don Martín Guavzin, indio

Brief Biography

The indios amigos were not listed on the 1540 muster but many were present. They also rarely appear as individuals in the documentary record. Don Martín Guavzin was a very high ranking Aztec warrior and official. He was a native of Santiago de Tlatelolco in Mexico City. During the Expedition he apparently fell from his horse and had to return to Mexico City, taking with him many of his men.

Title
don
Gender
Male
Country of Origin
Mexico
Place of Birth (City/Town)
Tlatelolco
Date of Death
by 1546
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Federal District
Died on the Expedition?
No
Last Known Location
Mexico City
Indigenous Social Status
Tlacatecatl
Injured on Expedition
Yes
References-Documentary

1540-50:

AGI, Justicia, 258, pieza 1, “Visita hecha al Virrey, 1544” [governador que fue de santiago] [went on expedition according to Francisco Yautl] [de seis Jornadas desta ciudad volvyo el dicho don martyn enfermo que cayo de un Caballo y con el volvyeron muchos yndios]; dead by June 1546]

Other info: Berdan and Anawalt, Essential Codex Mendoza [fol. 64r and 67r];

Hassig, Aztec Warfare [p.43:Tlacatecatl, a particular office within Aztec society, a warrior who had taken 4 captives became a "general"];

Monjarás-Ruíz, et al., Tlatelolco , following page 361 and page 453: This don Martín is evidently don Martín Guavzin, whose surname is also given as Tlacatecatl, although Barlow shows his term as not beginning until 1542, too late for the events described here, and lasting until 1548, beyond the life span of the don Martín referred to by Juan Coavis; According to a map from the mid-sixteenth century of the Valley of Mexico attributed to Alonso de Santa Cruz, Santiago de Tlatelolco, the neighboring altepetl of Tenochtitlan, seems to have had eight constituent calpolli, which had become Catholic parishes. One of these was Santa Catalina (Cohuatlán). The other seven were Santa Ana (Atenantítech), San Martín (Atezcapan), los Reyes (Capoltitlán), Santa Inés (Hueipantonco), Santa Cruz (Atecocolecan), Santa Lucía (Telpochcaltitlán), and San Antonio (no San Pedro)];

Altman, "Conquest, Coercion, and Collaboration [p.164: "Don Francisco [de Sandoval Acacitli]'s account makes it clear that the indigenous nations or provinces retained their integrity as distinct units for work and combat [during the Mixtón War]...The viceroy himself generally led the Mexicanos; don Francisco mentioned don Martín of Tlatelolco...as caudillo" see "Relación de la jornada que hizo don Francisco de Sandoval Acazitli...." 307-32 in Joaquín García Icazbalceta, Colección de documentos para la historia de México, tomo 2 (México: Antigua Librería, 1866),313; Altman, 166: "In the official distribution of slaves after the battle of Coyna don Martín, lord of Tlatelolco, received one slave”]