Magazines - Tribal Art Winter 2009

By Guilhem Olivier and Leonardo López Luján

Introduction
The British Museum is presenting the fourth and final installment in its series of exhibitions exploring power and empire. This is the first exhibition to examine the semi-mythical status of the last elected Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II, and his legacy today. His story is expressed through iconic masterpieces of Aztec culture, many of which have been loaned by Mexican and European collections.
Moctezuma was the ruler of the Aztec Empire at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Born c. AD 1470 and crowned on or around AD 1502, he both expanded the empire to its largest historical area and unsuccessfully confronted the Spanish expeditionary force led by Hernán Cortés. The latter led to the end of both the empire and indigenous autonomy in the region. Popularly remembered almost solely for his inability to deal with the Spanish incursion, Moctezuma was, in fact, one of the most powerful and influential leaders that Mesoamerica had ever known. He died in 1520 in circumstances for which there are varying accounts, but most likely as a hostage of the Spanish. Although the subsequent European occupation went to great lengths to destroy the vestiges of his reign, certain objects have survived that are associated with him, either personally or politically, and these provide intimate insight into the richness and power of the Aztec Empire before European contact.