Cuauhtémoc

See also: Cuauhtémoc (homonymy)

Cuauhtémoc (1497 - Izancarnac, 1525) was the last Aztec emperor . Its name means “falling eagle”, of the Nahuatl cuauhtli (eagle) and temoc (descent); by extension, this metaphorical name can be interpreted as “setting sun” because the eagle symbolizes the sun in the culture mexica. Cuauhtémoc is also called Cuauhtemoctzin , “tzin” being a mark of nobility in nahuatl, the equivalent of the Spanish “Gift”. The name of Cuauhtémoc has several transcriptions different in the chronicles from the conquistadors: Guamatzin , Guatemuz , Guatimuza , Guatimozin …

Cuauhtémoc was the son of Ahuitzotl and the nephew of Moctezuma II. It occupies the throne of the Aztec Empire of Mexico City-Tenochtitlan with died of Cuitlahuac, which had succeeded itself Moctezuma. Cuauhtémoc chooses for queen Tecuichpoch, the girl of Moctezuma and Teotlacho.

Cuauhtémoc incarnates resistance against the Spaniards and their large allies the Tlaxcaltèques during the seat of Mexico City - Tenochtitlan. It launches out in the war after Pedro de Alvarado had made massacred, in the Major Temple, the nobility mexica. It prepares with the seat of the capital while cutting the bridges and by joining together vivres. The Spanish seat will last sixty fifteen days, from May 30th to August 13rd, 1521.

In June 1520, Cuauhtémoc succeeds in driving out the Spaniards of the capital of the Aztec empire, Mexico City - Tenochtitlan, during the famous battle known as of the “Noche Triste”. Cuauhtémoc keeps the control of the until August 1521 city, where a new Spanish offensive obliges it to go, after a three month old seat. Brought in front of the Cortes, he would have said to this one: “señor Malinche, ya He hecho lo that soy obligado in defensa semi ciudad there No puedo más, pués vengo por fuerza handle you persona there poder, divided into volumes ese puñal which hold in el cinto there mátame idiot el” what means roughly speaking : “Malinche Lord, I did what I could to defend my city and I cannot more, thus I come from force towards your person, take this dagger being with your belt and kills to me with him. ”

Captured by the Cortes shortly after the fall of the city, he was tortured by this last with Tetlepanquetzal (sovereign " tlatoani" of Tlacopán) and Tlacotzin (to advise “cihuacóatl”) because the Spaniards wanted to know where the Aztec ones had hidden their treasures. He refused to answer it, and known as in Tetlepanquetzal which pushed moanings a sentence which would remain famous: “And me, am I in the delights of a bath? ”. According to Rousseau this sentence would be rather: “And me, am I on pinks? ” and according to Marmontel: “And me, am I on a bed of pinks? ”.

Cuauhtémoc will never speak. Shown treason by Hernán the Cortes because it tried to escape, it was hung whereas the Spaniards undertook a forwarding in the south of Mexico, the February 28th 1525, at dawn, the 29 years age, leaving a son named Diego Mendoza de Austria Moctezuma. The dynasty founded in 1376 by Acamapichtli died out, and with him the Aztec empire.

Random links: