The birth of huitzilophochtli, patron god of the aztecs. The portentous patron god of the aztecs was the son of coatlicue, she of the skirt of serpents, a title. Here are some of my paintings exploring mexica, or aztec, sacred narrative and spirituality. Originally he was of little importance to the nahuas, but after the rise of the aztecs, tlacaelel reformed their religion and put huitzilopochtli at the same level as quetzalcoatl, tlaloc, and tezcatlipoca, making him a solar god. The birth of huitzilopochtli, patron god of the aztecs pdf. Her offspring, huitzilopochtli, learned of this plan while still in the womb, and before it was put into action, sprang from his mothers womb fully grown and fully armed and killed his sister coyolxauhqui, together with many of his 400 brothers and sisters. The birth of huitzilopochtli, patron god of the aztecs this is a teocuitatl, divine song, a sort of epic poem in which the birth of huitzilopochtli is recalled. Both the codex magliabechiano and sahaguan mention the importance of huitzilopochtli s weapons. Huitzilopochtli was the patron god of the mexica tribe. According to the myth, mount coatepetl is the place where huitzilopochtli, the main god of the. The shield the god holds does not only relate to the birth of huitzilopochtli but is also part of the iconography identifying him as a war deity. In the aztec religion, huitzilopochtli is a deity of war, sun, human sacrifice, and the patron of the.
He appeared in dreams to the priests and told them to settle on an island, in the middle of lake texcoco, where they would see an eagle perching on a cactus. Huitzilopochtli around 1,000 years ago, the aztecs left their home of aztlan and followed their patron, huitzilopochtli, to a new land and way of life. In this image, four arrows protrude from the round shield. Huitzilopochtli simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The ascension of mount coatepetl by coyolxauhqui and the. For generations they travelled in seven tribes called calpultin, one of which was especially favoured by huitzilopochtli. Sin embargo, otros relatos miticos no dejan lugar a dudas. Huitzilopochtli definition, the aztec god of war and of the sun. Both the codex magliabechiano and sahaguan mention the importance of huitzilopochtlis weapons. He then tossed his sisters head into the sky, where it became the moon, so that his.