This is a list ofMesoamerican rulers of thealtepetl ofTenochtitlan (modernMexico City) from its foundation in 1325 until the end of the line of indigenous rulers. Fromc. 1375 onwards, the rulers of Tenochtitlan were monarchs and used the titletlatoani.
From 1427 to 1521, thetlatoque of Tenochtitlan were alongside those of the citiesTetzcoco andTlacopan the leaders of the powerful Triple Alliance, commonly known as theAztec Empire. The rulers of Tenochtitlan were always pre-eminent and gradually transitioned into the sole rulers of the empire; under eitherTizoc (1481–1486)[1] orAhuitzotl (1486–1502),[2] thetlatoque of Tenochtitlan assumed the grander titlehuehuetlatoani ("supremetlatoani") to indicate their superiority over the othertlatoque in the alliance.[2] The evolution into full autocracy was finished by 1502, whenMoctezuma II was elected ashuehuetlatoani of Tenochtitlan without the traditional input from Tetzcoco and Tlacopan.[3]
In 1521, the Aztec Empire wasconquered by theSpaniards underHernán Cortés and a large number ofMesoamerican allies. Tenochtitlan wasdestroyed and replaced by Mexico City, though the Spanish colonial authorities continued to appointtlatoque of Tenochtitlan until the office was abolished in 1565.
| Portrait | Name | Reign | Succession and notes | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Tenoch Tenōch | c. 1325–1375 (?)[4] (50 years?) | Legendary founder of Tenochtitlan; historicity unconfirmed. According to legend, Tenoch was the first human leader of theMexica, succeeding theSun godHuītzilōpōchtli.[4] | Next to nothing known[4] |
The monarchic period of Tenochtitlan extends from the assumption of the title oftlatoani byAcamapichtli in 1377 to the death ofCuauhtémoc in 1525, after the arrival of the Spaniards.[4] The accession of Acampapichtli c. 1375 marks the traditional beginning of the Aztec king list.[5] The early Tenochtitlan rulers before Itzcoatl were vassals under the suzerainty of theTepanecs.
| Portrait | Name | Reign | Succession and notes | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Acamapichtli Ācamāpichtli | c. 1375–1390[6] (15 years) | Had matrilinealToltec ancestry. Oversaw the expansion and development of Tenochtitlan. Assisted his overlordTezozomoc ofAzcapotzalco in making substantial territorial gains throughout Mesoamerica.[4] | c. 1350–1390[4][6] (aged 40) Died of natural causes |
.png) | Huitzilihuitl Huītzilihhuitl | c. 1391–1414[6] (23 years) | Son of Acamapichtli (1375–1390). Conquered lands on behalf of hisTepanec overlords. The Mexica people as a whole were transformed into a more militarized people in the time of Huitzilihuitil.[4] | ? – 1410 Died of natural causes |
 | Chimalpopoca Chīmalpopōca | c. 1415–1427[7] (18 years) | Son of Acamapichtli (1375–1390). Devoted much of his reign to building projects and urban development.[8] Considered the first Mexicanmartyr.[8] | ? – 1427 Became embroiled in Tepanec succession conflicts, supported the wrong side and was imprisoned. Hanged himself in captivity.[8] |
| Xihuitl Temoc Xīhuitl Tēmoc | 1427[7][9] (60 days) | Son of Chimalpopoca (1415–1427). Young at the time of his accession.[9] | ? – 1427 Unclear fate; perhaps killed in battle or murdered by a relative[9] |
| Portrait | Name | Reign | Succession and notes | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Itzcoatl Itzcōhuātl | 1427–1440[7] (13 years) | Son of Acamapichtli (1375–1390) and a slave. Defeated and killed the Tepanec rulerMaxtla and created the Triple Alliance alongside the rulers of the cities Tetzcoco and Tlacopan.[8] | ? – 1440 Died of natural causes |
 | Moctezuma I Motēuczōma Ilhuicamīna | 1440–1466[10][11] (26 years) | Son of Huitzilihuitl (1391–1414). Though his reign was plagued by an unusual number of natural disasters, Moctezuma I oversaw an age of impressive construction works and far-ranging conquests. Began theflower wars.[8] | ? – 1466 Died of natural causes |
