Moctezuma II
Moctezuma II, also known as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin (1466-1520) and often called Montezuma in English, was the Aztec emperor (tlahtoani) from 1502 to 1520. His name comes from the Nahuatl Motecuhzoma, it means "he who is leader because of his fury". In Spanish, he is called Moctezuma.
| Moctezuma II Motecuhzoma Xocoyoti | |
|---|---|
| 9th Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan Ruler of the Aztec Triple Alliance | |
 Moctezuma II in the Codex Mendoza | |
| 1502–1520 | |
| Predecessor | Ahuitzotl |
| Successor | Cuitláhuac |
| Born | c. 1466 |
| Died | June 29, 1520 (aged 53–54) Tenochtitlan |
| Consort | Teotlalco Tlapalizquixochtzin |
| Issue | Isabel Moctezuma Another daughter Chimalpopoca Tlaltecatzin |
| Father | Axayacatl |
When Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico in 1519, Moctezuma thought he was the god Quetzalcoatl, and did not want to fight against him. Cortés took Moctezuma prisoner. When the Aztecs wanted Cortés to get out of their capital Tenochtitlan in 1520, Cortes told Moctezuma to calm down his people. When doing that he died. The Spaniards said he was killed by the Aztecs, while the Aztecs said Cortés killed him. The Spanish said that the Aztec people threw rocks at him, killing him. The Aztecs said that they found his body in the streets with a lot of cuts made with a sword after the Spanish left.
Moctezuma II Media
Headdress traditionally attributed to Moctezuma II in the Museum of Ethnology, Vienna. The object, however, might have not belonged to Moctezuma and, contrary to popular belief, it was not used as his crown. It might have been a religious headdress to represent the god Quetzalcoatl during religious events, a battle standard, or a military device worn in the back.
Moctezuma's ancestry as depicted in a 1566 manuscript
Then-prince Moctezuma the Younger is arriving to the rescue of the merchants who were put under siege during the conquest of Ayotlan, according to the Florentine Codex. The merchants are seen talking to Moctezuma, informing him about the end of the war.
Stone of the Five Suns, a stone with inscriptions in Nahuatl writing depicting the date 15 July 1503 in the Aztec calendar. Some historians believe this to be the date on which Moctezuma was crowned.
Moctezuma's coronation according to the Durán Codex
Moctezuma's Palace from the Codex Mendoza (1542)
The location of Moctezuma's palace (left) is south of the central plaza of Tenochtitlan and the Totocalli (down) next to it in a map likely made by Hernán Cortés.
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Other websites
- A reconstructed portrait of Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, based on historical sources, in a contemporary style.
| Preceded by Ahuitzotl |
Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan 1502–1520 |
Succeeded by Cuitláhuac |