The name means “Hungry Coyote.” Nezahualcóytl was born in 1402 and died in 1472. The son of Ixtlilxóchitl I, he witnessed the assassination of his mother by the henchman Tezozómoc. After a long persecution and many exploits, he came to rule Texcoco in 1431. He reorganized the kingdom, providing it with fairer laws. He rebuilt the city and procured economic prosperity for its inhabitants. He also composed many poems, several of which, preserved in manuscripts, are undoubtedly his, but have not been brought properly to light.

The belief is that he was a man of great intelligence who elaborated a philosophical theory on the problems of the world. No reliable documentation exists that would allow us to follow his thinking accurately. As a figure of both legend and fantasy, he is one of the most famous people of ancient Mexico.

Source: Diccionario Porrúa de Historia, Biografía y Geografía de México.