U Kahlay Katun: The Count of Years
- Thread starter 9 Fanged Hummingbird
- Start date
Oh, uh sorry for delaying, been a bit distracted. Same reasons as usual. And I probably won't be able to post this weekend at all. I'd say it's because I'm busy, but it's more because I want to take a break over the weekend, it's my birthday tomorrow after all. But yeah, I should definitely get to work at least planning on what I'm going to do with this. So yeah, my bad. 
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Oh, uh sorry for delaying, been a bit distracted. Same reasons as usual. And I probably won't be able to post this weekend at all. I'd say it's because I'm busy, but it's more because I want to take a break over the weekend, it's my birthday tomorrow after all. But yeah, I should definitely get to work at least planning on what I'm going to do with this. So yeah, my bad.
No one is keeping you from having a social life. Even I need to get out of the chair and go enjoy some me time.
I'm looking for the next update.
Okay, again sorry for the delays. It was the usual story, depressed for a long time then distracted for even longer. I'm very weak-willed I know, but I want to try to end the Hummingbird arc now and try to get on to later history so at one point I might actually reach the Contact era. Ironic, that in my last version I felt I went too fast and now I feel too slow. Anyhow, here we go:
The Return of Bolon Koh Tz'unun; The Journey From The West
It was 3 years before anyone had heard from Bolon Koh Tz'unun since he disappeared into the west going to Mexico. Little is known of his travels in that foreign land. It was said he went from holy Danibaan [1] to the mountain kingdoms of the Ñudzahui. From there it he traveled to the great Valley of Mexico. Here the people were in as much abundance as in the lowlands around Kaan and Mutul. In the Valley was the sacred city of Tamoan, also called The Place of Cattail Reeds, which had now faded into nothing more than a pilgrimage site. Here also was the equally sacred city of Cholula, which was reaching ever higher with the largest temple in the world [2]. He also was rumored to have spent much time in the powerful cosmopolitan cities of Tollan and Cantona who were vying with Cholula for domination of Mexico.
Exactly what he did in those lands remains a mystery, but he came back with followers, soldiers from the Valley who were well trained, armed, and disciplined. He and his 20 soldiers came back to the Land of Turkey and Deer, and to get to his home of Ix for the first time in many years he took the fasted road possible, the Utzacbe, and down this watery road in four reed canoes he made all haste. It became a dangerous journey as the forces of the kingdom of Yokib that ruled this river made watch over all traffic on this river, regulating the trade to great effect. But once they passed the "Jewel of the Utzacbe" it got worse as the entered the territory of Pa'Chan, the city downriver on the opposite bank that was very jealous of Yokib', and with their strong king Itzamnaaj Balam they were more fearsome than ever. They narrowly avoided being attacked as the warrios of Pa'Chan were wary of foreigners, especially Mexicans as given his company Tz'unun was mistaken for one. But accepting that they were neutral traders, they were allowed to continue going along the long and winding river.
When the river path finally ended they took to foot going south to reach Ix. After a long and harrowing journey Bolon Koh Tz'unun was home. But he knew that the usurper K'an Jolom was still looking for him. So he took for himself the name Chacal, pretending to be a Mexican trader, ambassador, and musician. It was the custom of the Mexicans to have their traders be ambassadors as well, but K'an Jolom was quite intrigued that he was a musician as well. He invited him to the palace to discuss matters of state as he was also interested in establishing relations with the west. To maintain the guise Tz'unun and his soldiers garbed themselves in traveling cloaks and hats, hiding their armor and weapons, before the bate' ushered them into the palace room used for receiving gifts.
Bolon Koh Tz'unun had never seen K'an Jolom close up in person before, so he found it surprising that for once the rumors were true and the usurper really did resemble the fierce warrior that was his reputation. He had a fearsome gaze with deepset eyes, but he also seemed nonchalant as well, as if he didn't need to keep up the warrior act as he knew he was better than anyone else. When Tz'unun and his companions entered the room he graciously allowed them sit on offered stools, as he sat higher on a cushy chair covered by a jaguar pelt. With a wave of his hand he said, "Make yourselves comfortable. You must be tired. I have chocolate for you to drink, and tobacco to smoke."
