The emperor governed under the blazing sun of Huitzilopochtli, patron warrior god of the Triple Alliance—a young, restless god, hasty, hot-tempered, and bloodthirsty. The cihuacoatl ruled under light-giving Metztli, the moon, guardian of waters and of the fertility of valleys—an old goddess, comfortable with herself. Moctezuma was the guiding force of the kingdom, and Tlilpotonqui was the source of his strength, controlling the perfect wealth- and fear-producing machine that was Tenoxtitlan.
