Quetzalcoatl Connect To The Past Present And Future Of The Aztecs

682 Words3 Pages

Esmeralda Rojas
Professor Imhof
History 107
24 June 2015
Forum 7
The myth of Quetzalcoatl connects to the past, present, and future of the Aztecs. This myth includes true historical events. Quetzalcoatl was probably Topiltzin (Introducing Quetzalcoatl). Topiltzin was a high priest, and the “great leader of the Toltecs” (Introducing Quetzalcoatl). He changed his name to Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl was known and remembered as a great leader who was very nurturing, caring, helpful, and informative. He changed the capital of the Toltec nation to Tula in 950, where he gave “his people laws and ethical principles by which to live and taught them how to improve their standard of living” (Introducing Quetzalcoatl).
In the myth of Quetzalcoatl, he is not the only main one. The Aztec …show more content…

Coincidentally, in 1519 Cortes and the Spanish arrived in the Americas, “strange people coming forward over a distant plain” (The Spanish Conquest of Mexico). Since so many people had been waiting the return of Quetzalcoatl, when Cortes arrived and was so much like Quetzalcoatl they believed it was him. Everyone believed Cortes was a God including the native people and Monazuma (a known killer). This saved Cortes from being killed and got many people to ally with him. Cortes also began to realize they thought he was a God because they were referring to him as “Teules” (The Spansih Conquest of Mexico). Eventually people began to realize it is not him, because he lacks the generosity and sincerity of Quetzalcoatl. Cortes just takes and takes and takes, and gives nothing back to the people. Eventually Cortes and the Spanish conquer the Aztecs. The history of the Aztecs is heavily incorporated in the myth of Quetzalcoatl and also had a lot to do with the events that occurred after the Spanish

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