- published: 11 Nov 2014
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The Señorío of Cuzcatlán, or The Lordship of Cuzcatlán, was a pre-Columbian Nahuat nation of the Post-Classical period that extended from the Paz river to the Lempa river (covering most of the western and central zones of the present Republic of El Salvador), this was the nation of Pipils. No codices or written accounts survive that shed light on this señorío. But Spanish chroniclers such as Domingo Juarros, Palaces, Lozano, and others claim that some codices did exist but have since disappeared. In their language (Nahuat), art and pyramids it is revealed that they had significant Aztec and Toltec influence. It is believed that the first settlers to arrive came from the Toltec nation. The name "Cuzcatlan" comes from the Nahuatl origin "Kozkatlan" (Cozcatlan Spanish form), which is derived from "Kozkatl", meaning "diamond" or "jewel", and "tlan", meaning "next to" or "in between". Kozkatlan means "The Place of the Diamond Jewels".
The Pipils arrived in El Salvador around the year 900 AD. On arrival, they attacked and conquered the native city states by burning towns and establishing their own. Some city states such as Tehuacán allowed them free entrance avoiding destruction and eventually with time they became Pipil cities themselves. Others such as Chalchuapa and Cihuatán became allies with the Pipils, but also eventually became Pipil city states. According to legend, the city of Cuzcatlán (the capital city of the Pipil) was founded by the exiled Toltec Ce Acatl Topiltzin, also called Quetzalcoatl, around the year 1054. In the 13th century the Pipil city states were most likely unified, and by 1400, a hereditary monarchy had been established.