Xicoténcatl

Xicoténcatl is the name of two prominent historical figures from Tlaxcala, a pre-Columbian indigenous state in what is now modern Mexico. The most famous Xicoténcatl was a Tlaxcalan general who played a crucial role during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. He was initially a leader of the army that opposed the arrival of Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors. However, after initial skirmishes, Xicoténcatl became a key ally of the Spanish. He recognized the long-standing animosity between Tlaxcala and the Aztecs and saw an opportunity to overthrow the Aztec dominance. His military expertise and knowledge of the terrain were invaluable to Cortés in the eventual siege and fall of Tenochtitlan. His actions, while controversial and leading to the subjugation of his own people under Spanish rule, were instrumental in the Spanish victory.

The other significant Xicoténcatl was the father of the general, also a prominent leader and ruler in Tlaxcala during the same period. He was one of the four Tlaxcalan lords who met Cortés and ultimately decided to form an alliance with the Spanish. The naming of father and son with the same name reflects a common practice within some indigenous cultures. The legacy of Xicoténcatl, particularly the younger general, remains a complex and debated topic in Mexican history, representing both a fierce warrior and a figure who contributed to the end of his civilization's independence.