Tlacochcalcatl

Tlacochcalcatl ( "The man from the house of darts") was an Aztec military title or rank; roughly equivalent to the modern title of field marshal. In Aztec warfare the ''tlacochcalcatl'' was second in command only to the ''tlatoani'' and he usually lead the Aztec army into battle when the ruler was otherwise occupied. Together with the ''tlacateccatl'' (general), he was in charge of the Aztec army and undertook all military decisions and planning once the ''tlatoani'' had decided to undertake a campaign.

The ''tlacochcalcatl'' was also in charge of the ''tlacochcalco. Tlacochcalco'' ("in the house of darts") was the name of four armories placed at the four entries to the ceremonial precinct of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. These mains armories were stocked with new weapons every year (during the festival of Quecholli), and one account by the Spanish ''conquistador'' Andrés de Tapia estimates the number of weapons found in each of the four armories to be 500 cartloads")

The ''tlacochcalcatl'' was always a member of the military order of the ''cuachicqueh'' "the shorn ones".

The office of ''tlacochcalcatl'' was often the last step towards becoming the next ''tlatoani.''

The first ''tlacochcalcatl'' was instated under the rule of Huitzilihuitl who appointed his brother Itzcoatl who probably also served during the rule of Chimalpopoca. When Itzcoatl became ''tlatoani'' he appointed Tlacaelel as ''tlacochcalcatl'' and Moctezuma Ilhuicamina as ''tlacateccatl;'' when Tlacaelel was appointed '' cihuacoatl,'' Moctezuma Ilhuicamina was promoted to ''tlacochcalcatl.'' It is not known who was ''tlacochcalcatl'' under the rule of Moctezuma I; possibly Tlacaelel held a dual office in this period. Under the rule of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina's son and successor Axayacatl, the ''tlacochcalcatl'' was Tizoc, who in turn became ruler at Axayacatl's death. Tizoc who was seen as a weak ruler; he was disposed of and his ''tlacochcalcatl'' Ahuitzotl became ruler. Ahuitzotl's ''tlacochcalcatl'' was the next ruler: Moctezuma II (Xocoyotzin). The ''tlacochcalcatl'' of Moctezuma II at the arrival of the Spaniards was Quappiatl. The succession of Tlacochcalqueh is condensed from Hassig (1988) and the mention of Quappiatzin is from the Florentine Codex, book 12, folio 5r(bottom).

Notes

References

*{{cite book , author=Hassig, Ross , year=1988 , title=Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control , publisher=University of Oklahoma Press , location=Norman , isbn=0-8061-2121-1

Aztec warfare
Aztec society