Juan Bautista Pomar facts for kids
Juan Bautista Pomar (born around 1535 – died after 1601) was a special historian and writer. He was a mestizo, meaning he had both Indigenous and Spanish family roots. Juan Bautista was a descendant of the ancient rulers of Texcoco, a very important city before the Spanish arrived. He wrote about the history of the Aztecs.
Pomar wrote two main books. One of them, called Relación de Texcoco, was created around 1580. It was his answer to a survey about the geography and history of the region.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Juan Bautista Pomar was born in Texcoco around 1535. His great-grandfather was Nezahualcoyotl, a famous and wise ruler of Texcoco. Because of his noble family background, the Spanish considered him important. He even got to live in one of his great-grandfather's royal homes in Texcoco.
Education and Languages
Pomar grew up as a Christian, but he also learned a lot about Aztec traditions from his mother. He was bilingual, which means he could speak and write in two languages: Spanish and Nahuatl. Nahuatl was the language spoken by the Aztecs.
He is known for putting together one of the most important collections of Nahuatl poems. This collection is called Romances de los señores de Nueva España.
His Important Writings
Pomar's most important work is an account of the Aztecs and Tlatelolcas. It was finished in 1582 and is known as Relación de Juan Bautista Pomar.
To write his history, he talked to many older Nahuas (people who spoke Nahuatl). They shared their memories of the old customs and ways of their people that were slowly being forgotten. His writings are very helpful and add to the works of other famous historians like Bernardino de Sahagún and Fernando Alva Ixtlilxochitl.
See also
- In Spanish: Juan Bautista Pomar para niños
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Learn more about Juan Bautista Pomar in Spanish!