Tz'unun, here calling himself Chacal, and hhis companions as one said, "We below you thank you for your gracious gift, my lord". Jolom nodded to his servants, who lit tobacco as incense and offered cigars and jugs of spicy chocolate. Getting to business after lengthy formal introductions, Jolom finally asked, "So what city are you from, Ah Chacal?"
"I am of the city of Cholula, my lord. My father is the head of the Ocelot House, great traders of feathers and obsidian. He sent me here to negotiate obsidian contracts with Maya cities."
"Indeed? That is well, for I have plans for my army and we could always use more razors..." Jolom said, breaking into a wide grin. "And I hear you are a musician as well?"
"Yes, my lord, but not a very good one I am afraid."
"Nonsense! Please, give us all a performance!"
"Very well, my lord." Bolon Koh Tz'unun stood up, and a couple of his men got drums and flutes to accompany his recital. And so he sang an appropriate song for confronting his enemy, The Dark Days of The Last Month of The Year:
[1] Monte Alban, important Zapotec site and one of the oldest Mesoamerican cities.
[2] This is not an exaggeration by the chronicler, the Cholula pyramid the largest monument in the world by sheer volume.
The Return of Bolon Koh Tz'unun; The Journey From The West
It was 3 years before anyone had heard from Bolon Koh Tz'unun since he disappeared into the west going to Mexico. Little is known of his travels in that foreign land. It was said he went from holy Danibaan [1] to the mountain kingdoms of the Ñudzahui. From there it he traveled to the great Valley of Mexico. Here the people were in as much abundance as in the lowlands around Kaan and Mutul. In the Valley was the sacred city of Tamoan, also called The Place of Cattail Reeds, which had now faded into nothing more than a pilgrimage site. Here also was the equally sacred city of Cholula, which was reaching ever higher with the largest temple in the world [2]. He also was rumored to have spent much time in the powerful cosmopolitan cities of Tollan and Cantona who were vying with Cholula for domination of Mexico.
Exactly what he did in those lands remains a mystery, but he came back with followers, soldiers from the Valley who were well trained, armed, and disciplined. He and his 20 soldiers came back to the Land of Turkey and Deer, and to get to his home of Ix for the first time in many years he took the fasted road possible, the Utzacbe, and down this watery road in four reed canoes he made all haste. It became a dangerous journey as the forces of the kingdom of Yokib that ruled this river made watch over all traffic on this river, regulating the trade to great effect. But once they passed the "Jewel of the Utzacbe" it got worse as the entered the territory of Pa'Chan, the city downriver on the opposite bank that was very jealous of Yokib', and with their strong king Itzamnaaj Balam they were more fearsome than ever. They narrowly avoided being attacked as the warrios of Pa'Chan were wary of foreigners, especially Mexicans as given his company Tz'unun was mistaken for one. But accepting that they were neutral traders, they were allowed to continue going along the long and winding river.
When the river path finally ended they took to foot going south to reach Ix. After a long and harrowing journey Bolon Koh Tz'unun was home. But he knew that the usurper K'an Jolom was still looking for him. So he took for himself the name Chacal, pretending to be a Mexican trader, ambassador, and musician. It was the custom of the Mexicans to have their traders be ambassadors as well, but K'an Jolom was quite intrigued that he was a musician as well. He invited him to the palace to discuss matters of state as he was also interested in establishing relations with the west. To maintain the guise Tz'unun and his soldiers garbed themselves in traveling cloaks and hats, hiding their armor and weapons, before the bate' ushered them into the palace room used for receiving gifts.
