The “Wife” of Huitzilopochtli

A question recently came up on Twitter: Did Huitzilopochtli, patron god of the Mexica, have a wife?

In fact, two major sources preserve the sacred story of how the Mexica “acquired” a “wife” for Huitzilopochtli, angering an entire nation in the process and helping to fulfill their destiny.

To share this often gruesome story with you, I’m going to translate the Nahuatl text contained in the Codex Chimalpahin (compiled by Nahua chronicler Domingo Francisco de San Antón Muñón Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin). But I’ll also pull a couple of lines from Diego Durán’s Historia de las Indias de Nueva España (Durán was a translator of Nahuatl and drew from indigenous sources to compile his history in the mid 16th century).

THE TRANSLATION

The year 13 Reed, 1323 C.E. By then, the Mexica had spent 25 years in the Tīzaāpan region of the kingdom of Cōlhuahcān.

Huitzilopochtli then spoke to the elders, saying, “O Fathers, another will arrive. Her name is Yaocihuatl [War Woman]. She is my grandmother. And we will acquire her. [Note: this is a play on words, also meaning ‘we will exhibit her in public,’ usually referring to slaves.] Listen, O Fathers. It is not here we will remain; off there in the distance, we will take prisoners and keep watch. We will not go in vain, but we will escape the Colhuahqueh, lifting shield and spear. Now grow strong, get ready, for as you have heard, my grandmother Yaocihuatl will appear there. So I command you: go and ask King Achitometl for his child, his daughter. Indeed, you will ask him for his beloved daughter, for I know how I will repay you.”

Then the Mexica went and asked Achitometl for his daughter. The Mexica begged him, saying, “O Noble One, O Lord, O King! We, your grandfathers and vassals, along with all the other Mexica, beg you to concede, to give us your jewel, your precious one, your beloved daughter who is our revered grandchild. She will be taken care of there among the mountains of Tizaapan.”

[Diego Durán clarifies something at this point in the sacred story: the Mexica told the king that his daughter would reign over them as “señora de los mexicanos y mujer de su dios” — “Sovereign of the Mexica and wife of their god,” Huitzilopochtli.]

Achitometl replied, “Very well, O Mexica. Lead her away.”

Then he gave her to the Mexica. They led Achitometl’s daughter away, guiding her to Tizaapan and installing her…