They say childhood shapes an individual and the same could be said of a culture or a society. Its foundational myths set a people’s mindset, perspective, and morality. The Aztecs or Mexicans, told a foundational myth familiar to every Christians that defined their actions throughout the duration of their empire.
 |
| Aztlan in Codex Aubin |
Sources
The facts of the early history of the Aztecs and the foundation of Tenochtitlan, disappeared amidst lack of writing, state-sponsored propaganda, and biases of authors. Such issues resulted in variations making it difficult to sieving the truth from fake news.
A heavy dose of Deus ex Machina and biases littered the origin story.. Much of the written sources came from codex writers, both Spaniards and descendants of Aztecs, after the conquest in 1521. This magnified the problem when the Aztecs themselves, during the reign of Itzcoatl and his chief minister, Tlacaelel, ordered the destruction of old records to promote their own narrative, that of a people destined for greatness. Difficulty in translating the Nahuatl script also factored in the transmission of the history. With issues of authorship, authenticity and accuracy, when studying the early history of the Aztecs, take it with a dash of salt.
Codices and Spanish-written works formed the backbone of knowing the Aztecs. Samples included the Florentine Codex, Mendoza Codex and the Chimalpahin Codex as well as the History of the Indies of New Spain by Fr. Diego Duran. Difference existed but with similar settings, eventually 1 question remained, what really happened?
Diego Duran’s Account
Diego Duran’s New History of the Indies of New Spain gives a fascinating account of the Aztecs’ origin. Fascinating for his theories, view of the Jews and the narrative that the Aztec state may have promoted for its expansion during the reign of Itzcoatl. He wrote a story of a people chosen by the god Huitzilopotchli, who intervened throughout the migration.
But before that, Duran made his theory of the real nature of the Aztecs. He theorized that the Aztecs descended from the Bible’s Israelite. He wrote:
I believe that I would not be committing a great error if I were to state this fact, considering their way of life, their ceremonies, their rites, and superstitions, their omens, and false dealings, so related to the characteristics of those of the Jews.
He parallel the parting of the sea in the Exodus to an episode in the Aztec migration. He stated:
While they were camped by some hills, a frightful earthquake occurred. The earth opened and swallowed certain evil men, an occurrence which filled the other people with dread.
Duran then shared the migration story of the Aztec people. The start of the journey began with the 7 caves called Chicomoztoc found in the Aztlan, which, said to be, located north of modern Mexico, around New Mexico. 7 tribes lived in these caves, but 1 by 1 they left migrating south in the following order.
1. Xochimilca
2. Chalca
3. Tepanecs
4. Tlalhuica
5. Texcocans
6. Tlaxcalans
 |
| Chicomoztoc in manuscript of the History of the Indies of New Spain |
Eventually, the Aztecs too moved out of Chicomoztoc and marched south. Along the way the journey took centuries while they settled in some places for a decade or two, left some people to establish villages, and fought hostile inhabitants. The Mexica also embroiled in a divine family drama.
In one of their stops, the god Huitzilopotchli commanded the Mexica during the dead of night to abandon the god’s sister Malinalxochitl and her followers due to her brutality even for his standards. Malinalxochitl resented Huitzilopotchli and the Mexica for the abandonment and passed down her outrage to her son, Copil.
Copil sought vengeance for his mother and caught up with the Aztecs who by then settled in Chapultepec. The vengeful son then spread to neighboring tribes fake news labeling Aztecs as bloodthirsty barbarians, causing the tribes such as the Tepaneca and Culhuaca to rise up to exterminate the followers of Huitzilipochtli. Copil watched from a hill as the Mexica defended themselves against a siege. In this episode, the god Huitzilopochtli came to the aid of the Mexica who guided a team to sneak up to the hill where Copil stood, slay him, and pluck out his heart. As instructed by the god, a priest threw the heart into the lake.
 |
| The Tribes coming out of Chicomoztoc |
Ultimately, the Mexica moved out of Chapultepec and found refuge in Culhuacan and its ruler Achitometl. Achitometl gave them land infested by snakes and other reptiles called Tizapan. The Culhuacans hoped that the environment would exterminate the Mexica, but the opposite happened. The King later on found out that the Mexica adapted to the place and ate the snakes and reptiles. In amazement of their survival, the King called them “people favored by their gods” and agreed to their request for trade and for intermarriage.
The Mexica settled in and soon started to forget about their journey to the promised land. The god Huitzilopotchli then devised a plan to remind the Mexica of their quest. He told the Mexica to find their Toci or “Grandmother.”
To get their Toci, the Mexica sought a daughter of Achitometl to be married to a prominent Aztec. The Culhuacan leader consented and gave one of his daughters to the Mexica. They then held a feast to celebrate the union and during this feast a performance by a priest shook the core of the Culhuacans. The priest danced wearing the still bloody flayed skin of Achitometl’s daughter.
The Mexica, after receiving the princess, sacrificed her to the altar of Huitzilopotchli, opening her torso, then plucking out her heart. The ritual turned the princess into the Mexica’s Toci. For the sacrifice’s finale, they flayed her and had a priest perform a dance donning the bloody skin.
