However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. So it should be clear that Quetzalcoatl was, indeed, a great mythical figure. This ‘betterment’ meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. Like many other Mesoamerican deities, the story of our god sees several reincarnations.Īs a god, it’s only logical that such reincarnations would be for the betterment of the earth and its people. ![]() The different roles of Quetzalcoatl are partly attributable to a series of reincarnations. In general, he is considered the god of wisdom, the god of the Aztec ritual calendar, the god of corn and maize, and oftentimes a symbol of death and resurrection. Quetzalcoatl played many roles in ancient Aztec mythology, so it’s difficult to pin down just one. What Was Quetzalcoatl the God Of? An illustration of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl After the Spanish Conquest.Aztec and Maya Serpent Imagery of Quetzalcoatl.How Quetzalcoatl Became Part of the Tezcatlipocas.How Quetzalcoatl Created and Sustained Humans.Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to a recorded reading of this page:.Take a ten question quiz about this page. Other punishments included having your head shaved or being sold into slavery. The punishments for breaking a law were severe with death being a common punishment.When a new emperor came into power he had to spend four days fasting, meditating, and worshiping the gods.The priests were also responsible for running the schools.Cihuacoatl meant "Female Snake" even though the office was always held by a man.The leader of other lesser cities was called the Tlatoani of that city. At its peak under Montezuma II, Tenochtitlan is thought to have had a population of 200,000 people. This was where the emperor as well as the majority of the nobles lived. The center of the Aztec government was the capital city of Tenochtitlan. This only worked if they confessed the crime prior to being caught. Under this law, a citizen could confess a crime to a priest and they would be forgiven. One interesting part of the law was the "one time forgiveness law". Citizens could appeal rulings to a higher court if they did not agree with the judge. They had different levels of courts all the way up to a supreme court. A system of courts and judges determined guilt and punishments. There were numerous laws including laws against stealing, murder, drunkenness, and property damage. The Aztecs had a fairly sophisticated code of law. Other important officials in the government included the priests who oversaw the religious aspects of the city, the judges who ran the court system, and the military leaders. They gave advice to the emperor and it was important that he had their agreement in major decisions. ![]() These were powerful men and generals of the army who were first in line to become the next emperor. He had thousands of officials and civil servants who worked under him and kept the government and the empire running smoothly. The Cihuacoatl was in charge of running the government on a day to day basis. The second in command of the Aztec government was the Cihuacoatl. He had expanded the empire to its greatest size, but was killed by the Spanish. Montezuma II - The ninth emperor of the Aztecs, Montezuma II was the leader when Cortez and the Spanish arrived.Montezuma I - Under Montezuma I the Aztecs became the dominant power of the Triple Alliance and the empire was expanded.Itzcoatl - The fourth emperor of the Aztecs, he conquered the Tepanecs and founded the Triple Alliance.Acamapichtli - The first emperor of the Aztecs, he ruled for 19 years starting in 1375.Here are a few of the more famous Aztec Emperors or Huey Tlatoani: ![]() Sometimes they chose a brother who they felt would be a good leader. Usually the new emperor was a relative of the previous emperor, but it wasn't always his son. When an emperor died, the new emperor was chosen by a group of high ranking nobles. He decided when to go to war and what tribute the lands he ruled would pay the Aztecs. They felt that he was appointed by the gods and had the divine right to rule. The Huey Tlatoani was the ultimate power in the land. They called their ruler the Huey Tlatoani. The Aztec government was similar to a monarchy where an Emperor or King was the primary ruler.
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