Mixtec monarchs

Mixtec monarchs, also known as Mixtec kings and queens, were the centers of power for the Mixtec culture. Each Mixtec city-state was controlled by a dynasty of kings, and the rule of a city was usually inherited by the oldest son.

Mixtec territory

In pre-Columbian times, the Mixtec were one of the major civilizations of Mesoamerica. The Mixtec territories are usually subdivided into three geographic areas: The Mixteca Alta or Highland Mixtec, living in the mountains in, around, and to the west of the Valley of Oaxaca; the Mixteca Baja or Lowland Mixtec living to the north and west of these highlands, and the Mixteca de la Costa or Coastal Mixtec living in the southern plains and the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
The valley of Oaxaca itself was often a disputed border region, sometimes dominated by the Mixtec and sometimes by their neighbors to the east, the Zapotec.
The Mixtecs never formed a political unit that integrated all the villages occupied by members of that people, although the largest political unit known to that pre-Columbian nation was formed under the government of Eight Deer in Tilantongo. Nevertheless, for most of Mixtec history, the Mixteca Alta was the dominant political force, with the capitals of the Mixtec nation located in the central highlands, in important ancient centers such as Tilantongo, Achiutla, Cuilapan, Huajuapan, Mitla, Tlaxiaco, Tututepec, Juxtlahuaca, and Yucuñudahui.
The Mixtecs also made major constructions at the ancient city of Monte Albán.

History

The Postclassic is by far the best known period of pre-Hispanic Mixtec history, thanks to the preservation of oral history in colonial documents, but also to the codex that survived the destruction and the time after the arrival of the Spaniards in La Mixteca. It is also the period for which more rulers are known, and this information comes, not only from oral tradition, but also from those same codices.
In Mesoamerica, the Postclassic is marked by the flourishing of militaristic states. In fact, Mixtec populations were organized in small states hostile to each other, each headed by a city of first importance that ruled over other settlements subject to its authority. The construction of a hierarchical structure in the relations between the head towns of the Mixtec lordships and their satellites is constant in Mixtec history, although in this period it is accentuated due to the increase in population and the political strategies of the ruling elites. This does not mean that societies of previous stages didn't wage war, as some city-states's walls date back to the first millennium BC, but in the Postclassic military activity mey have taken greater importance, as evidenced by the proliferation of paraphernalia associated with war and the cult of warrior deities throughout the region.

Known rulers of Mixtec city-states

In Mixteca Costa

Acatepec, ''Yucu Yoo''

1090-1097: ♀ Six Monkey 'War Quexquemitl',
* Sub-rulers ♂ 3 Alligator and ♂ 1 Movement
1097-1115: ♂ Eight Deer 'Jaguar Claw'

Juquila, ''Ñuu Sitoho''

?: ♂ One Death 'Sun Serpent', and ♀ Eleven Serpent 'Flower Quetzal Feathers'

Tututepec (''Yucu Dzaa'') and Zacatepec (''Yucu Chatuta'')

?: Nizainzo Huidzo
c.357: Mzatzin

Main polities in Mixteca Alta and their direct dependencies

Tilantongo (''Ñuu Tnoo'') and Teozacoalco (''Chiyo Cahnu'')

San Pedro Coxcaltepec Cántaros (''Ñuu Naha''), branch of the Tilantongo line

Jaltepec, ''Añute''

Place of Flints/Pedernales (''Ñuu Yuchi''), branch of the Jaltepec line

Achiutla, (''Ñuu Ndecu''), branch of the Pedernales line

Pedernales-Achiutla dynasty

1164-?: ♂ Eleven Flower 'Cloud Xicolli' and ♀ Thirteen Wind 'Cloud Hair'
?: ♂ Ten Alligator 'Digging Stick'
?: ♂ Eight Wind 'Smoked Claw'
?: ♂ Seven Movement 'Blood Shedding Rain'
?: ♂ Nine Wind 'Sun Fire Serpent'
?: ♂ Ten Alligator 'Jaguar with Claws like Flints'
?: ♂ Two Vulture 'Fire Serpent'

