The legend of the Five Suns tells of the peoples the Aztecs belived lived before them. It also said that the cosmos was not a permanent force, and would be reborn five times. Each "sun" was a whole world that existed before their own, ruled by a god. Sometimes the previous inhabitants still live on in the current world, as other creatures. However, many sources dispute the order of the suns. This is the order used by Myth Encyclopedia. (http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ar-Be/Aztec-Mythology.html)

Nahui-Ocelotl was the first sun, known in English as Four-Jaguar.  It was ruled by Tezcatlipoca. It was destroyed when Quetzalcoatl threw Tezcatlipoca from the sky onto the earth. Tezcatlipoca morphed into a jaguar that ate all the humans on the planet.

Nahui-Ehecatl was the second sun, whose name translates into Four-Wind. Four-Wind was ruled by Quetzacoatl. Apparently Tezcatlipoca wanted revenge on Quetzalcoatl for the last world. Tezcatlipoca threw Quetzalcoatl off of his throne, and both Quetzalcoatl and his sun were swept away in a colossal huricane.

Nahui-Quiahuitl or Four-Rain was the third sun, ruled by Tlaloc (apparently the gods decided Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl were unfit to rule a sun). Quetzalcoatl lit the whole world aflame and destroyed it.

Nahui-Atl (Four-Water) was ruled by Chalchiuhtlicue. This world was destroyed in a 52-year long flood. (Some legends say the people turned into fish.)

Nahui-Ollin, or Four-Movement, is the world we live in today. It was created when Nanahuatzin sacrificed himself to become the sun, by throwing himself into the gods' bonfire. The other gods then gave him their blood to start the sun's rotation. The Aztec say this world will end in a gigantic earthquake.

 Above: Nanahuatzin, the god who became the sun of our world, Nahui-Ollin. He was once known as a small and ugly god, but when Tecuciztecatl (who is now the moon) was too afraid to leap into the gods' bonfire, Nanahuatzin did instead.

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