Cuitláhuac (1476 – 1520) was the penultimate and eleventh mexica tlatoani, lord of Iztapalapa y brother of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin.
His name means "(he who) has been commissioned (of the care of someone)". This name was derived by the Malinche, while mentioning the actual name of the Tlatoani that was Cuauhtlahuac = 'Eagle on the water'. She in mocking or scorning called him with the Cuitláhuac name. Hence the spanish took this name as real without knowing the meaning, and I was reflected in history. Bernal Díaz del Castillo named him Coadlabaca in his true history of the conquest of the new Spain.
Son of Axayacatl and thus Moctezuma II Xocoyotzin brother. In June, 1520 was already prisoner of Hernán Cortés by having plotted an uprising against the spaniards. When Cortés returned after having defeated Pánfilo de Narváez in Zempoala, he found that Tenochtitlan had rebelled on the occasion of the slaughter in the Templo Mayor, ordered by Pedro de Alvarado.
Cortes demanded Moctezuma Xocoyotzin that he restored the market and the people returned to peace. Then, at the request of Moctezuma, Cortés released Cuitláhuac so he fixed things. But him, as soon as free, led the uprising and attacked the barracks where they were Spaniards and their allies with such ferocity that Cortés, fearful of being completely wiped out, demanded that Moctezuma went to the roof of the Palace to harangue his mexica subjects and ask them to remain in peace. There is the theory that Moctezuma was wounded on that occasion by a stone and died within two days. However, other historians’ mention that the spaniards had already killed Moctezuma, or killed him at that time.
Cuauhtémoc (Cuāuhtémōc) (Nahuatl: cuāuh-'Eagle' témōhuia 'descend, go down'), (1496 - d. February 28, 1525) was the twelfth and last Mexico-Tenochtitlan mexica tlatoani. He assumed power in 1520, a year before the Tenochtitlan capture by Hernán Cortés and his troops.
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