Acamapichtli
"Handful of Reeds"
Acamapichtli was the first tlatoani ("the One Who Speaks", or Aztec 'emperor') of Tenochtitlán, and was the founder of the powerful Aztec dynasty, ruling 1376 – 1395. Not a native of Tenochtitlán, he was specifically chosen as the tlatoani of the still- fledging city for his blood-ties to other powerful groups in the region.
During his reign Tenochtitlán, which at that time was just one island in the middle of Lake Texcoco, paid tribute to the powerful Tepanec city of Azcapotzalco, for whom the Aztecs of Tenochtitlán took part in a series of military campaigns. Eventually being allowed to wage war on their own account, Tenochtitlán began forming its own centre of power. Acamapichtli further increased Tenochtitlán's influence by forging political alliances through strategic marriages.
Acamapichtli initiated many building projects in Tenochtitlán, including the enlargement of the island, the division of the city into four neighborhoods or calpullis, and the development of the chinampas ("floating" agricultural gardens) to solve the problem of limited farmland. He also made improvements to the city's architecture by replacing houses of cane and reeds with stone buildings and enlarging Tenochtitlán's main sanctuary, building two temple pyramids side by side. He passed laws and ordinances and instituted religious rituals and festival observances.
The glyph for his name is a forearm with the hand grasping a bundle of reeds or arrows.