 | Atotoztli[11] Atotoztli | 1466–1472[11] (6 years) | Daughter of Moctezuma I (1440–1466). Suggested by two later documents to have served astlatoani in her own right between the reigns of Moctezuma I and Axayacatl.[11] | ? – 1472 (?) Died of natural causes |
 | Axayacatl Āxāyacatl | 1472–1481[10][11] (9 years) | Grandson of Itzcoatl (1427–1440). A famous warrior-king, Axayacatl continued to work on construction works and expand the empire.[10] | 1450/1451–1481[12] (aged 30/31) Died of illness[13] |
 | Tizoc Tīzocic | 1481–1486[14] (5 years) | Grandson of Itzcoatl (1427–1440). Succeeded his brother Axayacatl. Although he was sickly, Tizoc oversaw the expansion and beautification of Tenochtitlan and the establishment of Aztec outposts far from central imperial territory.[14] | ? – 1486 Possibly poisoned[14] |
 | Ahuitzotl Āhuitzotl | 1486–1502[14] (16 years) | Grandson of Itzcoatl (1427–1440). The elder brother of his two immediate predecessors, Ahuitzotl was a strong and militaristic ruler, expanding the empire further and ordering unprecedently large numbers of ritualhuman sacrifices.[14] | ? – 1502 Killed in a flood of Tenochtitlan[14] |
 | Moctezuma II Motēuczōma Xōcoyōtl | 1502–1520[14] (18 years) | Son of Axayacatl (1472–1481). Oversaw a period of centralization and strengthening of the Aztec Empire. Disciplined and highly successful ruler before he made contact with the Spaniards in 1519, whereafter theSpanish conquest of the Aztec Empire began.[14][15] | c. 1466–1520 (aged 53–54) Several accounts exist; possibly strangled by the Spaniards[16] or struck in the head during a speech by rock thrown by one of his subjects[17] |
 | Cuitláhuac Cuitlāhuac | 1520[17] (80 days) | Son of Axayacatl (1472–1481). Commander of the Aztec armed forces at the time of Moctezuma's death and quickly elected astlatoani. Fought bravely to expel the Spaniards from Tenochtitlan.[17] | ? – December 1520[17] Died ofsmallpox[17] |
.png) | Cuauhtémoc Cuāuhtēmoc | 1520–1525[17] (5 years) | Grandson of Ahuitzotl (1486–1502). Elected astlatoani after Cuitláhuac's death. Killed several of Moctezuma II's children to safeguard his right to the throne.[18] Led fierce resistance against the Spaniards but was captured and defeated in 1521. Retained position and title under Spanish rule but held in custody.[19][20] Seen as a national hero in Mexico.[19] | 1502 – 28 February 1525[17] (aged 23) Charged with plotting and hanged byHernán Cortés[21] |
The Spanish colonial authorities continued to appointtlatoque of Tenochtitlan for several decades after the conquest.[22]
The initial rulers of Tenochtitlan installed by the Spaniards were not part of the nobility and did not go through the traditional investiture ceremonies. As a result, they were not regarded as legitimatetlatoani by the local populace. Instead, they were titled ascuauhtlatoani, a term that literally meant "eagle ruler" and in pre-conquest times served to designate a non-dynastic interim ruler appointed when necessary.[23] Hernán Cortés and the Spaniards initially preferred such less legitimate rulers, possibly as a way of ensuring that the colonial authorities would be able to maintain control.[24]
Though thecuauhtlatoque appointed by the Spaniards were not legitimate dynastic rulers, they were noted in later chronicles as governing as if they weretlatoani.[25] Codices made after the time of thecuauhtlatoque differ in how they are treated; some emphasize their illegitimacy as a rupture in the dynastic sequence whereas others do not comment on their lack of relation to previous rulers and instead depict them in the exact same way, as if they were genuinetlatoque.[26]
