Final answer:
The Aztec and Inca empires both believed their leaders were related to gods, with rulers treated as divine beings and holding central roles in the religious and social hierarchy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aztec and Inca empires:
The two Pre-Columbian empires that believed their leaders were related to gods are the Aztec and Inca empires. The Aztec emperors, such as Moctezuma II, were considered to have reached a divine status by the time of their coronation, enhancing their authority within the empire. Similarly, the Inca rulers were at the top of a hierarchical society and were treated as deities, linked to the sun, and were a part of a priestly class that was integral to the empire's functioning.
The Inca government, for instance, provided all needed goods to its people, an indication of the ruler's role as a caretaker whose power derived from a sort of divinity. Both civilizations, having produced sophisticated empires, attributed a god-like force to their ruler, thus binding the leader to the spiritual well-being and the social management of their respective civilizations. In the Aztec Empire, this concept was known as teotl, a sacred energy that fueled all life and reality. For the Inca, the king served as a channel for divine power, particularly solar energy, to the people.