The Aztec Civilization.
Did you know that the word chocolate is not an English word? The genesis of the word dates back to the beginning of the 13th century. Chocolate word originated from the Nahuatl language, a language spoken during 13th century in the Aztec Civilization. Some words like chili or chile too have a tale to apprise. A tale of "The Land of White Herons" in the 13th Century.
The streams of river were flowing, the meadows were twining round their support and the ripples of splashes was the only music of the isolated valley. Since years, the most engaging symphony of the falling water kept on inviting Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war God. Huitzilopochtli would spend hours harking the water notes day in and out in the memory of his beloved wife Tlaloc, the goddess of rain, who left him ages ago. She fell in love with Mictlantecuhtli, the god of death after being married to Huitzilopochtli for 5 long years.
On one fine evening, admits the gurgling water, Huitzilopochtli couldn't resist his agony and tears rolled down his cheek in the pain of separation. The tears were landing on the valley rolling down his cheeks. The burning tears and placid earth juxtaposed, giving birth to a human race. The very first tear which dropped created Motecuhzoma, the first male Aztec and the second tear engendered Malinche, the first female Aztec. In the blink of eye, a new genus was erected which was some 10,00 in numbers.
Startled at his new creation, Huitzilopochtli decided never to return back to the valley, but he ensured that the species he created should know how to survive. With his descend back to the heaven, he left an eagle perched on a cactus. The eagle flew to the marshy lands and the natives interpreted the marshy lands to be their new home. At the southwest border of the Lake Texcoco, the Aztecs built their settlements, constructing artificial islands by draining the swampy land. The capital city Tenochtitlán established it's foundation under the kingship of the first Aztec, Motecuhzoma. Malinche was the queen of Motecuhzoma and the beloved daughter of the Sun God. She was bestowed with the power of immortality and youthfulness. The Sun God pictured out his beloved wife Tlaloc in the shadows of Malinche.
As the time passed by, the 10,000 multiplied into 200000 dividing into different groups and sects in 16th century CE. The kings kept on changing while the queenship was in the firm grip of Malinche. Her beauty and power was bewildering and breathtaking. More or less the kingdom was queen driven and kingship was just a subject of symbolism. Malinche built Templo Mayor Pyramid in the heart of Tenochtitlan, the capital city. On the top of Templo Mayor Pyramid were built the temples of Huitzilopochtli, the Sun God and Tlaloc, the goddess of Rain, her father and mother. The Aztecs considered themselves to be the supreme of all the cosmic ages. They had a belief that they are running in the last and fifth cosmic age. Each cosmic age had their own Sun god and all of them are destroyed now. Hence, they are the supreme power on Earth.
With the increasing population, more and more clans were rising. Aztec was now an alliance of three major clans-- Texcocans, Tacubans and the Aztec originals. By this time Itzcoatl was the king ruling the heart of Malinche. Malinche was in a regular habit of engaging the various clans in small warfares to choose the best man, apt to be honored as king. She chose many but never fell in love with any of her choice. Therefore, at definite intervals of time she ordered sacrifice of the kings and those defeated in the warfares. The sacrifices were made in the temples in the name of the Sun God to please him. She believed if God is happy, the Sun would glow at its fullest. The day Sun glows it's fullest, she will find her true love.
On the 13th day of the 20th week of 260-day Aztec calendar, Malinche sacrificed 400 people of the Tepanec clan who had lost battle against the alliance, conquering the capital of Azcapotzalco in 1440. Aztecs were ruling over 500 small states and over 5 to 6 million people mostly by conquest and commerce, when one day some ships cruised close to the White Land. It was the glossiest day in the 52 years cycle of the sun. Malinche clothed herself in the best of her dresses and masked her face with Xuihtecuhtli. Xuihtecuhtli was a striking art object made up of turquoise mosaic, which the queen wore at the time of jubilation. She was very confident of her instincts that she is sure of finding her love after years of wait.
The messenger informed the queen of the arrival of Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba with 100 more men through the sea route. Malinche was gleaming in excitement for she had never seen a man of foreign land. The Aztec army led by ruler Moctezuma took Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba by surprise. On the banks of the sea, they were welcomed by huge army. But, Malinche's dreams were shattered when she didn't find Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba and his 100 men attractive at all. She ordered them to bring in more people of their land, so that her choice could be more vivid.
Two years later as per the Aztec calendar, another man named Hernan Cortes invaded the land of Whites. Malinche found him totally attractive and fell for him. She decided to marry him and so invited him in her bedroom. She couldn't resist her passion for him and surrendered herself to Hernan Cortes, the second European to visit the city. Hernan took advantage of it and executed the present king with the consent of the queen. Within a week, he figured out that there were plethora of unstable clans in the kingdom which could be taken over by inciting a communal wars. Each night with Malinche he would capture the secret insights of the military powers of the capital city, Tenochtitlán. Conferred in lust and love, Malinche unknowingly translated all the secrets of the city.
On August 13, 1521, announcement of the marriage of Malinche and Hernan was made. Hernan called in for people from Spain to indulge in his marriage ceremony. The city was decorated and fine gold, greenstone, turquoise, cotton, cacao beans and tobacco were distributed in the city. By the evening, the whole city was dancing in euphoria. The dooms-night finally arrived with the ascend of the Spaniards. The Spaniards butchered 2,40,000 people that night in the dancing ceremony, capturing the queen, for they knew death could not touch her. Her immortality turned out to be a curse while her lust beguiled her of the guilt of killing 2,40,000 people. The whole kingdom was doomed in fractions of hours. The Aztec civilization turned into ashes while the queen managed to escape the chains of Spanish captivity.
It is said that it was Malinche's fate that smashed the city in a night. Her whines of guilt still echo in the valley of Mexico and can only be heard in utter tranquility.
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