Isabel de Moctezuma : Family tree by Chantal LAURENT (chantallmc)

July 2024 · 14 minute read
Isabel de Moctezuma
Isabel de MoctezumaSosa : 37,153
(Tecuichpotzin de Moctezuma)
 Tecuichpotzin Xocoyotzin , Tecuichpo Ixcaxóchitzin
Princesse des Aztecs
  • Born about 1502 - Mexico Tenochtitlan
  • Deceased in 1551 - Mexico City, Mexico, aged about 49 years old

 Parents

 Spouses, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren

  Siblings

 Half-siblings

 Notes

Individual Note

Spaniards regarded Isabel Moctezuma as the principal heir of the late emperor, Moctezuma II. In recognition of her status, doña Isabel received the lucrative revenues of one of the cities that had formed the Triple Alliance of the imperial Aztecs. As mentioned earlier, Cortés bestowed this grant on June 27, 1526, shortly after returning from the Honduran expedition. In awarding Tacuba and itssujetosto doña Isabel by grant ofencomienda, Cortés made her one of the most unusualencomenderasin New Spain: Isabel, as well as her half-siblings, Mariana and Pedro, received the services of other Indians

Until 1550 Lady Princesa Isabel Xipaguazin Moctezuma She was daughter of Moctezuma II (1466-1520), who was the last emperor of the Aztecs (1502-20), who ruled the grand city of Tenochtitlán. She married two conquistadors, Alonso de Grado and Pedro Gallego de Andrada. King Carlos I of Spain named her Holder for perpetunity of the Lordship of Tacuba (propietaria "a perpetuidad" del señorío de Tacuba) - which largely corresponds with the historic center of the City of México. (d. 1550)

Tecuichpo era hija del emperador Moctezuma II y de la princesa Tecalco de Tlacopan (Tacuba). Su bisabuelo paterno-materno fue nada menos que el rey Netzahualcóyotl de Texcoco. Como solía suceder, los hijos de los reyes solamente se casaban con sus iguales de sangre real.

La princesa mejicana (azteca) recibió del rey español Carlos I la propiedad a perpetuidad del "señorío de Tacuba", que actualmente comprende el Centro Histórico de la capital mejicana. Como acabo de decir esta propiedad fue dada para sí y "todos sus descendientes".

Hasta el año 1933 se pagó a los herederos lo que se conoce como las "Pensiones de Moctezuma". Ese año Abelardo Luján Rodríguez (1889-1967), Presidente por aquel entonces de México declaró nulo dicho pago; posteriormente se inició la Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939), y a continuación y hasta el año 1975 (dictadura de Franco)... no se pagaron dichas pensiones.

Actualmente los herederos de Isabel Moctezuma son los Acosta (de México) y los Condes de Miravalle (de Granada-España); quienes reclamaron dichas pensiones en 1991. Se calcula que con sólo los intereses de esa suma podrían vivir sin ningún problemas varias futuras generaciones de esas dos familias.

Hasta 1933 los Miravalle recibían 5.258.090 pesos de oro al año, equivalentes a 1.480 gramos de oro puro según las medidas que estaban vigentes. Calculando que el gramo de oro en España oscila sobre 17 euros, estamos hablando de 25.160 euros anuales... de 1933. Traducido todo (la forma de calibrar el peso de oro no era la misma que ahora) hablamos de que actualmente cobrarían alrededor de los cien mil euros al ano. Tecuichpo fue la heredera legítima del trono Mexica. Cuando murió Moctezuma II, Cuitláhuac la tomó por esposa para justificar políticamente su ascensión al poder. Cuando Cuitláhuac murió víctima de la epidemia traída por los españoles y sus esclavos, entonces Cuauhtémoc imitó a Cuitláhuac y tomó por esposa a Tecuichpo para subir al poder como último emperador mexica.

