Читать книгу Ahuitzotl - Herb Allenger - Страница 32

I

Four days after Tizoc’s cremation, the nation’s leaders were gathered in the royal palace to make their determination who would succeed him as Revered Speaker. A serious conference was in session: the situation was grave for them as five years of rule under Tizoc had left the realm unsettled, its policies in confusion, and its predisposition towards conquests ill-defined. In addition, whenever there occurred a change in Mexica leadership, many subjugated states experienced a restiveness and their natural proclivity for throwing off the conqueror’s yoke came to the forefront and manifested itself in numerous rebellions. With the death of Tizoc, this activity was heightened under a general perception that the power of the Mexica was entering a declining phase which would carry over to his successor. The occasion was a momentous one: they could not afford another mistaken choice as in the case of Tizoc.

The Tlatoani, speakers of the member clans, were represented, among them Nezahualpilli, Chimalpopoca, and Cihuacoatl, the presiding official. Even before the official proceedings had started, their council was already divided into two distinct camps with each one strongly opposed to the position of the other. There were those who favored having an older, wiser man appointed the Revered Speaker; Chimalpopoca sided with this group and became its chief spokesman. Against them stood those who held to the customary passing of the throne within family lines in order to secure the royal descendancy; for them there existed but one choice, Ahuitzotl, and Cihuacoatl advocated their cause. Nezahualpilli leaned toward Ahuitzotl, but was open to hearing the opposition, and with their demarcation thus drawn, the council began to hear the arguments presented by each proponent. Chimalpopoca spoke first.

“As we all know, we have endured a less than satisfactory five years which have created many problems for us, and the fault for this ought not be blamed entirely on Lord Tizoc, but rather should be placed on his youth and lack of experience in handling state affairs. He was simply not alert to the devious ways in which such affairs are conducted because he was too young to know. We therefore urge the council to consider someone who is older and more venerable who would be held in greater esteem by rival lords. Even great and revered Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina was over forty when appointed Revered Speaker.”

“This is true,” Cihuacoatl said, “and we have never had so able a ruler. But we must accept that such a man is a rarity in any age and should ask ourselves if there is one here today who could serve us as well. I, for one, do not know of anyone. We should recognize that no matter who we appoint as ruler, we cannot expect the greatness that came from Motecuhzoma.”

“You enhance my cause,” Chimalpopoca told the minister. “If we cannot find a ruler like him, then at least we can name one who possesses similar qualities, one who has acquired the skills that age and experience provide and who has matured to the fullest. I am weary of being led by mere youths who make repeated mistakes and command no respect.”

Chimalpopoca’s supporters appreciated his comment and gave him a resounding approval, surprising Cihuacoatl by their numbers. He had no idea that so many backed the Tepanecan and feared he faced an uphill struggle to get Ahuitzotl selected.

“You look for an older man,” Nezahualpilli joined in, “yet one who will lead us to victories in numerous battles.”

“That can be delegated.” countered Chimalpopoca. “It is his will to wage them that counts. But if he is respected, there will be no need for frequent battles—only enough to meet our sacrificial requirements.”

Again there were voices of approval.

“You are wrong,” Nezahualpilli silenced the hall. “Quite the contrary, that will be the major task facing our Revered Speaker. With our affairs as muddled as they are—cities in rebellion, tributes denied to us, our merchants threatened—I say to you it will take more than mere respect to set things in order. It will require action! We need a dynamic ruler who has the ability and the energy to lead us on many campaigns so that the prestige of the domain established by the great Motecuhzoma is restored to us. Can an older man do these things?”

“Motecuhzoma did these things,” Chimalpopoca pointed out.

“But we have no Motecuhzoma to guide us now. It is useless to bring up the dead past in face of our present situation. Do you know of anyone who is able to do what will be required? An older man? If so, name him for us.”

Chimalpopoca hesitated. While no shortage of distinguished individuals existed to fill the post, there were no unique personalities with demonstrated drive which clearly set them apart from their contemporaries—none except Ahuitzotl. He sensed his position weakening.

