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Tlacaelel

Type Figure Region Tenochtitlan Time c. 1397–1487 Also known as Aztec chief councillor

Tlacaelel (c. 1397–1487) was the long-serving Cihuacoatl who held real power in the Aztec state, serving under multiple tlatoque including Itzcoatl a…

Timeline

  1. 1401–1410Tenochtitlan · TenochtitlanBorn into a noble family of Acallan, he participated in campaigns as a warrior during the reigns of Huitzilíhuitl and Chimalpopoca, and displayed political talent at court, laying the foundation for his later role as Cihuacoatl.
  2. 1427–1469Tenochtitlan · TenochtitlanDuring the reigns of Itzcoatl and Moctezuma Ilhuicamina he effectively directed domestic and foreign affairs, ordering the burning of old records and reshaping the Aztec origin myth, while strengthening the central place of the sun god and warfare sacrifice in state ideology.
  3. 1469–1487Tenochtitlan · TenochtitlanAfter the death of Moctezuma I he continued to influence succeeding rulers; his institutional designs and ideological framework persisted into the reign of Ahuitzotl. He died around 1487 and is regarded as the architect of the Aztec imperial system.

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