Acamapichtli

Acamapichtli was the first tlatoani of the Mexica of Tenochtitlan and founder of its royal dynasty. His mother was Atotoztli I, princess of Culhuacan. The elders chose him for his Culhua, and hence Toltec, bloodline, and he entered the island city as its ruler in the 1370s after marrying Ilancueitl.

Tenochtitlan paid tribute to the Tepanec city of Azcapotzalco and fought its wars before being allowed its own. Acamapichtli preferred alliances to war and paid what was demanded: when Tezozomoc asked for a chinampa of beautiful flowers, the Mexica planted one and floated it across the lake to him.

He extended the chinampa fields, divided the city into four calpullis and issued its first laws. Crowned at Huitzilopochtli's altar in 1382, he died in 1395 and his son Huitzilihuitl succeeded him.