DAVID CERNA—PILGRIMAGE AND CIVILIZATION OF THE TOLTECS. 61 
happiest dreams. It seemed as if their desires, their hopes, and their 
ambitions were to be fulfilled; as if the gods, moved by the trials and 
tribulations of their children, tribulations and trials patiently endured 
for a period of over one hundred years of a wandering life, and as a re¬ 
ward for their perseverance, the gods, in lieu of all this, had at last an¬ 
swered their summons, opening to them a new but permanent field upon 
which to lavish their greatest energies for their own and for the good 
of future generations! The die was cast, and the Toltecs, elated at their 
promising prospects, resolved to settle definitely in the newly found land. 
But the Toltecs were not, as some historians suppose, the sole founders 
of the new city and the other towns that afterward submitted to their 
rule. Other tribes were in possession of the land on the arrival of the 
new comers. The new capital, Tula, in fact had been the home of the 
Otomies, and was called by these Mamemhi. It may be said, therefore, 
that Tula is the most ancient city spoken of in the annals of beautiful 
Anahuac, and the Toltecs the first historical race of Mexico. 
Once definitely established, the Toltecs converted Tula into the 
metropolis of the nation and the abode of future able rulers. The 
shrewd and intelligent Indians, after proper deliberations, and bearing 
in mind the absolute necessity of creating a common power to regulate 
and conduct their affairs on the one hand, and, on the other, to promote 
the welfare of the nation, which may be looked upon as the natural tend¬ 
encies of a progressive and enlightened people, assumed a monarchial 
form of government. 
The newly formed monarchy began to exercise its power in the year 
667. The Toltecs elected Chalchiutlotonac , or Chalchiuhtlanetzin , as 
their first king. Under this monarch, naturally of a humane and just,* 
and, at the same time of an energetic and progressive character, all the 
resources of the country were largely developed. The arts, agriculture, 
and science, all in their turn received from the monarch a decided and 
vigorous protection. It was during the reign of this ruler that a con¬ 
gress of the wisest men of the land, under the presidency of the most dis¬ 
tinguished astronomer of those times, Huematzin, convened, and it was 
then that the great TeomaxtU or Divine Book was produced. The Teo- 
maxtli came to be considered afterwards as the Bible of the Toltecs. 
After a prosperous reign of fifty-two years the first monarch of the 
Toltecs abdicated the throne, according to law, in favor of Ixtlilcuecha- 
huac , and retired into private life. 
Ixtlilcuechahuac ascended the throne in 719. The reign of this mon¬ 
arch was attended by no remarkable event. Neither was that of his son 
Huetzin, who succeeded him. 
After Huetzin the throne was occupied by Totepeuh, the fourth king. 
This monarch was an enthusiastic protector of the arts, and it was during 
