King versus Tlahtoāni

In recent articles, I have used “king” interchangeably with the Nahuatl title “tlahtoāni.” There’s been some pushback from armchair experts in Nahuatl and Nahua culture who insist I am wrong.

Well, I’m not. Let me explain what you clearly don’t know.

Buckle up. We’re going down the rabbit hole, friends.

First things first. “Tlahtoāni” was the title given to the person who ruled over an “āltepētl” or city-state / kingdom.

It comes from the verb “ihtoa” (speak, say, decree) in its special form “tlahtoa.” The “tla-”…