Suchixtlán, ''Chiyo Yuhu''

"Arrow-Red Liquid", branch of the Suchixtlán line

c.1027-?: ♂ Thirteen Grass
"Seven Waters with Quetzals" and "Eagle Hill", branches of the Suchixtlán line
c.1027-?: ♀ Nine Monkey 'Jade Skull', with ♂ Two Lizard 'Quetzal Turquoise Jaguar'
* ?: ♂ Six Flower, with ♀ Eight Lizard
?: ♂ One Wind 'Rain Grass Knot'
?: ♀ One Water 'Hummingbird Fan'
* ?: ♂ One Dog 'Eagle Jaguar', their brother, ruled in "Eagle Hill".

Secondary polities in Mixteca Alta

Andua

c.887: ♂ Twelve Vulture 'Golden Eagle'
?: ♂ Three Monkey 'Mexican Jaguar'

Atoyaquillo

?: ♂ Two Water with ♀ Ten Alligator
?: ♂ Thirteen Dog 'Venus Eagle'

''Black Altar''

?: ♂ Ten Flint 'Skull' with ♀ Eight Death 'Quetzal Performer of the Earth Sacrifice'

''Broken Mountain''

?: ♀ One Death

Bulto de Xipe/Huachino

c.950-1010: ♂ Ten Movement 'Earth Face'
1010-1070: ♂ Twelve Lizard 'Arrow Feet'
1070-1101: ♂ Eleven Wind 'Blood Jaguar'
* To Tilantongo and Ñuu Yuchi
?: ♂ Six Vulture 'Jaguar with Knife'

Chalcatongo, ''Ñuu Ndaya''

c.1083: ♂ Eight Aligator 'Bloody Coyote'
* ?: ♂ Three Dog
?: ♂ Thirteen Jaguar 'War Beard'

Comaltepec

?: ♂ Nine Jaguar 'Jaguar Sun'
?: ♂ Two Flint 'Sun Rain'
?: ♀ Two Movement 'Xolotl Butterfly' with her husband ♂ Eleven Jaguar 'Bloody Words'

"Copal Land"

c.887: ♂ Eight Dog 'Alligator Celestial Support'

"Deep Valley"

c.1100?: ♂ Twelve Dog 'Eagle' with ♀ Five Lizard 'Pulque-Zacate Vase'

Etlatongo, ''Yucunduchi''

?: ♂ Six Jaguar 'War Words Centipede'
c.1449?: ♂ Three Monkey 'Burning Jaguar'
?: ♂ Ten Water 'Knife Rain'

"Feline Mountain"

?: ♂ One Dog

"Hill of the Flower Tree"

?: ♂ Five Flower 'Ballcourt', with ♀ Five Flower 'Jewel Fist with Hole'

"Hill of White Alligator Skin"

c.887: ♂ One Reed, with ♂ Ten Vulture

"Hill of the Moon"

c.1096-1097: ♂ Three Alligator

"Hill of the Wasp"

?: ♂ Ten Movement 'Arrow'
?: ♂ Four Rabbit 'Jaguar who Carries an Aligator on his Chest'

"Hill of the Rabbit with Copper Axe"

?: ♂ Two Wind 'Lion'

"Hill of the Seated Little Man"

c.887: ♂ Ten Movement 'Eagle with Flints'

Ixpantepec

?: ♂ One Jaguar, with ♀ One Flower
?: ♂ Seven Monkey 'Precious Dart Thrower'

"Monkey"

?: ♂ Seven Grass 'Bloody Jaguar'

Mitlatongo, ''Dzandaya''

c.950/960?: ♂ One Monkey

"Mud Valley"

?: ♂ Ten Movement 'Flower Shield', with ♀ One Movement 'Quetzal'

"Place of the Ceremonies"

?: ♂ Five Serpent 'Performer of the Earth Sacrifice', with ♀ Eight Flower 'Blood of the Dark Place'

"Place of the Drum" (Soyaltepec, ''Añuu''?)

