Introduction
Mexico is focusing its attention on the potential return of two significant historical manuscripts, the “Códice Borbónico” and the “Azcatitlán,” currently held by French institutions since the 19th century. These codices are considered crucial for understanding Mexico’s pre-Hispanic history and culture.
What is a Codex?
According to Olivier Jacquot, the head of manuscripts at the French National Library (BnF), codices are generally referred to as Mexican manuscripts that can be pictorial and/or alphabetic. These documents narrate the history, rituals, and beliefs of the peoples in present-day Mexico before and after the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
- The “Códice Azcatitlán” recounts the history of Mexico-Tenochtitlan from its mythical origins in Aztlán to the fall of the Mexica empire in 1521 at the hands of Spanish conquerors and their indigenous allies.
- The “Códice Borbónico” represents the divination and solar calendars of the Mexica civilization, as per the French Ministry of Culture’s website.
Both codices date back to the 16th century, though some experts believe the “Borbónico” might be from the late 15th century.
How did they end up in France?
The National Assembly Library acquired the “Códice Borbonicus” during an auction in 1826, though it is believed to have been stolen from the Bibliotheque Nationale in Spain’s El Escorial during the Napoleonic era. The “Códice Azcatitlán” was donated to the National Library in 1898 by Augustine Goupil, widow of Eugène Goupil, a French-Mexican collector.
The condition of the donation stated that the collection must always be preserved in its entirety within the library, as per Marie de Laubier, Director of Collections at the institution.
Why does Mexico claim them?
Under the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024), Mexico has intensified efforts to recover historical and cultural assets that are outside the country due to various reasons. Diego Prieto, Director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), emphasized that cultural goods’ trafficking harms people.
José Alfonso Suárez del Real, advisor to current President Claudia Sheinbaum, stated that the “Códice Azcatitlán” will be a key topic during her meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, especially as Mexico commemorates the bicentennial of its relations with France.
The “Azcatitlán” codice is vital for understanding the development of Mexico-Tenochtitlan from its founding to the early 17th century and is of great interest to the Mexican people, according to Suárez del Real.
Mexico has claimed the “Borbónico” since the 19th century. The Hñähñu people, one of the indigenous groups making up the Otomi nation in central Mexico, have insisted on its return since 2024 due to its inclusion of “formulas” for the Mexica ritual of Fuego Nuevo, commemorated in 2027.
France’s Response
The French presidency has stated that they maintain an open dialogue with Mexico regarding the codices, though this hasn’t always been the case. Relations strained in 1982 when a Mexican lawyer, José Luis Castañeda, stole the “Códice Tonalámatl” from the French National Library, now preserved in Mexico.
Both the National Assembly and the French National Library defend the legality of their possession of the codices, emphasizing the principle of “inalienability of public collections.”
Left-wing opposition lawmakers proposed a bill in April to repeal this principle and allow both repatriations, but the initiative faces slim chances of success.
“The National Assembly’s table is the only competent authority to decide on [its] collections,” explains its press office to AFP.
In October, the institution agreed to participate in a French-Mexican expert group on the “Borbónico” and “Azcatitlán” codices, according to this source.
The fragility of the manuscripts, which can only be temporarily exhibited due to their condition, is another argument for their preservation in France.