The event led to the expulsion of the Mexica with Huitzilopotchli successful in his reminder. The Mexica then journeyed back to the wilderness.
 |
| Finding of the sign where the Mexica built Tenochtitlan |
After their expulsion, the war god told his priest to search for the place where they threw the heart of Copil. He said that the heart grew into a prickly pear cactus that attracted an eagle clutching a snake. This cactus and eagle marked the land on which the Mexica would establish their new homeland.
Soon enough they found the cactus with the eagle in a swamp in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Despite the harsh environment, the Mexica built a temple on top of the cactus and established a town they called Tenochtitlan or “prickly pear growing among the rocks.” In the year 1325, the Mexica ended their journey.
Codex Aubin and Codex Chimalpahin
Apparently, Duran’s account summarized a much more detailed version of the Mexica migration that the Codex Aubin and Codex Chimalpahin gave. Both gave greater information about the conditions in Aztlan and even years of stay by Mexicas on different spots.
The narrative began with the description of Aztlan. It described the island being filled with numerous caves, hence, it also came to be known as Chicomoztoc or “Land of the Caves.” Across the island of Aztlan, the land came to be known as Culhuacan.
In this land, instead of 7 by Duran, 8 tribes lived and as follows:
1. Huexotzinca
2. Chalca
3. Xochimilca
4. Cuitlahuaca
5. Malinalca
6. Chichimeca
7. Tepaneca
8. Matlazinca
Initially, the Mexica went along with the other tribes in the migration from Culhuacan. However, the Mexica rested with their god Huitzilopochtli accompanied by 4 carriers in a cypress tree. The tree turned out to be ancient, tracing its origin from the beginning of Aztlan. Suddenly this landmark tree fell down. Huitzilopotchli then made the Mexica stayed in Culhuacan as others continued their journey south.
 |
| 4 Carriers of Huitzilopotchli in the Cypress Tree in Codex Aubin |
Later on, the Mexica, with the blessing of Huitzilopotchli, began to migrate south as well. Along the way, they stayed in some places for decades. In 1324, the Mexica elected a leader named Tenoch. The leader may have been well-respected so much so they dedicated their future homeland to him.
By 1332, the Mexica founded a settlement in Chapultepec. However, they went into conflict with the neighboring Tepanecs and Colhuas forcing them to leave and settled in Alco then in Culhuacan ruled by Coxcoxtli by 1352.
Coxcoxtli, however, demanded the Mexica to fight with him against the Xochimilca. He demanded they capture 8,000 enemies. The Mexica survived and met the demands of the Culhuacan leader, capturing 32,000 instead. This made the Culhuacan leader to exasperate, "The Mexica are not human. How did they do this to the Xochimilca?”
 |
| Xochimilca prisoners of the Aztecs (Codex Aubin) |
Unfortunately, instead of a flayed princess, the relations of the Mexicas and the Culhuacans turned sour, not because of a flayed princess, but because of a sacrifice that offended Coxcoxtli. They then fled in reed-made boats wandering for years again.
By 1363, Axolohua and Cuauhcohuatl went into the lake and found a cactus fruit where an eagle perched on top of it. It had a nest with colorful feathers which Cuauhcohuatl reported back to the Mexica. While Cuauhcohuatl reported back, Axolohua drowned in the lake. But, to the surprise of the Mexica, Axolohua returned a day after saying, “I went to see Tlaloc, he called me over and said, 'Behold my beloved son Huitzilopochtli has arrived. This will be his home and he shall be cherished so that we may live on earth together." In that place they founded Tenochtitlan.
 |
| Eagle and the Cactus in Codex Aubin |
Reality from Colors
Sensationalism truly had been part of human nature and the stories of the early history of the Aztecs and the foundation of Tenochtitlan displayed it. Legends and myth rooted usually from reality. And the Aztecs shared this scenario.
From the codices and histories, some truth could be taken. For instance the Mexica and the whole Nahuatl-speaking population did migrate from north to south. Huitzilopotchli guiding and intervening may be a myth, but he may be a chief who lived and later deitified, just like the case of Quetzalcoatl.
Unfortunately, the hard facts may never be found unless a primary source shed light on the fact. Nevertheless, the propagated foundational myth influenced the state of mind of a population. A population divinely inspired and guided and an island mentality where they always faced hostility and betrayal by their neighbors. This made it easy, especially during the reign of Tlatoani Itzcoatl and his lieutenant Tlacaelel to promote militarization and adventurism.
Summing Up
The Aztec migration and foundational myth of Tenochtitlan inspired and gave confidence to the population. It propped up an image of a godly blessed population capable of overcoming hardships and different enemies. This narrative suited an imperial ambition that they pursued in the 15th century creating an Empire, strong willed and resiliently dedicated to the honor of their bloodthirsty god Huitzilopotchli.
See also:
Bibliography:
Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin, Domingo de San Anton Muñon. Translated by Arthur J.O. Anderson and Susan Schroeder. Codex Chimalpahin (v. 1). Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1997.
Duran, Diego. Aztecs: The History of the Indies of New Spain. New York, New York: Orion Press, 1964.
Townsend, Camilla. Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
"Codex Aubin." In From the Page. Accessed on September 8, 2024. URL: https://fromthepage.com/fordham/codex-aubin/codex-aubin/display/25000056
.jpg)
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.