Acamapichtli
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Acamapichtli was tlatoani (king) of the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan, and founder of the Aztec imperial dynasty. He became ruler in 1376 and reigned for 21 years.
Acamapichtli was not a native of Tenochtitlan. Blood relationships between rulers were an important aspect of politics in 14th century Mexico, and as relative newcomers, the Mexica were at a disadvantage. On the death of Tenoch in 1375, the elders of the Tenochca calpultin decided to elect a tlatoani who could secure the fledgling city's position through ties to powerful groups in the region. They sent a delegation to the leaders of Culhuacan. Although the Culhua had only recently ejected the Mexica from Tizaapan, some intermarriage had taken place between the two peoples during their period of association. Acamapichtli was the product of one such union. His father, Opochtzin, was a Mexica leader, while his mother Atotoztli was the daughter of the Culhua tlatoani, Nauhyotl. He also had ties to the Acolhua of Coatlinchan.
In addition to these concrete ties, the Culhua nobility claimed direct descent from the Toltecs, making their bloodline particularly prestigious. To integrate these ties with the city of Tenochtitlan, Acamapichtli took a wife from each Tenochca calpulli (in addition to his first wife, the Culhua noble Ilancuetl).
In the same year, Tenochtitlan's sister city of Tlatelolco also installed an outsider as tlatoani, from the other major power in the region - Cuacuapitzahuac, son of Tezozomoc, tlatoani of the Tepanec city of Azcapotzalco.
Despite Acamapichtli's Culhua ancestry, his city rapidly fell into the Tepanec orbit and became a tributary of Azcapotzalco. During his reign Tenochca forces fought for Azcapotzalco against various city states, notably Chalco, and were eventually allowed to wage war on their own. Expeditions were sent against Cuauhnahuac (modern Cuernavaca) and Xochimilco.
Built in the middle of Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan suffered from limited farmland. Acamapichtli built up the city's agricultural base by expanding the chinampa system around the island, and by capturing lakeshore chinampas from other cities, particularly Xochimilco. He also made improvements to the city's architecture - the earliest excavated level of the Great Pyramid, Temple II, dates to his reign.
Although Tlatoani was not strictly a hereditary title, candidates were clearly restricted to a small class of princes, and all later rulers of Tenochtitlan descended from Acamapichtli. He was succeeded as by his son, Huitzilihuitl, on his death in 1391. A younger son by a Tepanec wife, Itzcoatl, would become tlatoani in 1427.
| Preceded by: Ténoch | Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán 1376–1395 | Succeeded by: Huitzilíhuitl |