Four Lords of Tlaxcallan

 The four main lords of Tlaxcallan at the time of the Spanish invasion. The overall concept of this drawing was inspired by playing cards.

  Tlaxcala, or Tlaxcallan, was a Nahua polity located east of the Basin of Mexico. They are well-known as enemies of the Mexica Empire. Tlaxcallan means “place of the tortillas,"  but this may be a corruption of the settlement’s earlier name, Texcallan (place amid the crags).

 Traditionally, it is said that pre-Hispanic Tlaxcallan was ruled by four tlatoque (rulers), each with their own independent sub-division or state. These four states were Tizatlan, Ocotelolco, Tepeticpac, and Quiahuiztlan. The drawing above is based on this well-known description of the Tlaxcalteca ruling system.

 The tlatoani (ruler) of Tizatlan was Huehue Xicotencatl, or Xicotencatl the Elder. However, because of his advanced age and poor health, his son, Xicotencatl Axayacatl (Xicotencatl the Younger), was regarded as the de facto ruler. He opposed the Spaniards and was executed by Cortes during the siege of Tenochtitlan. The tlatoani of Ocotelolco was Maxixcatl. He was the biggest political rival of Xicotencatl and was in favor of allying with the Spaniards. The tlatoani of Tepeticpac was Tlehuexolotl, and the tlatoani of Quiahuiztlan was Citlalpopoca.

 However, some researchers like Lane F. Fargher refuted this theory quite convincingly. I recommend this video for more up-to-date analysis about the Tlaxcalteca governing system. Though, even with this more current theory, it is still true that Maxixcatl and Xicotencatl had the most power amongst the lords.

 Lords’ clothing is largely based on Tlaxcalteca codices such as Lienzo de Tlaxcala and Texas Fragment. They are all wearing a tilmatli (cloak), a maxtlatl (loincloth), and a red-and-white headband, which is a symbol of Tlaxcallan. Xicotencatl is wearing a tilmatli with tassels, which is based on his appearance in the codices.

 Following the design of playing cards, four individuals are holding a distinctive object. Xicotencatl is holding a macuahuitl (obsidian sword), signifying his bravery. Maxixcatl is holding a bouquet of izquixochitl (popcorn flower). Tlehuexolotl is holding a feather fan. Citlalpopoca is holding a rattle.

 The glyph beside each lord's face is the symbol of their lineage and the state. And it was also used as a battle standard. The standard of Tizatlan is a white flying heron (aztapanitl). The standard of Ocotelolco is a descending quetzal bird (quetzaltototl). The standard of Tepeticpac is a parasol-shaped device with a top decoration in the form of a canine god, Xolotl (quaxolotl). The standard of Quiahuiztlan is a crest-shaped feather device (quetzalpatzactli).

Sources

• Texas Fragment (Codex Tlaxcala), 1540s

• Codex Mendoza, 1542

• Glasgow Manuscript, 1585

• Alfredo Chavero, Lithograph of Lienzo de Tlaxcala, 1892

• Lane F. Fargher, et al. “Egalitarian Ideology and Political Power in Prehispanic Central Mexico: The Case of Tlaxcallan.” Latin American Antiquity, vol. 21, no. 3, 2010

• Justyna Olko, Insignia of Rank in the Nahua World: From the Fifteenth to the Seventeenth Century, University Press of Colorado, 2014

• Danial Parada, “Tlaxcala Postclassic Fashion c.1500s”, 2020

• Pedro Rafael Mena, “The Senate of Tlaxcala debating at Tizatlan”, 2021

•  María Castañeda de la Paz, “Los escudos de armas de la nobleza de Tlaxcala”, Para que de ellos e de vos quede memoria: La heráldica indígena novohispana del centro de México, lib. 2, UNAM, 2021