaniards were driven out of Tenochtitlan on June 30, 1520.
After having ruled for just 80 days, Cuitlahuac died of smallpox[3] that had been introduced to the New World by the Europeans. His elder brother Matlatzincatzin, who had been cihuacoatl ("president"), resigned upon Cuitlahuac's death.[7] As soon as Cuitláhuac died, Cuauhtemoc was made the next tlatoani.[3]
The modern Mexican municipality of Cuitláhuac, Veracruz and the Mexico City Metro station Metro Cuitláhuac are named in honor of Cuitlahuac. The asteroid 2275 Cuitlahuac is also named after this ruler.
[edit] Notes
- ^ For year of birth, see entry for "CUITLAHUAC", Dictionnaire de la langue nahuatl classique (Wimmer 2006).
- ^ Wimmer (2006).
- ^ a b c Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 56–57, 164–165, 216–217.
- ^ Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 148–151.
- ^ Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 42–43.
- ^ Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 50–51.
- ^ Probably from Chimalpahin (1997); broken reference.
[edit] References
- Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin, Domingo Francisco de San Antón Muñón (1997). Codex Chimalpahin: society and politics in Mexico Tenochtitlan, Tlatelolco, Texcoco, Culhuacan, and other Nahua altepetl in central Mexico: the Nahuatl and Spanish annals and accounts collected and recorded by don Domingo de San Antón Muñón Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin, edited and translated by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Susan Schroeder, The Civilization of the American Indian Series, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, vol. 1, pp. 26–177. ISBN 0-8061-2921-2.
- Wimmer, Alexis (2006). Dictionnaire de la langue nahuatl classique. Retrieved on 2007-05-04. (French) (Nahuatl)
| Preceded by ? |
Tlatoani of Itztapalapan | Succeeded by Ixhuetzcatocatzin |
| Preceded by Moctezuma II |
Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan 1520 |
Succeeded by Cuauhtemoc |