Bolon Koh Tz'unun had never seen K'an Jolom close up in person before, so he found it surprising that for once the rumors were true and the usurper really did resemble the fierce warrior that was his reputation. He had a fearsome gaze with deepset eyes, but he also seemed nonchalant as well, as if he didn't need to keep up the warrior act as he knew he was better than anyone else. When Tz'unun and his companions entered the room he graciously allowed them sit on offered stools, as he sat higher on a cushy chair covered by a jaguar pelt. With a wave of his hand he said, "Make yourselves comfortable. You must be tired. I have chocolate for you to drink, and tobacco to smoke."
Tz'unun, here calling himself Chacal, and hhis companions as one said, "We below you thank you for your gracious gift, my lord". Jolom nodded to his servants, who lit tobacco as incense and offered cigars and jugs of spicy chocolate. Getting to business after lengthy formal introductions, Jolom finally asked, "So what city are you from, Ah Chacal?"
"I am of the city of Cholula, my lord. My father is the head of the Ocelot House, great traders of feathers and obsidian. He sent me here to negotiate obsidian contracts with Maya cities."
"Indeed? That is well, for I have plans for my army and we could always use more razors..." Jolom said, breaking into a wide grin. "And I hear you are a musician as well?"
"Yes, my lord, but not a very good one I am afraid."
"Nonsense! Please, give us all a performance!"
"Very well, my lord." Bolon Koh Tz'unun stood up, and a couple of his men got drums and flutes to accompany his recital. And so he sang an appropriate song for confronting his enemy, The Dark Days of The Last Month of The Year:
"The days of crying, the days
of evil. The demon is free,
the infernos open,
there is no goodness, only evil,
laments and cries.
An entire year has passed,
the year numbered here.
Come is a month of
days without name,
painful days, days of evil,
black days.
The beautiful light of the eyes of
Itzamna for his earthly sons
has not yet come,
because during these days
the transgressions of all people on earth
are measured:
men and women, children and adults
poor and rich, wise and ignorant;
Lord Serpent, commissioner,
governor, captain, rain priest,
councilors, constables.
All people's transgressions are measured in
these days; because the time
will come when
these days will mark the end
of the world.
For this
there will be a count of all
the transgressions of people
here on earth.
Into a great glass
made from the clay of tree termites,
Itzamna puts the tears
from those who cry over the evils
done on earth.
When the great glass is filled to the brim
it will end."
______________of evil. The demon is free,
the infernos open,
there is no goodness, only evil,
laments and cries.
An entire year has passed,
the year numbered here.
Come is a month of
days without name,
painful days, days of evil,
black days.
The beautiful light of the eyes of
Itzamna for his earthly sons
has not yet come,
because during these days
the transgressions of all people on earth
are measured:
men and women, children and adults
poor and rich, wise and ignorant;
Lord Serpent, commissioner,
governor, captain, rain priest,
councilors, constables.
All people's transgressions are measured in
these days; because the time
will come when
these days will mark the end
of the world.
For this
there will be a count of all
the transgressions of people
here on earth.
Into a great glass
made from the clay of tree termites,
Itzamna puts the tears
from those who cry over the evils
done on earth.
When the great glass is filled to the brim
it will end."
Jolom grinned again. "A wonderful performance, but I must ask, this is the first time you have been this far east, am I right?"
Tz'unun was caught off-guard by this non-sequitor. "Well yes, my lord, I've never been to the Maya lands in my life."
"Ah, because that is strange, then. Your accent is exactly like that of Ix, the city which I rule and know all about, and you are a master of the traditional songs of our people. So tell me, Chacal, who is it you really are?"
