Cacamatzin was a son of the previous king Nezahualpilli by one of his mistresses. Traditionally the Texcocan kings were elected by the nobilty from the most able of the royal family; Cacamatzin's election to the throne in 1515 was said to have been made under considerable pressure from Moctezuma II, lord of Tenochtitlan, who wished to lessen Texcoco's power in favor of greater centralization in Tenochtitlan.
Cacamatzin was killed by strangling by soldiers of Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes, who some sources say were torturing him in an effort to get gold.
Under the direction of Cortes, Cacamatzin's half brother Ixtlilxochitl II was baptized as a Christian with the new name Fernando and appointed the new king of Texcoco.