IXTLILXOCHITL, Fernando de Alba, Mexican historian: b. Texcoco, 1570i d. there, 1649. He was descended, through his mother, from the ancient kings of Texcoco, and on the death of his eldest brother in 1602 he was declared by royal decree heir to the titles and possessions of his family. The property, how ever, does not appear to have been large, as he complained in 1608 of the deplorable state of misery to which the posterity of the kings of Texcoco were reduced. At this time he was employed as interpreter by the viceroy, which appointment he owed to his learning and skill in explaining the hieroglyphic pictures of the ancient Mexicans. He had also a profound knowledge of the traditions of his ancestors which were preserved in the national songs, and was intimate with several old Indians famous for their knowledge of Mexican history. He turned his own labors and those of his friends to account in composing works on the history of his country. They remained un known until their importance was revealed by Clavigero, and afterward by Humboldt. The former says they were written in Spanish by command of the viceroy, and were deposited in the library of the Jesuits in Mexico. There
were copies also in other libraries. The history was divided into 13 books or relations, many of which were repetitions of the former rela tions, and covered the period from the most ancient times to the destruction of the Mexican Empire. The 13th book was printed under the title, 'Horribles crueldades de los conquista dores de Mexico y de los Indios, que los ayud aron en subyugar aquel imperio a la corona de Espafia' (Mexico 1829; French translation by H. Ternaux-Compans, Paris 1838). After ward Ternaux-Compans, having obtained a complete copy of the whole 13 books from Madrid, translated them into French under the title. 'Histoire des Chichimecas et des anciens rois de Tezcoco' (2 vols., Paris 1840). An edition by Alfredo Chavero was published at the expense of the Mexican government (2 vols., Mexico, 1891-92). The 'Antiquities of Mexico,' by Viscount Kingsborough (9 vols., London 1840) contains the Spanish text of the and the 'Relaciones> of Ixtlilxochitl.