Tz'unun flashed a grin right back at him. "Very clever, my lord, you caught me off-guard which is a rare thing indeed. Very well, my name is Bolon Koh Tz'unun, heir to the true lineage of the ruler of Ixnich'i Zotz!" At this K'an Jolom gaped in shock, and immediately yelled for his guards. Tz'unun and his warriors then unveiled their armor and weapons, and formed together for defense and strength. As tough and skilled as Jolom's elite warriors of his clan were, they could not take the formation of Tz'unun who fought as one, and so they were slain on the floor of his palace. Tz'unun corned the Usurper, and holding aloft a mace over his head, said, "I should bring this down and kill you right now. But I have honor, and since you received me however unknowingly, I shall give you a chance. We shall see which of our lineages is the true ruling one with a ballgame. The most fair and noble way to determine things."
And so it was decided, K'an Jolom was let out of the slaughter to rejoin his family and household to prepare for a ballgame. As much as he wanted to flee, he knew he'd lose any honor if he tried, and that he'd probably be killed if he attempted anyways. But more importantly he still wanted to take a chance to regain control. It had been decided it would be a team match, so for his backcourt backup K'an Jolom picked his strongest cousin, a famous warrior and best hipball player from his household. Tz'unun picked the leader of the twenty soldiers, a trusted ally and friend, and a famous player in Cholula. Once both sides were prepared and outfitted with the proper padding, they gathered at the ballcourt with the priests and officials mediating the game, followed by a massive crowd of the city's people and even people from abroad to happened to be near. The rules were recited in front of the crowd, a match to three points, and the ball was finished being prepared. For the occasion they picked an especially heavy ball, and the game would require great feats of endurance as well as skill.
Finally, at midday the two sides took their positions. The head priest blew a conch shell trumpet and shouted, "Play ball!" as the ball was tossed in. Tz'unun reached it first, but found that Jolom was still a good player as he easily countered it. The game dragged on and on under the heat of the midday sun, and as time passed all of the players were feeling heavy fatigue, covered in sheets of sweat and bruises. The score was even, but as time dragged Tz'unun, despite his increasing fatigue, noticed that Jolom was being more obviously affected, given that he was the oldest player here by far. He had started relying more and more on his backcourt player to cover for his weary mistakes. So Tz'unun powered through the fatigue, ignoring the pain and gathering all of his strength for just a minute as he had a plan. As the ball slowly arced towards him, he put himself into the most powerful hit he could against it, aiming at Jolom's backup to disable him. He hit the ball so hard with his hip he fell down in pain afterwards, but he was successful beyond his wildest hopes. The ball had gone so fast and straight at the backup, that he missed the block and the ball went straight into his face, killing him, and as it bounced back Tz'unun's back up hit it passed Jolom to score the final point.
The game was over. K'an Jolom, king of Ix kneeled in fatigue and defeat. He resolved to show some dignity in death at least, and not long after the end of the match he was escorted to the top of the ruler's temple, where he kneeled over an alter, closed his eyes, and Bolon Koh Tz'unun swung down his axe, ending the life of the Usurper in a holy event reenacting the victory of the Hero Twins Juun Ajaw and Yax Baluun, who beheaded the Lord of the Underworld after defeating him in a ballgame to avenge their father Hun Ye Nal, the maize god. The similarity of Tz'unun avenging his lineage and the Twins avenging their father with a ballgame and a beheading was not lost upon a single person, and it was taken as a sign that Bolon Koh Tz'unun was indeed the holy diving lord destined to rule this kingdom. And so it was that he became king.
______________
Phew, that's it for now. I'll have the next update be on his reign. At least no more annoying narrative about him for now.
Tz'unun was caught off-guard by this non-sequitor. "Well yes, my lord, I've never been to the Maya lands in my life."
"Ah, because that is strange, then. Your accent is exactly like that of Ix, the city which I rule and know all about, and you are a master of the traditional songs of our people. So tell me, Chacal, who is it you really are?"