Doña Isabel Tecuichpoch de Moctezuma (by Princess Teotlalco or Tailhuacan), born 11th July 1510, Mexico, married 1stly, Prince Atlixactl (see above), married 2ndly, about July 1520, Tlatoani Ciutlahuatzin, died 8th September 1520, Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, maried 3rdly, Tlatoani Cuauhtémoc, Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, died 27th February 1525, married 4thly, Alonso de Grado, died 1527, married 5thly, Pedro Gallego, died 1531, married 6thly, 1532, Juan Cano de Saavedra, died 11th September 1572, Seville, Spain, she also had illegitimate issue by Hernando Cortes, born 1485, Medellin, Estremadura, Spain, died 2nd December 1547, Callisteja de la Cuesta, Spain, buried in Mexico City, Mexico, 1st Marqués de Valle de Oaxaca [cr.1529], and had issue. She died 9th July 1550. mtDNA Haplogroup B2

Birth

Alfredo Chavero, one of the influential Mexican historians of the late 19th century, stated that Doña Isabel was born in July 1510 (Chavero A 1953:1:857). This date was uncritically accepted by future generations of scholars and passed even in the Wikipedia article about Motecuhzoma’s daughter. Had it been true, by the time the Spanish arrived our “princess” would have been a girl of only nine years old. Actually Cortés himself in his donation grant of June 1526 refers to his “foster-daughter” as being of marriageable age by that year (Martínez J. L 1990:1:380). At the same time Chavero didn’t support his conclusion with any documentary evidence, and even today we have yet to find any document in which Doña Isabel’s date of birth has been indicated. In a conversation with the 16th century Spanish historian Gonzalo Oviedo y Valdés, her last husband Juan Cano told him that at the time of Motecuhzoma’s death on June 30th 1520, Doña Isabel and her only brother Axayacatl were “both kids” (muchachos ambos) (Oviedo 1995:120). However, Juan Cano’s testimony is strongly biased, keen to explain to Oviedo why none of Motecuhzoma’s children had succeeded him, if they really were his only “legitimate” heirs. It should be stressed, however, that in Tenochtitlan the xiuhuitzolli (the turquoise diadem of the supreme ruler) usually passed not to his children but to his younger brothers or nephews, although very probably under one notable condition, which we’ll discuss below.... after the Marqués del Valle [title of Hernán Cortés] and the other conquistadors had come to this city the said Monteçuma gave and presented to the said Marqués del Valle three maidens saying through interpreters... that these maidens were his daughters and he was giving and presented them as a sign of peace and friendship and this witness saw that one of them was Doña Isabel (AGI Patronato Real 245, R.7, f.7r).

We find strong - albeit indirect - evidence that Doña Isabel might have been born much earlier than 1510 in the “Information of Doña Isabel de Moctezuma”, which contains the testimonies of former servants of Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin and of his predecessor Ahuitzotl. At the start of the litigation process, one of the oldest witnesses, Don Miguel Tulnahuacatl, stated that Doña Isabel was born during the reign of Ahuitzotl, when his nephew Motecuhzoma was still one of the military leaders in his service (AGI, Patronato Real 181 R.8:f. 119v). According to all accounts Ahuitzotl died in 1502, and Motecuhzoma succeeded him the same year or one year later in 1503. Thus, if the memory of the old man didn’t fail, by the time of the Spanish invasion Doña Isabel must have been at least 17 years old, i. e. pretty much adult by both Mexica and Spanish standards.

Family Note

Marriage with Cuitlahuac de Moctezuma:
Cuitlahuac se casó con su sobrina carnal Isabel de Moctezuma

Marriage with Alonso de Grado:

In June 1526, Cortés arranged the first Christian marriage of Doña Isabel to his comrade-in-arms Alonso de Grado. It was at that time that he issued the aforementioned donation grant, providing her with a formidable dowry and describing her father’s important services to the Spanish king. In total Cortés gave in dowry for his foster-daughter “one thousand two hundred and twenty houses” in Tlacopan and its dependent towns, villages and communities (Martínez J. L, ed. 1990:1:380). In Tlacopan Doña Isabel in fact only received 120 houses, but, as is clear from her will, she always considered the entire city of Tlacopan as her own. The groom also received the highly profitable and honorific office of visitador general de indios, that is of commission judge, entrusted to settle conflicts among the native population. However, he didn’t have much time to enjoy his new position and wealth. In 1527 Alonso de Grado died of “a natural death”, and Doña Isabel became a widow, probably for the fourth time (López de Meneses A, 1948:475).

