Tlacaelel

Tlacaélel (1398h.-1475h.) (from Nahuatl: Tlakaellel 'he who animates the spirit' 'tlakatl, person; ellelli, vivid emotion') was a warrior, Mexican economist, statesman and religious reformer. He served in the position of government advisor or high priest cihuacóatl (female snake or consort), an advisor or advisor to several Huey Tlatoani (emperors) Mexica-Tenochca for forty-five years (1430- 1475), according to current historiography. Advisor to three tlatoanis: Itzcóatl, Moctezuma Ilhuicamina and Axayácatl. He is the nephew of Itzcóatl and brother of Chimalpopoca and Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. He was the intellectual author of the most important religious, ideological and historical reform in the history of the Mexica.

Biography

Tlacaelel was born in the year 10 of the Rabbit (1398). His parents were Huitzilihuitl “The Younger” (second Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan) and Cacamacihuatzin, a cihuapilli from Teocalhuetacan. That same day Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (son of Miyahuaxiuhtzin of Cuauhnahuac) was born. His childhood is a mystery, but it is known that both Moctezuma and Tlacaelel were inseparable during their time in the military and the government.

It is not until the government of Itzcoatl, in the year thirteen carrizo (1427) that details about the life of Tlacaelel are known. During this time Moctezuma Ilhuicamina was named Tequihua and Tlacateccatl while Tlacaelel ascended to Atempanecatl and Cihuacoatl. During this time the friction between Azcapotzalco and Tenochtitlan was increasing. It is then that Tlacaelel participates in the failed negotiations with Maxtla and is the one who delivers the feathers, shield, darts and arrows, thus declaring war on Azcapotzalco. At the same time, the Mexicas under the orders of tlatoani Itzcoatl managed to enter the capital of Altépetl (1428) and under the orders of Tlacaelel they would destroy everything without taking prisoners.

Tlacaelel was a fundamental part of the formation of the Excan Tlatoloyan (Triple Alliance) in 1430, made up of Tetzcuco (ally in the war against Azcapotzalco) and Tlacopan (of Tepaneca affiliation). He participates in the battlefield during the annexation of Coyoacán, Amecameca and Cuauhnahuac. This opens the doors to engage in war with the three altépetl Chalcas: Tlalmanalco, Tenanco and Chimalhuacán until their fall in the twelfth year (1465). As he is in charge of said victory, he is rewarded with land, wealth and women in the Chalco region.

He takes Maquiztzin, from the royalty of Amecameca, as his wife. From this marriage Cacamatzin was born, and her first daughter who would eventually marry Nezahualpilli of Tetzcuco. From Cacamatzin's son, Tlacaelel “the young” would be the cihuacoatl upon the arrival of the Spanish. Some time later, Tlilpotonqui, a cihuacoatl successor to the death of his father, was born.

Given the multiple Mexica victories, Tlacaelel establishes several reforms. He institutionalizes xochiyaoyotl (flower wars) with subject peoples, thus ensuring a constant influx of prisoners for sacrifices. Another reform was the expansion of the pipiltin (nobility) as a reward for new annexed lordships and outstanding warriors. The expansion of pipiltin brings with it an urgent need to determine the social stratum to which one belongs. For this reason, the government, with Tlacaelel like Cihuacoatl, establishes inflexible methods of distinction. Luxury items were for the exclusive use of the nobility, as well as behavior, expectations, education and rituals. In addition to this, the courts and the justice system are reorganized by judges. A new disciplinary code is established severely punishing adultery and theft.

Due to the rapid growth of Mexica greatness, Huey Tlatoani Moctezuma orders Tlacaelel to rebuild the ceremonial center, especially the Huey Teocalli (main temple). In addition to this, the need to justify Mexica greatness as a mandate directly from the gods is discussed, as well as the review of the history of his people.

At this time, Tlacaelel was no longer a young man and because of this his participation on the battlefield was diminished. Due to this, his work as Cihuacoatl takes on greater importance, being in charge not only of government decisions, but also of the organization of festivals and celebrations before the gods.

At the death of Motecuzomotzin in the year two Pedernal (1468), the position of Huey Tlatoani is offered to him, however he declines and together with Nezahualcóyotl (Tetzcuco) and Totoquihualiztli (Tlacopan) they propose Axayacatl, grandson of Moctezuma Ilhuicamine.

