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Xochimilco | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 900–1521 | |||||||
 Xochimilco's Aztec glyph | |||||||
 TheValley of Mexico at the time of theSpanish conquest showing the location of lake Xochimilco. | |||||||
| Capital | Xochimilco | ||||||
| Common languages | Classical Nahuatl | ||||||
| Religion | Pre-Columbian Nahua religion | ||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||
| Historical era | Pre-Columbian | ||||||
• Established | c. 900 | ||||||
| 1521 | |||||||
| |||||||
Xochimilco was the most important city of theXochimilca people, one of the Nahua tribes that migrated to theMesoamerica region. At the same time it was the name of thealtepetl of this group and historically referred to both interchangebly.[1] The city was founded around 900 AD. It grew to become an important city in theValley of Mexico, until in 1430, the Mexica ofTenochtitlan succeeded in conquering the city.
The name “Xochimilco” comes fromNahuatl and means “flower field.” This referred to the many flowers and other crops that were grown here onchinampas since the pre-Hispanic period.
The first human presence in the area was of hunter gatherers, who eventually settled into farming communities. The first settlements in the Xochimilco area were associated with theCuicuilco,Copilco andTlatilco settlements during theClassic period. TheXochimilca people, considered to be one of the seven Nahua tribes that migrated into theValley of Mexico, first settled around 900 CD inCuahilama, near what is now Santa Cruz Acalpixca. They worshipped sixteen deities, withChantico, goddess of the hearth andCihuacoatl, an earth goddess andAmimitl, god of chinampas the most important.
The Xochimilcas were farmers and founded their first dominion under a leader named Acatonallo. He is credited for inventing the chinampa system of agriculture in order to increase production. These chinampas eventually became the main producer with crops such as corn, beans,chili peppers, squash and more. Thecity of Xochimilco was founded in 919. Over time, it grew and began to dominate other areas on the south side of the lakes such asMixquic,Tláhuac,Culhuacan and even parts of what is now theState of Morelos. Xochimilco had one woman ruler, which did not happen anywhere else inMesoamerica in the pre-Hispanic period. She is credited with adding a number of distinctive dishes to the area’s cuisine, with inclusions such asnecuatolli, chileatolli (atole with chili pepper),esquites andtlapiques.
In 1352, then emperorCaxtoltzin moved the city from the mainland to the island of Tlilan. In this respect it was like another island city in the area,Tenochtitlan. Although no longer an island, the city center is still in the same spot. In 1376, Tenochtitlan attacked Xochimilco, forcing the city to appeal toAzcapotzalco for help. The conquest was unsuccessful, but Xochimilco was then forced to pay tribute to Azcapotzalco. Tenochtitlan succeeded in conquering Xochimilco in 1430, while it was ruled by Tzalpoyotzin. Shortly thereafter, Aztec emperorItzcoatl built thecauseway or calzada that would connect the two cities over the lake. During the reign ofMoctezuma Ilhuicamina, the Xochimilcas contributed materials and manpower to construct a temple toHuitzilopochtli. They also participated in the further conquests of theAztec Empire such as inCuauhnáhuac (Cuernavaca),Xalisco and theMetztitlán andOaxaca valleys. For their service,Ahuizotl, granted the Xochimilcas autonomy in their lands, and the two cities coexisted peacefully. Aztec emperors would pass by here on royal barges on their way toChalco/Xico, then an island inLake Chalco.
Aztec emperorMoctezuma Xocoyotzin imposed a new governor, Omácatl, onto Xochimilco due to the arrival of the Spanish, but this governor was forced to return toTenochtitlan, when the emperor was taken prisoner. He was then succeeded by Macuilxochitecuhtli, but eighty days later he too went to Tenochtitlan to fight the Spanish alongsideCuitláhuac. He was followed by Apochquiyautzin, who remained loyal to Tenochtitlan.
For this reason,Hernán Cortés decided to send armies to subdue Xochimilco before taking Tenochtitlan. This occurred in 1521. During the battle, Cortés was almost killed when he fell off his horse, but he was saved by a soldier named Cristóbal de Olea.[2]: 340–345
The battle was fierce and left few Xochimilca warriors alive. According to legend, it was after this battle thatCuauhtémoc came to Xochimilco and planted a juniper tree in the San Juan neighborhood to commemorate the event.
Pre-Hispanic Xochimilco was an island connected to the mainland by three causeways. One of these still exists in the form of Avenida Guadalupe I.Ramirez, one of the city’s main streets. This causeway led to the main ceremonial center of the town, which was called the Quilaztli. The Spanish destroyed the Quilaztli during the Conquest, and replaced it with theSan Bernardino de Siena Church, which would become the social and political center of the colonial city. It became a settlement of Spanish,criollos andmestizos, with the indigenous living in rural communities outside of the city proper.
After the Conquest,Apochquiyauhtzin, the last lord of Xochimilco, was baptized with the name of Luís Cortés Cerón de Alvarado in 1522 and he was allowed to continue governing under the Spanish. Evangelization was undertaken here byMartín de Valencia with a number of others who are known as thefirst twelve Franciscans in Mexico. Their monastery was built between 1534 and 1579, along with many chapels and churches in the Xochimilco area, a hospital in Tlacoapa and a school. Xochimilco was made anencomienda ofPedro de Alvarado in 1521 and remained such until 1541.