?: ♂ Four Lizard 'Serpent that Carries the Sky', with ♀ Eight House 'Visible on Earth'
?: ♂ Four Jaguar 'Serpent War Snare'

"Place of the Man Who Points to the Sky"

c.887: ♂ Five Serpent, with ♀ Four House

"Place of the Jaguar Skin Breast"

c.887: ♂ One Dog, with ♂ Ten Monkey

"Place of Tlaltecuhtli"

c.887: ♂ Seven Jaguar, with ♂ Five Rain

"Place Where the Sacred Arrow is Kept"

?: ♂ Ten Dog 'War Foot', with ♀ Eight Grass 'Cloud of the Mixtecs'

"Puma"

?: ♂ Seven Movement 'Bloody Jaguar'

"Quetzal"

?: ♂ Four Flint 'Face with Quetzal Feathers'

Quetzaltepec

?: ♀ Ten Movement 'Sun Rhomb'

Río de la Serpiente

?: ♂ Three Eagle

Sachio ("Temple where the Alligator is Born")

c.887: ♂ Two Rabbit 'Gray Eagle'

Sosola, ''Acuchi''

c.1079: ♂ Ten Flower 'Tail Arc'
c.1174?: ♂ Four Grass 'Sun Knife'
?: ♂ Seven Serpent 'Sun Knife'

Tamazola (''Deque Ñaña'') and Topiltepec (''Yucu Quesi/Nuu Tatnu'')

?: ♂ Two Grass, with ♀ Thirteen Grass
c.1040?: ♂ Ten Reed 'Carrier of the Flint Staff'
c.1080?: ♂ Twelve Water 'Sky Jaguar'

Teita, ''Ticodzo''

c.1040: ♂ Thirteen Death
c.1165?: ♀ Ten Vulture 'Jade Fun' and ♂ Ten Rabbit 'Heart'
c.1430?: ♂ Seven Grass 'Blood Jaguar'
c.1450?: Thirteen Wind
?: ♂ Thirteen Jaguar 'War Eagle'
c.1480?: ♂ Ten Deer 'Eagle Red Flowers'
c.1500?: ♂ Eleven Jaguar 'Blood Words'

"Temple of the Jawbone and the Red Century Plant"

c.887: ♂ Ten Grass 'Stone Shield'

"Temple of the Plant"

?: ♂ Seven Flower 'Jaguar Bird Mountain', with ♀ Five Flint 'Cave Dame'

"Thirteen Plants"

?: ♂ Twelve Wind 'Smoked Eye', with ♀ Three Flint 'Jade Quechquemitl'

Tequixtepec

c.1430: ♂ Three Wind 'Bloody Eagle'

Tezoatlán, ''Ñuu Siya''

?: ♂ Five Alligator 'Rain'
?: ♂ Six Eagle 'Flower Jewel'
?: ♂ Nine Deer 'Jade Bone, Flute'

''Water Rubber Ball'' (Chacahua? Manialtepec?)

?: ♂ Nine Serpent
?-1115: ♂ Eight Deer 'Jaguar Claw'

Yucuita (Flower Mountain)

c.1270?: ♂ Six Death
c.1355?: ♂ Thirteen Lizard 'Bloody Rain'
c.1470?: ♂ Eleven Jaguar

Zahuatlán (''Mountain of the Warrior'')

c.887: ♂ Four Grass 'Blood Eagle'
c.1300?: ♂ Five Dog 'Lame Jaguar' with ♀ Seven Movement 'Jewel Spiderweb'

In Mixteca Baja

Acatlan, ''Yucu Yuxi/Yuta Tisaha''

?: ♂ One Rain
?: ♂ Nine Reed 'Curved Staff'
?: ♂ Six Deer
?: ♂ Four Dog
?: ♂ Eight Flint
?: ♂ Eight Alligator
?: ♂ Seven Monkey
?: ♂ Eight Movement
?: ♂ Nine Flint
?: ♂ Six Water
?: ♂ Four Eagle
?: ♂ Ten Reed
?: ♂ Four Flower
?: ♂ Four House
?-1519/20: Unknown
* To the Spanish

Chila, ''Toavui''

