IXTLILXCHITL

flourished 1500, 1550 Aztec chieftain, the chief of Texcoco who supported the Spanish conquistador Hernn Corts in the conquest of rival Aztecs in Tenochtitln. At the time of the Spanish conquest, the cities of Texcoco and Tenochtitln (the capital of the Aztec confederation) were engaged in an active rivalry with each other. Ixtlilxchitl, moreover, was involved in an internal dispute with his brother over leadership of the Texcocans. When Corts offered to support his claims and the aspirations of Texcoco, Ixtlilxchitl allied his people with the Spanish invaders and assisted in the siege of Tenochtitln. Although he remained an ally of Spain, he eventually lost the favour of his disillusioned subjects.