168 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



infults of their enemies. The ele^lion fell, by common 

 » confent, on Acamapitzin^ either from the acclamations 

 of the people, or the votes of fome eleftors, to whofe 

 judgment all were fubmiffive j as was their mode after- 

 wards. 



Acamapitzin was one of the mofl famous and prudent 

 perfons then living amongft them. He was the fon of 

 Opochtliy a very noble Aztecan (j), and Atonzoztli, a 

 princefs of the royal family of Colhuacan {f). On the 

 father's fide, he took his defcent from Tochpanecatl, 

 that lord of Zampanco, who fo kindly received the 

 Mexicans when they arrived at that city. He was yet 

 unmarried ; on which account they foon determined to 

 demand a virgin of one of the firft families of Anahuac, 

 and for that purpofe fent fucceffive embalfies to the lord 

 of Tacuba, and the king of Azcapozalco ; but by both 

 their pretenfions were reje6]:ed with difdain. Without 

 defpairing from fo difgraceful a refufal, they made the 

 fame demand from Acolmiztli^ lord of CoatUchan^ and a 

 defcendant of one of the three Acolhuan princes, re- 

 q,uefl:ing him to give them one of his daughters for their 

 queen. Acolmiztli complied with their requeft, and 

 gave them his daughter Uancueitl, whom the Mexicans 



condufled 



(j) Some hiftorlans report, that Acamapitzin whom they fuppofe to have 

 been born while in flavery at Colhuacan, was the fon of old Huitzilihuitl ; but 

 this is not probable, as Huitzilihuitl, born while the Mexicans were in Tizayuca, 

 was not lefs than ninety years of age when the Mexicans were made flaves; 

 wherefore Huitzilihuitl was not father, but certainly grandfather of Acamapit- 

 zin. Torquemada makes this king fon of Cohuatzontli ; but we adhere to the 

 opinion of Siguenza, who has inveftigated the genealogy of the Mexican kings 

 with more criticifm and diligence than Torquemada. 



{t) It is much to be wondered at that Opochtli Ihould marry a virgin fo illuf- 

 trious, at a time when his nation was fo reduced and degraded by llavery : but 

 this marriage is afcertained by the pidures of the Mexicans and Colhuas, feen 

 by the learned Siguenza. 



