Anonimo Mexicano

Richley Crapo and Bonnie Glass-Coffin

Publication Year: 2005

Anonimo Mexicano is the first publication of the full Nahuatl text and English translation of a rare and important Native history of preconquest Mexico. Written circa 1600 by an anonymous Tlaxcaltecan author, it is an epic account of the settling of central Mexico by Nahua peoples from the northern frontier. They developed a sophisticated culture with powerful city states and an agricultural economy, fought great wars, established dynasties, and recorded their history and legends in painted books. The Mexica became the most powerful of these nations until their conquest by the Spanish with the help of the Tlaxcalteca, who were rivals of the Mexica and whose national origin tale was recorded in Anonimo Mexicano.

Published by: Utah State University Press

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Book Details

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pp. v-

Illustrations

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pp. vi-

Introduction

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pp. 1-6

When Hern�n Cort�s arrived in Mexico in 1519, the Mexica of the Valley of Mexico ruled an empire of three to four million people. A million of these lived in the Valley of Mexico, where the Mexica capital city of Tenochtitlan was located. The other two or three million people were made up of conquered ....

Chapter 1

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pp. 7-10

It is said, it is mentioned that they, the Toltecs, were large of body. Their garments were white and long,⁶ that is to say they reached to their feet. These people were the ones who came here first. It is said that they came from the west, led here by seven nobles or captains who were named: the first one was Tzacatl ...

Chapter 2

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pp. 11-20

Finally, all of the land was abandoned, and the Toltecs had already gone to the territory below. In one town, which was called Amaqueme, there was a lord, the king of the Chichimeca, whose name was Tlamacatzin. And his vassals all went completedly naked. They simply went about only dressed with tanned ...

Chapter 3

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pp. 21-24

It is said that there in the great city the people were most plentiful, because they scattered themselves rapidly.³⁰² They withdrew completely and came to Anahuac.³⁰³ And Huitzinton was one of the more learned and astute³⁰⁴ among those who led them. So he asserted to them that a bird had sung thus ...

Chapter 4

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pp. 25-27

In this book of stories it is told about the Azcapotzalco people, who first undertook to establish their city in the first era. They were a very great multitude. Certainly the density of this one was nowhere equaled. Its settlement lasted five hundred and thirty years.³³⁹ Thus they set an example with their cities. ...

Chapter 5

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pp. 28-37

It is recounted, it is told in this Tlaxcalteca book of stories, which a nobleman named Benito Itzcac Maquechtli³⁷⁴ wrote by hand, that he was one of the first who were taught, because he received baptism by the Franciscans.³⁷⁷ And herewith he begins to tell what our great-grandfathers, our grandfathers, ...

The Begining of the Mexican War

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pp. 38-42

Thus the battle began.⁵⁶¹ They did not confer with those they had brought with them just then.⁵⁶⁴ Thus they thought their very great act would bring their aid.⁵⁶⁵ These finished⁵⁶⁶ conferring at the⁵⁶⁷ city. They⁵⁶⁸ departed, and the commoners united themselves. They united themselves, so that together ...

Chapter 7

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pp. 43-44

They waged⁶²⁰ this war that was frightening to the ears of those who heard it and knew about it. Some did not believe the Teochichimeca were mere mortal men, but believed them to be demons.⁶²² Thus they were surely revered. Thus when the news [of the war] arrived in their vicinity, all the inhabitants of the cities ...

Chapter 8

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pp. 45-48

This sovereign ruled by himself. This sovereign did not know vassalage to anyone. His name was Culhuacateuctli Cuanex. This one took care of a younger brother who was called Teyohualminqui Chichimecteuctli, who was later called Cuicuitzcatl Teochichimecatl. Afterwards he was seen to be already great, ...

Chapter 9

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pp. 49-55

Thus it is truly difficult to know the beginning of his rulership, his noble domain. Their seat of residence was Ocotelulco Catlacuitlapan. They began to migrate; it is recounted like this. Still, in one place they mention that thus they mastered it, when the Chichimeca were settling cities in the beginning at Poyauhtlan, ...

Chapter 10

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pp. 56-57

After he received the rulership, Culhuacateuctli divided the region with his younger brother Teyohualminqui. He retained the high part, Texcalticpac, that he chose first for himself. He was resting with much happiness. Thus relaxing greatly his burden and his duty, he already passed some years. ...

Chapter 11

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pp. 58-60

This third rulership was also here in the high palace of Tlaxcala. It was established and settled there by the Chichimec nobles, who scattered themselves here from the flatland of Teopoyauhtlan when they who founded this rulership arrived here, as it is said, going around Popocatepetl. And these Chichimec nobles separated themselves, coming here ...

Chapter 12

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pp. 61-65

Thus the battle began. They did not confer with those they had brought with them just then. Thus they thought their wholly great act would bring their aid. These finished conferring at the city. They departed, and the commoners united themselves. They united themselves, so that together they were very many. ...

E-ISBN-13: 9780874215151
Print-ISBN-13: 9780874216233

Publication Year: 2005