Axayacatl annexes Tlatelolco and Toluca. The Mexica power called for exploring more remote areas, to which Tlacaelel opposed. This is how the war with the Tarascos of Michoacán is the first that the Excan Tlahtoloyan has lost since its formation.

Tlacaelel died in 1475 at the age of 77, of natural causes, after having served five huey tlatoani and being a fundamental part of Mexica greatness.

Family

Tlacaelel is a direct descendant of the first tlatoani with whom the Mexicas arrived in Anáhuac. As such, his family relationship with the ruling lineage guaranteed him access to many women with whom he had many offspring. Unfortunately, we do not have all the names or sexes or all the possible children he may have had, although it is considered that of all of them, 17 are only the legitimate ones. The known ones are listed:

• Father: Huitzilihuitl "The Young" (r. 1391-1415)
• Mother: Cacamacihuatzin (chiuapilli de Teocalueyacan)

• Brothers:
  • Brother: Chimalpoca (r. 1415-1426)
  • Brother: Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (r. 1440-1469)
  • Sister: Matlalcihuatzin
    • Spouse: Ixtlilxochitl (r.1410-1418 Tetzcuco)
    • Son: Nezahualcóyotl (r. 1431-1472 Tetzcuco)

• Wife 1: Maquiztzin (five children)
  • Son: Cacamatzin (has 12 children)
  • Son: Tlilpotonqui (has 14 children)
  • Son: Toyaotzin (has 7 children)
  • Daughter: Achihuapoltzin
  • Daughter: Xiuhpocatzin

• Wife 2
  • Son: Tollintzin

• Wife 3
  • Son: Macuilxochitzin

• Wife 4
  • Son: Xochiacamapichtli

• Wife 5
  • Son: Xilomantzin

• Wife 6
  • Son: Tezcatlteuctli
    • Son: Tlacotzin

• Wife 7
  • Son: Itzpalotzin

• Wife 8
  • Son: Chicuatzinteuctli

• Wife 9
  • Son: Totomochtzin

• Wife 10
  • Son: Tlacochchimaltzin

• Wife 11
  • Daughter: Toznenetzin

• Wife 12
  • Son: Chimalpantzin

Controversy over its relevance

The fact that Tlacaelel has not been mentioned or has been ignored in several codices calls into question the sources that give it superlative importance in Mexican history.

• Alvarado Tezomoc and Chimalpahin are the two most important sources on Tlacael. Alvarado Tezomoc, being a direct descendant of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, heard stories about the ruling family first hand. Chimalpahin, on his side, wrote extensively about the world Anahuaca and his native Chalco, where Tlacael had family and land. However, it is not ruled out that both had particular interest in exaggerating a figure that guaranteed them status, since the codexes were used as evidence of belongings and relevance prior to the conquest to be respected by the new Spanish administration.
• Alva Ixtlilxochitl barely mentions it in his annals despite talking about the Mexica rulers. However, their texcocan affiliation could suggest bias by mentioning the mexican achievements on Texcocans.
• Cortés, Díaz del Castillo and López Gómara do not mention it, but they do mention the post of Cihuacoatl, as well as Tlacotzin el Cihuacoatl during the fall of Tenochtitlan.
• Sahagún, Mendieta and Torquemada also mention the position and highlight its importance without mentioning Tlacael. However, their sources were tlatelolcas, which would suggest bias similar to that mentioned with Alva Ixtlilxochitl.
• Las Casas mentions the post of cihuacoatl, but he does not mention anyone who offered the post before Totomotzin, the Cihuacoatl at the arrival of the Spaniards.
• Durán is the only source in Spanish that mentions Tlacaelel. The detail and treatment that gives the person contrasts with their contemporaries. Duran mentions in his writings that his main "History" source written in Nahuatl forced him to corroborate the stories because the narrated prowes seemed incredible.

It is worth mentioning that historians found similarities between the chronicles of Alvarado Tezozomoc and Durán (the two main sources on Tlacaelel) and it has been proposed that the two chronicles are actually one, all contained in a pre-Hispanic manuscript called Chronicle This has cast more doubt on the veracity of the relevance of Tlacaelel described by these authors.

In popular culture

• Antonio Velasco Piña wrote the historical novel "Tlacael: The Aztec among the Aztecs" based on its importance as Cihuacoatl.

• He is the father of the protagonist of the comic "The First Emperor of Mexico".