|
|
|
|
|
|
|
tenced, and corrected the telpochcalli youths. Each calpolli had a telpochtlahtoh, tiachcauh, or telpochtequihuah.
88 If he further excelled and took four captives, he could become a tlacochcalcatl (commanding general), a tlacateccatl (general), a cuauhtlahtoh (chief), or perhaps a topileh (literally, one who has owned a staff; a constable; post-hispanically, an alguacil).89 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The king was the commander in chief and often led the army in battle himself. The cihuacoatl (woman snake) was reportedly the king's most trusted adviser, but may have been just one among many advisers.90 Below the king and the cihuacoatl came the supreme council, composed of four main officers: 1) the tlacochcalcatl (person from Tlacochcalco [place of the house of darts]), 2) the tlacateccatl (person from Tlacatecco [place where people are cut up]), 3) the ezhuahuancatl (person from Ezhuahuanco [place where one has scratched with blood]), and 4) the tlillancalqui (dweller in Tlillan [beside the black paint]).91 These four offices were held by the highest nobility, usually by the king's brothers or near relatives,92 with the highest held by the king's heir apparent (see fig. 3).93 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional offices, held by valiant warriors and part of the king's council, were: the tezcacoacatl (person from Tezcacoac), the tocuiltecatl (person from Tocuillan), the ahcolnahuacatl (person from Acolnahuac), the huei teuctli (great lord), the temillohtli (honored owner of stone fields), the atempanecatl (person from Atempan), the calmimilolcatl (person from Calmimilolco), the mexihcateuctli (Mexica lord), the huitznahuacatl (person from Huitznahuac), the atemanecatl (person from Ateman), the quetzaltoncatl (person from Quetzaltonco), the teuctlamacazqui (lord priest), the tlapaltecatl (person from Tlapallan), the cuauhquiahuacatl (person from Cuauhquiahuac), the coatecatl (person from Coatlan), the pantecatl (person from Pantlan), and the huehcamecatl (person from Huecaman).94 All were tiyahcahuan, and each could also be a general and command armies as circumstances demanded.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These titles bestowed on valiant warriors did not strictly designate rank but were honors for the performance of great deeds in war. Moreover, they could also be bestowed on commoners and non-Aztecs. When the Aztecs conquered Coyohuacan (Coyoacan), for example, two Aztec warriors were awarded the honored titles of cuauhnochteuctli (eagle prickly-pear lord) and cuauhquiahuacatl (person from Cuauhquiahuac), and three allies from Colhuacan (Culhuacan) were honored with the titles of yopiheateuctli (Yopihca |
|
|
|
|
|