| Portrait | Name | Reign | Succession and notes | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Tlacotzin Juan VelázquezTlacotzin | 1525[24] / 1525–1526[26] (less than a year) | Appointed by Hernan Cortés. Previously served ascihuacoatl (a senior political office). Appears to have worked alongside the Spaniards for some time since he enjoyed a privileged position before his appointment.[27] | ? – 1525/1526[24][26] Died of disease on the way to Tenochtitlan; never took power in the city[26][24][a] |
 | Motelchiuhtzin[24][26] Andrés de TapiaMotelchiuh | 1525/1526–1530/1531[24][26] (5 years) | Commoner from Tenochtitlan and a distinguished military captain. Swiftly appointed by Hernan Cortés after Tlacotzin's death.[24] | ? – 1530/1531[24][26] Killed by an arrow during a battle withColhuacan[24] |
 | Xochiquentzin PabloXochiquentzin | 1532–1536[25] (4 years) | Commoner who had previously served as calpixqui (a minor political office).[25] | ? – 1536 Died of natural causes |
The royal line oftlatoque was restored in 1538.[28] The decision to restore dynastic rule was probably made by the Spanish viceroyAntonio de Mendoza (1535–1550) to preserve the veneer of legitimacy of Spanish rule.[29] Since the Spaniards mainly wished local native rulers to be responsible, pay tribute and be legitimate in the eyes of the people they ruled, thetlatoani were from that point onwards most often appointed after being elected and suggested by the native Nahua nobility.[30]
| Portrait | Name | Reign | Succession and notes | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Huanitzin Diego de AlvaradoHuanitzin | 1538–1541[22][31] (3 years) | Grandson of Axayacatl (1472–1481).[31] Appointed by the Spaniards due to being well-liked by the Nahua people and being able to speak Spanish; his accession marked the restoration of the royal line.[28] Regarded as a distinguished Mexica ruler of the colonial period.[31] | ? – 1541 Died of natural causes |
 | Tehuetzquititzin Diego de San FranciscoTehuetzquititzin | 1541–1554[22] (14 years) | Grandson of Tizoc (1481–1486). Appointed by the Spanish viceroy on the suggestion of the Nahua nobility. Well-liked by his subjects. His reign was marked by a devastating epidemic in the 1540s. Worked to defend the resources of his community and the wealth of his family from his colonial overlords.[22] | ? – 1554 Died of natural causes |
| Interregnum: Esteban de GuzmánOmacatzin (a Nahua commoner fromXochimilco) serves as judge of Tenochtitlan 1554–1557.[32] Evidence suggests his power was regarded to be temporary and transitional.[33] | ||||
 | Cecetzin Cristóbal de GuzmánCecetzin | 1557–1562[34] (5 years) | Son of Huanitzin (1538–1541). Appointed by the Spanish viceroy on the suggestion of the Nahua nobility. The reason for the lengthy interregnum preceding his accession is unknown.[32][b] | ? – 1562 Died of natural causes |
.png) | Cipac[35] Luis de Santa MaríaCipac (Nanacacipactzin) | 1563–1565[36] (2 years) | Grandson of Ahuitzotl (1486–1502). The lasttlatoani. Appointed by the Spanish viceroy on the suggestion of the Nahua nobility. His tenure astlatoani was plagued by legal issues and disagreements on taxes with the colonial authorities.[37] | ? – December 1565[38] Died due to health issues brought on by his stressful tenure astlatoani[38] |
After 1565, the governors of Tenochtitlan ceased to be appointed under the principle of hereditary succession and ceased to be referred to astlatoani. This change was partly a result of experiences with Spanish election principles making the denizens of Tenochtitlan view hereditary descent as less important for legitimacy.[30] From the death of Cipac in 1565 until 1812, Tenochtitlan was instead placed under the control ofSpanish-appointed governors; these governors continued to be of indigenous or mixed descent and many were descendants of Aztec nobility, though not of the royal dynasty.[39]