The Codex Mendoza is an Aztec codex , believed to have been created around the year 1541. It contains a history of both the Aztec rulers and their conquests as well as a description of the daily life of pre-conquest Aztec society.
What is the Mendoza codex?
The Codex Mendoza is an Aztec codex , created about twenty years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico with the intent that it be seen by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain.
What was the purpose of the Codex Mendoza?
The codex, now known as the Codex Mendoza, contained information about the lords of Tenochtitlan, the tribute paid to the Aztecs, and an account of life “from year to year .” The artist or artists were indigenous, and the images were often annotated in Spanish by a priest that spoke Nahuatl, the language spoken by the ...
Who was the Codex Mendoza created for?
Sometimes the record of a culture is made by its conqueror. This manuscript was commissioned by Antonio de Mendoza, first Viceroy of Mexico 1535-1550, for presentation to the Emperor Charles V of Spain .
Who painted the Codex Mendoza?
Patronage/Artist
Scholars believe the first Viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, commissioned the codex and today it bears his name (Codex Mendoza). The painter of this foundation scene may have been Francisco Gualpuyogualcal , an indigenous man working with friars in Mexico City in the mid-16th century.
How was a codex made?
What is a codex? A codex is essentially an ancient book, consisting of one or more quires of sheets of papyrus or parchment folded together to form a group of leaves, or pages .
How did the Aztecs depict a wedding in the Codex Mendoza?
This famous scene from the Codex Mendoza reveals much about the background to a wedding in Aztec days... Aztec wedding ceremonies took place at night, with a torch-lit procession which escorted the bride to the groom’s house . ... The bride’s mother tied a cape on the groom but placed his new loincloth before him.
Is the Codex Mendoza a primary source?
Compiled in 1542, and richly illustrated, the Codex Mendoza is one of the key primary sources from Aztec times . ... The original Codex Mendoza resides in the library of Oxford University. (The ship carrying it from New Spain (Mexico) back to Spain in colonial times was attacked by French buccaneers.
Where can I read the Florentine Codex?
The Florentine Codex can be seen at www.wdl.org/10096/ . Information about the Medicea Laurenziana Library can be found at www.bml.firenze.sbn.it/ . Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution.
Is the Florentine Codex a primary source?
The Florentine Codex is unquestionably a troubling primary source . Natives writing in Nahuatl under the supervision of the Spanish Fray Bernardino de Sahagún apparently produced the manuscript in the 1500s.
Why did they build their empire on swampy land?
Where was it located? Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco in what is today south central Mexico. The Aztecs were able to settle there because no one else wanted the land. At first, it wasn’t a great place to start a city, but soon the Aztecs built up islands where they could grow crops.
Did the Aztecs make codices?
Aztec codices (Nahuatl languages: Mēxihcatl āmoxtli Nahuatl pronunciation: [meːˈʃiʔkatɬ aːˈmoʃtɬi], sing. codex) are Mesoamerican manuscripts made by the pre-Columbian Aztec , and their Nahuatl-speaking descendants during the colonial period in Mexico.
How many days did a city have to join the Aztec Empire as an ally what happened if they refused?
The emperor’s ambassador would first tell of the advantages of being a tributary member and ally of the Triple Alliance. If, after 20 days the city declined, the ambassadors returned with threats of what would happen if they continued to refuse. After a second refusal to become a tributary, the Aztec army marched.
Who did the Aztecs think was the god Quetzalcoatl coming to reclaim his land?
An unnerving series of coincidences led Montezuma to believe that perhaps Cortés was the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who had promised to return one day to reclaim his kingdom. Quetzalcoatl, “the feathered serpent,” stood for the solar light, the morning star. He symbolized knowledge, arts, and religion.
What kind of religion did the Aztecs practice?
MATOS MOCTEZUMA: The Aztec religion was primarily polytheist . They had different gods, male and female. The sun god was Tonatiuh. There were many deities, and they were revered in monthly festivities with rich offerings.
How many Aztec emperors were there?
As stated above, the Aztec civilization existed from 1325 when the city of Tenochtitlan was founded until 1521 when the Aztec were conquered by Spanish conquistadors under the leadership of Hernán Cortes. During that period of time, the Aztec were ruled by 11 different huey tlatoani . These emperors are listed below.
