Maximilian Spoke Nahuatl In Mexico

Since the Spanish conquest, Mexico has had about 130 heads of state, but only one is known to have spoken Nahuatl, the dominant Indigenous language of central Mexico. That leader was Austrian archduke Maximilian of Habsburg, who became emperor of the Second Mexican Empire in 1864. Maximilian promoted some Indigenous language policies and reportedly learned Nahuatl during his brief rule. His empire collapsed in 1867, when Mexican republican forces captured and executed him.

Previous Fact Next Fact