By Anastasia Kalyuta

Marriage with Hernan Cortés:

Supposedley married in the indian custom. This marriage was not recognized by the Catholic Church

After A. de Grado's death she returned or rather was returned under the roof of Cortés, who by then was also a widower (Martínez J. L, ed. 1990:1:44). Again we’ll never know whether Doña Isabel was forced to become the new mistress of the Conquistador or was seduced. The end result was the birth of Doña Isabel’s first child, a daughter, baptized as Doña Leonor Cortés de Moctezuma. As soon as Cortés heard that his mistress was pregnant, he hurried to find her a new husband to prevent any ensuing scandal. His choice fell on Pedro Gallego de Andrade, a native of the western Spanish province Galicia.

Marriage with Pedro Gallegos de Andrade:
As soon as Cortés heard that his mistress was pregnant, he hurried to find her a new husband to prevent any ensuing scandal. His choice fell on Pedro Gallego de Andrade, a native of the western Spanish province Galicia. Pedro Gallego had participated in the conquest of Panuco, Colima and Michoacán, but didn’t distinguish himself by any particular deeds on the battlefield. Curiously he received for his service in perpetual encomienda the town of Itzquintlapilco in the present state of Hidalgo, later claimed by Doña Isabel as the private estate of her father (López de Meneses A, 1948:477). Contemporaries described Pedro Gallego as a high-spirited, agreeable and easy-going person. These qualities completely suited Cortés’s purposes. So, approximately in 1528, the cheerful son of Galicia and Motecuhzoma’s daughter, who was already in her third or fourth month of pregnancy, were solemnly married in church. According to Bernardino Vázquez de Tapia she gave birth to Leonor five or six months after the wedding (Martínez J. L, ed. 1990:1:44). To the Mexica “princess”, educated in a severely restrictive atmosphere, the whole experience must have been a terrible shock, which she evidently tried to forget. The baby girl was immediately transferred to the house of licentiate Juan Altamirano, a distant relative of Cortés and his most trustful assistant in all affairs, both legal and illegal. Doña Isabel didn’t mention her illegitimate daughter in her will, although she named Juan Altimirano as one of its executors. Subsequently Doña Leonor Cortés Moctezuma married Juan de Tolosa, the founder of silver mines in Guanajuato. From this family came Juan de Oñate the Minor, the great-great-grandson of Doña Isabel, who started the conquest of New Mexico.

Marriage with Juan Cano:

She had 5 other children with Cano. They all left for Seville where they founded the "Cano Moctezuma" branch. One of the modern-day descendants wrote a book on Isabel de Moctezuma, a copy of which was given to Daniel and Alexa Baz by their grandfather Gerard Laurent.

"Pasa tranquila, siempre triste y rica, sus ultimos anos" Documentos cortesianos, I: 1518-1528. Secciones I a III By José Luis Martínez

