Cē Ācatl Topiltzin

Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl (Our Prince One-Reed Feathered Serpent) was a 10th century Toltec leader. In later generations, he was a figure of legend often confused or conflated with the important Mesoamerican deity Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent). One estimate puts the years of his reign from 923 to 947, although the correlation between dates of Toltec history and the Gregorian calendar remain uncertain.

History

Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl was the Lord of the Toltecs and their major city Tollan.

He was born in the 10th Century, allegedly in what is now the town of Tepoztlán. According to various sources he had four different possible fathers, the most popular of which is Mixcoatl, the name of the God of War, and presumably also an earlier Toltec king. (Mesoamerican leaders and high-priests sometimes took the names of the deity who was their patron.) His mother is at times unnamed, but Chimalma is the most accepted.

He assumed lordship over the Toltecs and migrated his people to Tollan. Reigning in peace and prosperity he contributed much to the lifestyle of the Toltecs with basic ideas such as civilization. He was generally considered a god upon earth by his followers with similar powers to those of his namesake. According to legend, the most accepted fate of the god was that he migrated to Tlapallan where he either died or would rest forever.

Once he left Tollan the name was used by other elite figures to keep a line of succession and was also used by the Mexica to more easily rule over the Toltecs.

The Aztecs had a legend that Quetzalcoatl would one day return, and Emperor Moctezuma II mistook Hernán Cortés for Quetzalcoatl.

Affinities

Affinities attributed to Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl include knowledge, wisdom, unison, creation, art, music, and war.

Regalia

Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl is usually seen with a plumed headpiece, a curved baton (the chicoacolli) and a feather rimmed shield with the ehecacozcatl (wind jewel) emblem on it.

Sources

Five major sources discuss the mythical history and origin of Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl. While the stories provided by these sources may conflict somewhat, they provide insight into the different uses of the name Quetzalcoatl.

Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas

The first source was produced by an unknown Spaniard and was later named the Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas. This version was copied from a pre-Hispanic text around 1531 and could possibly be the oldest recreation of the codexes. It is also considered to be the briefest translation.

In this version the deeds of Quetzalcoatl (here named Ce Acatl)'s father, the war god Mixcoatl (or Camaxtli), are highlighted. It explains how Mixcoatl meets the unknown mother, who dies after giving birth to Ce Acatl. Once Ce Acatl emerges from manhood he spends seven years upon the mountains offering penance to the gods and performs ritual bloodletting asking the gods to make him a great warrior (ritual bloodletting by rulers was long a feature of Mesoamerican religions). Once this time passes he begins to wage war and becomes the leader of Tollan and the Toltecs.

His reign is peaceful and productive, including the construction of a great temple that lasts for 42 years. Within the last four years, the known archenemy of Quetzalcoatl (although it is not specified in this version), Tezcatlipoca, tells him he must leave in four years to Tlapallan to die.

Thus in four years Quetzacoatl leaves, but takes his adoring Toltecs with him. Stopping at many different villages along the way he leaves some of his people behind at each one, till he arrives at Tlapallan where he dies the next day. Somewhat unique to this version is the epilogue of how Tollan does not find a leader for some years after. Tollan is later conquered and the Toltecs are all sacrificed. As mentioned earlier this version is somewhat brief, most probably due to the Spaniards' inability to fully translate the text, or alternatively the lack of interest in relaying the story in its entirety.

Libro de oro y tesoro indico

The second translations were written by a group of Franciscan friars in 1532 and translated from original text. They are known collectively as the Libro de oro y tesoro indico. In the friars' translation Topiltzin is the son of Totepeuh, who is the leader of Teocolhuacan.

His brother-in-law kills his father but after building a temple for his father, Topiltzin gets his revenge through self-defense. The migration to Tollan and later to Tlapallan is involved, but this time he is told to go by the human counterpart of Tezcatlipoca. The reason for this is because the King would not allow what Tezcatlipoca wanted, human sacrifice. So he leaves, as in the previous version, with his Toltec in tow.

This version has clearly been Christianized for the sake of the Spanish courts, who were the intended readers. A conquistador enlisted the friars to translate the text in order to submit a legitimate line of succession for the elite woman he wished to marry. In order to do this, the text had to be tamed down slightly. A woman whose relatives sacrificed humans would not be seen as a permissible wife. It should also be noted that Topiltzin was never mentioned to possess supernatural powers or to have godlike status. One could not marry a woman who had relatives claiming to be equals to God either.

Work by Andre Thevet

The third translation, written by French cosmographer Andre Thevet, was translated from a lost Spanish version in the Sixteenth Century. In this version Quetzalcoatl is son to Camaxtli and Chimalma with his mother still passing away after birth. This time he has brothers, who are bent on killing him, but he eludes them twice. After they kill their father, he kills them in a series of side stories. He becomes the ruler, migrates to Tollan, and is believed to be a sorcerer god ruling for 160 years.

Later he encounters Tezcatlipoca once again, who is jealous of the Toltecs' adoration for their god, and so drives out the lesser god from Tollan. During this time Quetzalcoatl and a few of his people visit many of the villages mentioned as well as others. In many of these villages he remained the chief god for centuries.

Two alternate endings exist: in one, Tezcatlipoca follows him into the desert and the smoke that rises from his dead body creates Venus. In the other he simply flees to Tlapallan once again. This translation is probably the most comprehensive version, because of the slight variations that are not seen in the others.

Leyenda de los soles

A native wrote the fourth translation, the Leyenda de los soles, with Nahuatla as his native tongue. Although it is very similar to the first translation it gives an in-depth account of Mixcoatl's adventures, in particular of his meeting with Quetzalcoatl's mother. It also stresses the idea of Quetzalcoatl being more supernatural and godlike.

Historia general de las cosas de Nueva Espana

The last major translation was done by a Franciscan friar who created an extensive set of texts involving the Mesoamerican pantheon. The lengthy "Historia general de las cosas de Nueva Espana" of Fray Bernardino de Sahagun gives a unique look at Quetzalcoatl and his subjects' lifestyle. The basic story is in place; Quetzalcoatl is a mage-god ruling Tollan with his knowledge and wisdom passed onto the Toltecs. In this version Tollan resembles a utopia where the people were content with every aspect of life.

Tezcatlipoca come along and forces Quetzalcoatl out, but before he leaves changes Tollan into a normal city without its beautiful buildings and flora. Along his travels of exile Quetzalcoatl and some of his devout followers are involved in many stories before they reach their end, Tlapallan.

Other names

Other accepted names are Hun Nal Ye, The Morning Star (Venus), Man of the Sun.

Another closely affiliated name was Ehecatl Quetzalcoatl whose known affinities are of the East wind or of weather in general. He was said to move the sun with his breath along with the rain clouds.