In Aztec society, how were their rulers viewed?

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The main idea is that Aztec rulers were seen as living gods on Earth, a divine kingship that gave their political authority sacred legitimacy. The ruler, or tlatoani, was believed to be chosen by the gods and to act as their earthly representative, responsible for maintaining cosmic order through religious duties, ceremonies, and, when necessary, ritual sacrifices. This sacred status was shown in the king’s regalia, the temples he presided over, and the rituals he led, all of which fused religious and political power into one person. Because the ruler stood as the primary conduit between the people and the gods, his authority was respected as divinely ordained, which set him apart from ordinary rulers. Priests and military leaders were crucial, but they did not embody and enact divine authority in the same integrated way the ruler did.