Xicomecoatl | |
|---|---|
.png) Representation of Xicomecoatl by the New Spanish painters Juan González and Miguel González, 1698 | |
| Nationality | Totonac |
| Other names | Chicomácatl |
| Occupation | Ruler of Cempoala |
| Era | Early 16th century |
Xicomecoatl, Chicomácatl,[1] or as he was referred to as by the Spanish conquistador Bernal Díaz del Castillo, "Cacique Gordo"[2]: 91 (in Spanish, Fat Cacique), was the ruler of the city of Cempoala while it was under control of the Aztec Empire.
He was known for his alliance with the Spanish captain Hernán Cortés, formed in 15 July 1519,[3] which made him one of the first allies of the Spaniards during the conquest of the Aztec Empire.[4][5][6]
His political position as ruler of Cempoala made him a highly important person in the empire, as the city is sometimes referred to as "the capital of the Totonac empire", due to its influence over other Totonac settlements.[6][7]
- ^ "Cacique de Cempoala". www.noticonquista.unam.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 May 2020.
- ^ Coxhead, Margaret Duncan (1909). Romance of History - Mexico. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company.
- ^ "Galería" [Gallery]. www.noticonquista.unam.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ Mineo, Liz (9 April 2018). "Unearthing the secrets of the Aztecs". Harvard Gazette. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
When the Spaniards landed in 1519 in what is today Veracruz, the local people there, the Totonacs, complained to conquistador Hernán Cortés that they were subjugated by Moctezuma, the señor of Tenochtitlan. When Cortes heard this, he promised that they would be freed from paying tribute if they become their allies to overthrow Moctezuma.
- ^ Hudson, Myles (15 May 2020). "Battle of Tenochtitlan | Summary & Fall of the Aztec Empire". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
Although wary of Cortés, Montezuma sent emissaries with lavish gifts to the Spanish in a cautious game of diplomacy. In the meantime, Cortés forged alliances with several disgruntled Aztec subject tribes, chief among them the Totonac and the Tlaxcalans.
- ^ a b "Úrsulo Galván". Enciclopedia de los Municipios y Delegaciones de México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Cempoala". portal.veracruz.gob.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2020.