Historia de las Indias de la Nueva España. Capítulo I.: “Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl en el imaginario de Durán”

Abstract

In the first chapter of his work “Who is suspected to have been a great man who lived on this earth, called Topiltzin and, by another name, Pope, whom the Mexicans called Hueymac. He resided in Tula”, Durán portrays Topiltzin as a Spanish man, outraged by the Mesoamericans, who one day fled with his disciples to a distant land. Since the Spaniards are descendants of Topiltzin, Durán tries to legitimize Spanish power, characterizing it as a reckoning, giving the viceroyalty a divine precedent. This brief critical review explores the image of Topíltzin in Durán's imagination, as well as its chronological inconsistencies and contradictions, to assess the usefulness of this famous document in archaeological research. Through comparative analysis with other primary documents and researchers' interpretations, this review will bring the reader closer to Durán's work with new perspectives.

Keywords: Quetzalcoatl, Diego Durán, Topiltzin