Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Ixtlilxochitl II.

IXTLILXOCHITL II., Texcocan king, b. about 1500; d. about 1550. He was the son of Netzahualpilli, king of Texcoco. The astrologer who cast the boy's horoscope at his birth advised his father to take the infant's life, since, if he lived to grow up, he was destined to unite with the enemies of his country and overturn its institutions and religion. But the old monarch replied, according to the chroniclers, that the time had arrived when the sons of Quetzalcoatl were to come from the east to take possession of the land; and, if the Almighty had selected his child to co-operate with them in the work, his will might be done. When he was about twelve years old the lad formed a band of followers of his own age, with whom he practised military exercises, throwing the whole city into uproar and confusion, and when some of his father's counsellors repeated the advice of the astrologers he put himself at the head of a party and, entering the houses of the counsellors, dragged them forth and put them to death. For this he was seized and brought before his father, but the latter contented himself with bestowing an admonition on the culprit. As he grew older the prince took an active part in the wars of his country, and when ho more than seventeen years old had won for himself the insignia of a victorious captain. In 1516 Netzahualpilli died, and the succession was contested by two of his sons, Cacamatzin and Ixtlilxochitl. The former was supported by Montezuma, emperor of Mexico, but the latter, appealing to the patriotic sentiment of his nation, would have persuaded them that his brother was too much in the Mexican interest to be true to his own country. A civil war ensued, and ended by a compromise, by which one half of the kingdom, with the capital, remained to Cacamatzin and the northern part to his brother. Ixtlilxochitl became from that time the enemy of Montezuma. On the arrival of the Spaniards, the young chieftain sent an embassy to Cortés while he was at Tlaxcala, offering him his services and asking his aid in return. Through the influence of Cortés, Cacamatzin was deposed and Ixtlilxochitl finally placed on the throne. He was faithful to the Spaniards, and fought with them during the time of the conquest. As years passed he became more and more the friend of the conqueror and the enemy of his country and race. His important services have been commemorated by the Spanish historians, who have given him the melancholy glory of contributing more than any other chieftain of America to enslave his countrymen. After the submission of Mexico he was baptized and took the name of Hernan Cortés, after that of the conqueror, who was his godfather on this occasion. Afterward he took great interest in the propagation of Christianity, and brought in a bag the first stones to build the church of the convent of San Francisco in the city of Mexico. He accompanied Cortés on his expedition to Hibueras in 1525.