ZAPATA-MENDOZA, Juan Ventura, Mexican author,
lived in the 16th century, he belonged to the nobility of the former republic of
Tlaxcala, and was cacique of the village of Quiahuitzlan of that state, but in
early life had been baptized, and submitted to Spanish rule. He was a man of
great learning, and wrote in Aztec a curious chronicle relating the history of
his people since their immigration to the plateau of Mexico, under the title of
"Crónica de Tlaxcala en Lengua Mexicana, que contiene todos los succesos de los
Tlaxcaltecos desde su arribo al Pais de Anahuac hasta el año 1589." The original
manuscript has not been found in the National library of Mexico, and may perhaps
exist in the archives of the Indies in Simancas. Lorenzo Boturini and Francisco
J. Clavigero have published extracts from it.
Edited Appletons
Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.comTM