?: ♂ Ten Flint
?: ♂ Four Deer
?: ♂ One Eagle
?: ♂ Thirteen Dog
?: ♂ Thirteen Reed
?: ♂ Two Monkey
?: ♂ Ten Monkey
?: ♂ Ten Movement
?: ♂ Three House
?: ♂ Eight Wind
?: ♂ Six Rabbit
?: ♂ Thirteen Death
?: ♂ One House
?: ♂ Five Monkey
?-1519/20: ♂ Four Dog
* To the Spanish

Tlachinollan, ''Yutandáyu''

Tlachinollan was a late postclassic kingdom ruled by both Mixtecs and Tlapanec-Nahuas. Tlachinollan was the pre-Aztec name for Tlapa de Comonfort, which would become the local garrison and tribute collection point after the Aztec conquest of the area in 1486.
Mixtec Lineage

1300-1307: ♂ Ten Deer
1307-1314: ♂ Nine Alligator
1314-1321: ♂ Four Eagle
1363-?: ♂ Two Water 'Arrow'
1363-1370: ♂ Four Alligator
1363-?: ♂ Six Death
1370-76: ♂ One Dog 'Serpent Decoration'
1510-1516: ♂ Two Deer

Tlapanec-Nahua Lineage

1300-1321: Lord Dead
1321-1328: Lord House
1328-1335: Lord Tlaloc
1335-?: Lord Xipe
1335-?: Lord Shield
1342-1362: Lord Bird Alligator
1349-?: Lord Rabbit
1377-1383: Lord Cane Chilli
1384-1391: Lord Cane Alligator
1384-1391: Lord Night Obsidian
1391-1398: Lord Stone Flag
1391-1433: Lord Great Monkey
1398-1421: Lord Lizard
1421-1454: Flag of Quetzal Feathers
1440-?: Lord Deer Antlers
1454-1477: Lord Tlaloc
1461-?: Lord Bee
1477-1496: Lord Turquoise Serpent
1496-1517: Lord Green Corn
1510-?: Lord Dog
1510-?: Lord Jaguar
1510-?: Lord Eagle
1517-1528: Lord Flames
1528-1533: Lord Rain on the Cultivated Field
1533-1538: Lord House
1538-1541: Lord Mace
1542-1561: Lord Jaguar
1545-1550: Lord Butterfly
1562-?: Lord Arrow

Tonalá">Santo Domingo Tonalá">Tonalá, ''Ñuu Niñe''

?: ♂ Eight Alligator 'Bird Claw'
?: ♂ Nine Wind 'Flint Serpent'
?: ♂ Four Movement 'Eagle'
?: ♂ Five Wind 'Celestial Rain'
?: ♀ Eight Deer 'Decorated Vest'
?: ♂ Five Dog 'Plumed Serpent'
?: ♂
?: ♂ Eight Deer 'Plumed Serpent'
?: ♂

Toltec and Zapotec city-states closely-tied to the Mixtec

Tula-Cholula, ''Ñuu Cohyo, Tollan'' (Toltec)

?: ♂ One Lizard 'Serpent-Decorated Shield', and ♀ Eleven Serpent 'Jewel Mouth'
c.1096: ♂ Four Jaguar 'Night Face'
c.1115-?: ♂ Ten Movement 'Quetzal Owl' and ♀ Two Grass 'Sacred Jade'
?: ♂ Eleven Lizard 'Fire Serpent'
?: ♂ Five Movement
?: ♂ Eleven Vulture 'War Movement'

Coixtlahuaca, ''Yodzo Coo'' (Toltec)

c.1096: ♂ Four Jaguar 'Night Face'
c.1096-?: ♂ Seven Water
?: ♂ Two Flower
?-1458: ♂ Six Water (Atonal II)

Cuautinchán, ''Huahiyaha'' (Toltec)

?: ♂ Eleven Serpent 'Jaguar Package Wrapping'

Cuyotepeji, ''Ñuu Ñaña'' (Toltec)

?: ♂ One Deer 'Serpent Earring'
c. 1521: ♂ Four Reed

Totomihuacan, ''Ñuu Dzaa'' (Toltec)

?: ♂ Five Eagle