Editing Cuitláhuac (section)

==Biography==
Cuitláhuac was the eleventh son of the ruler [[Axayacatl]] and a younger brother of [[Moctezuma II]], the late Emperor of [[Tenochtitlan]], who died during the Spanish occupation of the city.<ref>Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 148–151.</ref> His mother's father, also called [[Cuitlahuatzin I|Cuitlahuac]], had been ruler of [[Iztapalapa]],<ref>Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 42–43.</ref> and the younger Cuitláhuac also ruled there initially.<ref>Chimalpahin (1997): pp. 50–51.</ref>  Cuitláhuac was an experienced warrior and an adviser to Moctezuma, warning him not to allow the Spaniards to enter Tenochtitlan. [[Hernán Cortés]] imprisoned both Moctezuma and Cuitláhuac. Cortes had to leave the city in order to meet a Spanish force sent by Diego Velasquez, Spanish governor of Cuba.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-04 |title=The Spanish Conquest |url=https://www.mexperience.com/lifestyle/history-of-mexico/spanish-conquest/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> Following the massacre of Aztec elites when Cortés was away from Tenochtitlan, the [[Mexica]] besieged the Spanish and their indigenous allies. Cuitláhuac was released on the pretense to reopen the market to get food to the invaders. Moctezuma was stoned to death after trying to tell his people to withdraw from the battle between the Aztecs and the Spanish,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-04 |title=The Spanish Conquest |url=https://www.mexperience.com/lifestyle/history-of-mexico/spanish-conquest/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> and Cuitláhuac was elected ''tlatoani'' following the flight of the Spaniards and their allies from Tenochtitlan on June 30, 1520.  Some sources claim he was serving in that role even before Moctezuma's death.<ref>Burkhart, Louise. "Cuitlahuac" in ''Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture'' vol. 2, pp. 339–40.</ref> 

Cuitláhuac was ritually married to Moctezuma's eldest daughter, a ten- or eleven-year-old girl, who later was called [[Isabel Moctezuma]].<ref>Chipman, Donald E. (2005). Moctezuma's Children: Aztec Royalty Under Spanish Rule, 1520–1700. Austin: University of Texas Press, pp. 40–41 {{ISBN|0-292-70628-6}}. {{OCLC|5713428}}</ref>

[[File:Cuauhtláhuac.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Cuitláhuac]]
Cuitláhuac ruled just 80 days, perhaps dying from [[smallpox]]<ref name="cha"/> that had been introduced to the [[New World]] by an African suffering from the disease who was part of [[Pánfilo de Narváez]]'s expedition to capture Cortés. However, he played a really important role in the Aztec empire, and was best known for leading the Aztec resistance against the Spanish invaders. The early sources do not explicitly say from what he succumbed.<ref>Burkhart, "Cuitlahuac", p. 340.</ref> Immediately after Cuitláhuac's death, [[Cuauhtémoc]] was made the next ''tlatoani''.<ref name="cha"/>