Tlapalizquixochtzin – Queen regnant and the second Empress to Emperor Moctezuma II of the Aztec Empire

Tlapalizquixochtzin was the Queen regnant of the Aztec city-state, Ecatepec. She was also one of the two Empresses of Emperor Moctezuma II of the Aztec Empire. However, there is very minimal information regarding this little-known Queen regnant. Yet, it was clear that she ruled over a wealthy city-state and was the second most powerful woman in the Aztec Empire. Thus, her position was very unique to the Aztec Empire.

Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin’s life is mostly unknown. She was the daughter of King Matlaccoatzin of Ecatepec.^[1] Her mother remains unknown. She had a brother named Chimalpilli and a younger sister named Tlacuilolxotzin.^[2] After the death of King Matlaccoatzin, Prince Chimalpilli became the next King of Ecatepec.^[3] After King Chimalpilli’s death, there were no male heirs.^[4] Instead, the only suitable candidates were King Chimalpili’s sisters, Princess Tlapalizquixochtzin and Princess Tlacuilolxotzin.^[5] Because Princess Tlapalizquixochtzin was the elder sister, it was decided that she should be the Queen regnant of Ecatepec.^[6] Thus, Tlapalizquixochtzin became Queen.

There is very little information on the events during the reign of Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin. Ecatepec was a city-state that was located northeast of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.^[7] It was a trading outpost for merchants who travelled north throughout the Aztec Empire.^[8] Ecatepec was known for its abundance of salt and gold, which was very precious to the Aztec Empire.^[9] Therefore, the city-state was very rich. Because of her wealthy city-state, Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin would have attracted many suitors.^[10] Yet, her most illustrious suitor was Moctezuma II (the Aztec Emperor who would meet the famous Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez).

Emperor Moctezuma II saw the value of having Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin as his wife. Emperor Moctezuma II proposed to Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin, and she accepted.^[11] Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin became the Empress of the Aztec Empire alongside his other Empress, Teotlalco.^[12] Emperor Moctezuma II became King consort of Ecatepec.^[13] He did not rule over Ecatepec but left the city-state solely in the hands of his wife.^[14] Because Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin focused more on her rule of Ecatepec, she was not as close to Emperor Moctezuma II as Empress Teotlalco.^[15] She bore a daughter named Doña Francisca de Moctezuma.^[16]

Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin’s sister named Princess Tlacuilolxotzin married an Aztec nobleman from Tenochtitlan named Tecocomoctli Aculnahuacatzintli.^[17] They had two sons. Their first son was Don Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin. Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin became the next King of Ecatepec after Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin’s death.^[18] After the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire, King Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin became a governor in Mexico.^[19] He later married Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin’s daughter, Doña Francisca de Moctezuma. Princess Tlacuilolxotzin’s second son was Don Francisco Matlaccoatzin, who went to Spain.^[20] On 1 July 1520, Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin perished during Hernan Cortes’s retreat on Tenochtitlan known as The Night of Sorrows.

Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin was one of the two principal wives of Emperor Moctezuma II. Because she was mostly focused on ruling her city-state, she did not perform her duties as the Empress of the Aztec Empire like Empress Teotlaco. Queen Tlapalizquixochtzin played a very unique role in the Aztec Empire as a Queen regnant to a wealthy city-state and as the Empress. Even though there is very little information on her, it was clear that she was well-respected and admired by her people. She was able to hold on to her throne until her death, and her nephew succeeded her successfully. Hopefully, with more scholarship, further details on this little-known but fascinating Queen may be brought to light.

Sources:

Cabanillas, N. (n.d.). The Court of God-King Moctezuma II (PDF). GatorMUN XVII. Retrieved on January 2, 2023 from http://www.gatormun.org/uploads/5/1/3/4/51342171/aztecbgg.pdf.

Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin, D. F. D.  S. A. M., Chimalpahin, D. D., & Ruwet, W. (1997). Codex Chimalpahin: Society and politics in Mexico Tenochtitlan, Tlateloloco, Texcoco, Culhuacan, and other Nahua Altepetl in Central Mexico : the Nahuatl and Spanish annals and accounts. (A. J. O. Anderson, Ed. & Trans.; S. Schroeder, Ed. & Trans.). United Kingdom: University of Oklahoma Press.