Tequihuah Xochimazatzin (Patreon)

Xochimazatl encouraging his soldiers during the march towards the Gulf Coast, Late 1491

The year Twelve Reed (1491). Ahuitzotl focused this year’s campaign on the rebellious Gulf coast city states. Their initial target was Chinantlan, located far southeast out of the basin of Mexico. The army had to travel through rugged terrain for days. Halfway through the route, tlatoani’s loyal general Xochimazatl encouraged his soldiers to arrive safely in the friendly city of Huaxtepec before sunset.

 Xochimazatl is dressed in the typical battle outfit of a high-ranking lord. He wears an ichcahuipilli (quilted armor) to provide basic protection for his torso and thighs. He also wears an ehuatl (feathered tunic), which was worn by nobility and kings over their armor. Jewelry made of gold, turquoise, and jade was also common among the ruling class. Colorful tropical feathers are used throughout his attire, including the banners and shield. He wears a tilmatli (cloak) over the ehuatl, which further denotes his rank. Because the army is on the road, he is carrying a gourd bottle (tecomatl) strapped on his shoulders. A bag made of sturdy maguey fiber contains neccesities such as field ration and spare obsidian blades.

Tequihuah means ‘the valiant warrior’. It is also a title bestowed on distinguished warriors, particularly those who have taken four captives in combat. They also commanded the contingents of calpolli (neighborhood/district) soldiers. The formal military title of Xochimazatl is Mexicatl Tequihuah.

Sources

Aztec jade necklace, Museo Nacional de Antropologia

Aztec/Mixtec golden ear pendants, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Obsidian, gold and turquoise lip plug, Princeton University Art Museum

Matricula de Tributos, 1510s

Codex Mendoza, 1542

Codex Tepetlaoztoc, 1550s

Primeros Memoriales, 1561

Codex Telleriano Remensis, 1563

Codex Ixtlilxochitl, 1582

Codex Tlaxcala (Glasgow manuscript), 1585

Hernando Alvarado Tezozomoc, Cronica Mexicana, 1598

Ross Hassig, Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control, University of Oklahoma Press, 1988