“Why do we deceive ourselves?” continued Nezahualpilli. “Why must I inform you of what you all know? There is only one possible candidate. Our needs increasingly direct themselves to Lord Ahuitzotl as the proper choice.”

“It is said he is impetuous and hot-headed,” Chimalpopoca replied, resisting the suggestion. “Also fond of carousing and entertaining the women. Should this be the man to rule us?”

“True, he is all these things, but also a brilliant leader of men, an outstanding commander, and possessed of a natural talent for decisive action. While we may have regressed under Tizoc, can anyone here declare that Ahuitzotl has not effectively led our armies? Indeed, whatever modicum of prestige remains for our realm, we owe to him.”

There was no disputing this; everyone knew Ahuitzotl was the ablest of commanders, and to many the very embodiment of the warrior ideal—courageous, resolute, competent, and energetic, devoted to the mission of Huitzilopochtli. Chimalpopoca realized his cause was no longer tenable under this kind of barrage from his formidable Texcocan adversary.

“Who among us would fear going into battle with Ahuitzotl leading him?” Nezahualpilli added. “Why, then, should we fear to have him lead us as ruler? Why this ingratitude to him when his efforts kept us intact through our recent dark times?”

Once again it appeared that Nezahualpilli had carried the day as the speakers deliberated over his words and indicated a general concurrence.

“The council also believed this of Tizoc,” Chimalpopoca said. “A lesson should have been learned from this. We have no assurances of not undergoing a similar ordeal with Lord Ahuitzotl.”

“Nor do have you such assurances with anyone else we appoint.”

“There’s no basis for this unwarranted fear about the age of our ruler,” Cihuacoatl injected. “Axayacatl was but a boy of nineteen when we made him Revered Speaker. Was not his reign glorious? Not as great as Motecuhzoma’s to be sure, but most certainly there was cause to rejoice in it. We were in grief over his untimely death. If you will attribute Tizoc’s dismal rule to his youth, how do you explain Axayacatl’s? It’s not youth, but the man himself, wherein lies the fault.”

That determined the issue, and Chimalpopoca, already at a disadvantage, was not about to desecrate Axayacatl’s memory over an argument that was lost. “I concede the point,” he declared, “I was wrong to make an issue of age.”

“It is best that the ruler be retained in the royal lineage,” Cihuacoatl informed him. “They, by training and ability, are best fit to rule.”

With the debate concluded, Cihuacoatl and the four primary Tlatoani retired into a smaller adjacent chamber to discuss the matter further in private. Few doubts remained as to who they would select, but the occasion afforded deeper review of the arguments presented and lent an appropriate aura of mystery and sanctity to the proceedings, and there have actually been times when a consensus among the assembly was overturned. In this case, his pursuasive powers were not required: the decision was uncontested. Cihuacoatl issued the official proclamation.

“Let word be sent to the far reaches of our realm, to our allies, and our enemies as well, so all may know that the sun has risen anew. Lord Ahuitzotl is our Revered Speaker.”

A runner was hastily dispatched to the headquarters building where Ahuitzotl was pacing the floor in the presence of Tlohtzin and Motecuhzoma eagerly anticipating the council’s results when he entered. He sank to his knees before Ahuitzotl.

“Great Lord, chosen as Revered Speaker!” he began, “Cihuacoatl, Chief of Ministers, requests that you appear at the palace among the gathered lords for the initiation. I am honored to be the first to tell you this.”

Ahuitzotl, strained and relieved in spite of having expected such a message, felt ecstatic on hearing it and a broad grin lit up his face. “I’ll not detain them,” he beamed. “Inform the Lord Minister I am coming.”