When Pedro Gallego suddenly died on April 15, 1531, Doña Isabel found herself in a difficult situation. A widow with a small son of hardly three years old, she had no property she could sell and no money - probably the result of several years of dispossession, economic hardship and vast expenses, incurred by her deceased husband. Moreover, in the highly competitive environment of the early colonial period Doña Isabel’s legal position was doubly disadvantageous, for she was both Indian and a woman, albeit of “royal blood” and a “very good Christian”. Indian women of whatever social status were regarded by Spanish law as minors, barred from enjoying civil rights due to their “intellectual inferiority”. Considering as well that Spanish justice was based on examining written records Doña Isabel’s illiteracy made her dependent on help from a qualified lawyer or at least a person capable of correctly drafting petitions. Not surprisingly she chose the only option open to her - to marry someone able and qualified enough to represent and protect her interests before the colonial and Spanish authorities. It seems that this time Doña Isabel made her own choice, for her new husband Juan Cano de Saavedra, an hidalgo (member of the lower nobility) from the city of Cáceres in Extremadura was no friend of Cortés. She married him in the same year 1531, after apparently a very short period of mourning for Pedro Gallego. The couple sired five children: Don Pedro Cano de Moctezuma, Don Gonzalo Cano de Moctezuma, Don Juan Cano de Moctezuma, Doña Isabel de Moctezuma (the Minor), and Doña Catalina de Moctezuma.

In Spain the Cano family occupied a relatively high position. Pedro Cano (Juan’s father) was alcalde (commandant) of the fortress of Cáceres, and his uncle Diego Cano was escribano (notary) to the Crown Prince Don Juan, son of King Ferdinand of Aragón and Queen Isabel the Catholic of Castille (López de Meneses A, 1948:480). Juan Cano first came to Mexico with the expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez as a young man of 17-20 in April 1520. Consequently he ended up in a fight with Cortés, and probably as a result was cold-shouldered by the future Marqués del Valle (Oviedo 1995:118, 124-125). This didn’t prevent Juan Cano from serving Cortés during the siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521, and later he played an active part in the conquest of Oaxaca, Michoacán and of the Huastec region. For these merits he received in encomienda the town of Macuilxochilco and a plot of land in Mexico City (López de Meneses A, 1948:480). At the time of his marriage with Doña Isabel Juan Cano was still a bachelor of 30-31 years. He must have displayed both energy and ambition, and his marriage with Doña Isabel was apparently based on mutual interest. By marrying the daughter of the last Mexica overlord Juan Cano’s position and status rose high enough for the couple to proceed to claim the entire heritage of Motecuhzoma. Unlike his predecessors Juan Cano found himself in possession of the vast landholdings of his wife including Tlacopan, to which he added his own livestock and money. As for Doña Isabel she had found at last a manager for her estates, and someone intelligent, literate, active, and determined, to represent her interests. What’s more, it seems that Juan Cano might have had some connections at the Spanish Royal Court (Oviedo 1995:118). It should be noted as well that according to Castilian laws of the time - also valid in Spanish colonies - a married woman was not allowed to enter the court on her own account. However, she could act through her husband or any other adult male relatives. That’s why where these documents relate to Doña Isabel’s inheritance rights we find her husband as the main actor.

The main concern of Doña Isabel and Juan Cano was the restitution of all the lands, settlements and objects of value, once owned by Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin. They also struggled successfully against any further attempts to strip them of even one settlement, given to Doña Isabel in dowry by Cortés. In almost 20 years from 1531 to 1550 Juan Cano and his wife were involved in 3 lawsuits all based on territorial claims, and won two of them (López de Meneses A, 1948:484). As for the campaign for Motecuhzoma’s inheritance, already by April 1532 Juan Cano had commissioned from anonymous Franciscan monks two documents, focusing on the genealogy of the Mexica lords, their legal position as “natural lords” of Mexico, and their private land holdings. These documents were already mentioned above: the Relation Concerning the Genealogy and Lineage of the Lords, who have governed this Land of New Spain, and the Origin of the Mexicans. Both documents stressed that because Motecuhzoma had voluntarily accepted the sovereignty of the Spanish king, there were no reasons to deprive his daughter, the “only legitimate heiress”, exemplary Christian and loyal friend of Spaniards of her ancestral possessions (García Icazbalceta 1941:245, 51, 256, 270-273, 275-276). However, neither of these documents brought any results. It seems that Juan Cano’s voyage to Spain in 1542-1544 was also fruitless, although Juan Cano used every opportunity to speak about the inheritance rights of his wife, as he did for example during his stop in Santo Domingo in September of that year.

Anastasia Kalyuta

 Sources

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