Tlachinollan kingdom, “place of the burned fields”, was a confederation formed by different ethnic groups including tlapanecas, nahuas and mixtecos, established over the central-east region of the actual state of Guerrero in Mexico. This kingdom was developed from the beginning of the 14th century throughout the end of the 16th century, from 1300 to 1565 approximately. Its territory reached an extension of 10 108 km2 and laid between the mountain ranges, Sierra Madre del Sur in the state of Guerrero and the east Mixteca Alta in the state of Oaxaca, covering the territory of the actual municipalities of Tlapa, Azoyú, Acatepec and Zapopitlán. There are different pictographic documents called Tlapanecos’ Codices that give information on this kingdom, including Azoyú Codez 1 and 2 and the Lienzo of Tlapa. The Azoyú Codex 1 content mainly consists of the existence of the Tlachinollan Kingdom from 1300 to 1565, divided in four periods:

 

1. Development and Establishment of the Tlachinollan kingdom (1300 to 1421)

2. Expansion (1421 to 1461)

3. Mexica conquest and rule domination (1461 to 1521)

4. Spanish conquest (1521 to 1565)

 

Tlachinollan kingdom kept a characteristic dual regime, by having two governors at the same time. During its development period, a constant battle for the political and religious power existed between the different ethnics groups, especially through out the lineage of their governors. At the end, however, political and territorial unification is achieved, and the conquest of smaller villages starts. The firsts governors were the Señor Death-Sun (tlapaneco-nahua lineage) and the Señor 10 Deer (mixtec lineage), however they never established a residency on any place. It was until 1321 that the government is fixed for the first time in Tlachinolticpac (capital of the kingdom), with the Señores House and 3 Jaguar. Between 1332 and 1377, Tototepec, Caltepec, Tetzontzontepec, and many other surrounding towns were conquered. The capital was finally formed by the union of two towns: Tlachinollan and Caltitlan.

 

The Señor Flag of Quetzal Feather rises to the power and rules for 33 years, from 142 to 1452, with two nobles of the tlapaneco-nahua lineage. This was the period where the biggest expansion was reached. Their territory grew towards the south and west.

 

In 1461 the Mexica conquest begins in the Tlachinollan kingdom with the excursions of Moctezuma I, Señor of Tenochtitlán, and ends with the arrival of the Spanish conquerors during the last months of 1521. According to the Azoyú Codex I, Moctezuma named a noble of Tlapaneco-nahua lineage from Tlachinlticpac to represent him and collect the assigned tributes. At this moment, the Tlachinollan Kingdom becomes known by the mexicas as the Tlapan Tributary Province, divided in 15 tributary towns. By the XVI Century, the province had already 55 000 habitants, 17 000 of them from the capital. The Azoyú Codex records the fall and burn of Tlachinollan and Caltitlan in the 7 Deer year from the Tlapaneca calendar, may 19th of 1468 according to the Julian calendar. These events occurred during the rule of the Señor Lluvia and the Señor Turquoise Snake.

The Spanish conquest occurs during the Señor Flames´ government with the arrival of the conquerors to Tetenanco. According to the fall of Tenochtitlán that occurred in August 13th, 1521, the arrival of the Spanish conqueror to the Tlapa Province dates at the end of 1521 and the beginning of May of 1522. This period is well known by the oppression of the encomenderos over the natives and the process of evangelization. The political and administrative orders were shared by the Alcaldes Mayores or Spanish Corregidores and the native caciques, that kept the use of the symbolic cloth and chair used by the Mexica tlatoanis. The Alcaldes Mayores began their rule in 1531, in 1538 native caciques already played a role and even in 1545, they already wore Spanish clothes and sat on friar chairs, keeping only their symbolic “ventalle” as a tradition.