Taking time only to receive congratulations from his subordinates and fasten his tilmantli over his shoulder, Ahuitzotl then headed to his place of destiny. All eyes were fixed on him when he entered the hall and confidently approached the raised platform at its far end where the throne was situated with Cihuacoatl and the kings of the alliance standing around it. On reaching it, Cihuacoatl quieted the assembly with his staff and everyone’s attention focused on them. Nezahualpilli opened the ceremony by addressing the new monarch in his characteristic style.

“Oh Mighty Lord! Inheritor of the royal throne. To you we offer this seat, left to our care by the gods, most especially high and glorious Huitzilopochtli, so that you might carry on his divine charge, the mandate he imparted upon us. You must faithfully and courageously fulfill this duty, for now is the time in which the foundation is embedded for our realm to flourish. We are living under a darkened sky, a time of peril, and we look for a new ascendancy, a fresh rising, out of the troubled depths into which we have sunk. We seek the glory that marked the passage of our honored forebearers, an eminence that has been lost. Our eagles must soar! Never before have our jaguars been so in want and warriors, born to battle, must have their day. We look to you, Great Lord, to provide for us and to achieve for us that which we have forsaken, that which we have lost, and that which we have been denied.”

Following Nezahualpilli’s stirring oration, Cihuacoatl stepped towards Ahuitzotl and placed his left hand under the monarch’s chin to bend his head back. With his right hand he pierced Ahuitzotl’s nostrils with a sharp thorn, carving out a hole large enough to allow for the emplacement of the emerald plug which denoted a Revered Speaker’s divine linkage to the gods. The flowing blood was absorbed in white linens applied to the wound by Nezahualpilli.

Next two nobles came forward carrying the royal finery of the office and handed these to Cihuacoatl and Nezahualpilli who together unfolded them. A mantle of netted material, turquoise blue—the color of Huitzilopochtli, Lord of the Southern Sky—and studded with jewels delicately interwoven into the fabric, was draped over Ahuitzotl. An emerald diaden, embossed with precious stones, was hung around his neck to cover the front of his chest. Throughout the donning of the robe and official insignia, priests chanted out hymns lending a solemn dignity to the event.

After this formal dressing, the monarch was led to his blue feather and jaguar skin throne and when he was seated, the princes, lords, ministers, and ambassadors stepped forward in sequence and presented themselves before him rendering him words and gestures of respect and avowing their allegiance. Cihuacoatl stood adjacent to the throne and introduced each of these dignitaries to Ahuitzotl who became annoyed when one of the lords coming forward broke into a faint, but noticeable smile as he bowed.

“Who is he?” Ahuitzotl asked, “And why does he smirk like that?”

“He is Huactli, Lord of the Pochteca,” Cihuacoatl replied. “He smiles, I believe, because he is grateful there is a new ruler. The pochteca have not fared well under Tizoc.”

“I find it disrespectful—appearing as if I owe him something. See to it he is informed of my displeasure.”

Cihuacoatl was tempted to reveal Huactli’s complicity in the plot against Tizoc but held back, thinking it best that Ahuitzotl be kept ignorant of who the conspirators were lest he should one day, out of anger, seek revenge on them. He was incensed over Huactli’s audaciousness and would later admonish him for it, but at present he needed to placate his master.

“We must excuse his insolence, Lord. The pochteca are crude and earthly in their habits. It is understandable that they should behave awkwardly here and hold themselves in undue regard.”

“ I suppose you’re right—I am indebted to their services. They provide useful intelligence on our enemies. Disregard my last statement, but advise Huactli of our courtly etiquette so that he does not err again.”

The honors heaped upon the new monarch lasted throughout the afternoon and became quite tedious for Ahuitzotl, and while he maintained his lordly bearing and demonstrated an attentiveness, he greatly appreciated seeing the last of the dignitaries finish. He then motioned for Cihuacoatl to close this affair therewith ending the initiation rites. The actual coronation was still months away, as all monarchs had to be crowned on the day, One Dog. Custom dictated that new rulers use this interim period for conquests in order to exert their influence and obtain captives for sacrifice at this formal event. Ahuitzotl already had his victims selected.