Tz'unun flashed a grin right back at him. "Very clever, my lord, you caught me off-guard which is a rare thing indeed. Very well, my name is Bolon Koh Tz'unun, heir to the true lineage of the ruler of Ixnich'i Zotz!" At this K'an Jolom gaped in shock, and immediately yelled for his guards. Tz'unun and his warriors then unveiled their armor and weapons, and formed together for defense and strength. As tough and skilled as Jolom's elite warriors of his clan were, they could not take the formation of Tz'unun who fought as one, and so they were slain on the floor of his palace. Tz'unun corned the Usurper, and holding aloft a mace over his head, said, "I should bring this down and kill you right now. But I have honor, and since you received me however unknowingly, I shall give you a chance. We shall see which of our lineages is the true ruling one with a ballgame. The most fair and noble way to determine things."
And so it was decided, K'an Jolom was let out of the slaughter to rejoin his family and household to prepare for a ballgame. As much as he wanted to flee, he knew he'd lose any honor if he tried, and that he'd probably be killed if he attempted anyways. But more importantly he still wanted to take a chance to regain control. It had been decided it would be a team match, so for his backcourt backup K'an Jolom picked his strongest cousin, a famous warrior and best hipball player from his household. Tz'unun picked the leader of the twenty soldiers, a trusted ally and friend, and a famous player in Cholula. Once both sides were prepared and outfitted with the proper padding, they gathered at the ballcourt with the priests and officials mediating the game, followed by a massive crowd of the city's people and even people from abroad to happened to be near. The rules were recited in front of the crowd, a match to three points, and the ball was finished being prepared. For the occasion they picked an especially heavy ball, and the game would require great feats of endurance as well as skill.
Finally, at midday the two sides took their positions. The head priest blew a conch shell trumpet and shouted, "Play ball!" as the ball was tossed in. Tz'unun reached it first, but found that Jolom was still a good player as he easily countered it. The game dragged on and on under the heat of the midday sun, and as time passed all of the players were feeling heavy fatigue, covered in sheets of sweat and bruises. The score was even, but as time dragged Tz'unun, despite his increasing fatigue, noticed that Jolom was being more obviously affected, given that he was the oldest player here by far. He had started relying more and more on his backcourt player to cover for his weary mistakes. So Tz'unun powered through the fatigue, ignoring the pain and gathering all of his strength for just a minute as he had a plan. As the ball slowly arced towards him, he put himself into the most powerful hit he could against it, aiming at Jolom's backup to disable him. He hit the ball so hard with his hip he fell down in pain afterwards, but he was successful beyond his wildest hopes. The ball had gone so fast and straight at the backup, that he missed the block and the ball went straight into his face, killing him, and as it bounced back Tz'unun's back up hit it passed Jolom to score the final point.
The game was over. K'an Jolom, king of Ix kneeled in fatigue and defeat. He resolved to show some dignity in death at least, and not long after the end of the match he was escorted to the top of the ruler's temple, where he kneeled over an alter, closed his eyes, and Bolon Koh Tz'unun swung down his axe, ending the life of the Usurper in a holy event reenacting the victory of the Hero Twins Juun Ajaw and Yax Baluun, who beheaded the Lord of the Underworld after defeating him in a ballgame to avenge their father Hun Ye Nal, the maize god. The similarity of Tz'unun avenging his lineage and the Twins avenging their father with a ballgame and a beheading was not lost upon a single person, and it was taken as a sign that Bolon Koh Tz'unun was indeed the holy diving lord destined to rule this kingdom. And so it was that he became king.
______________
Phew, that's it for now. I'll have the next update be on his reign. At least no more annoying narrative about him for now.
[1] Monte Alban, important Zapotec site and one of the oldest Mesoamerican cities.
[2] This is not an exaggeration by the chronicler, the Cholula pyramid the largest monument in the world by sheer volume.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Fantastic update, you're worthy of being a member of the Amerindian Triumvirate of Members or AIM.
Bolon Koh Tz'unun is turning to be an awesome character.
Bolon Koh Tz'unun is turning to be an awesome character.
Great update, some minor grammatical errors but otherwise nearly flawless.
And I loved the narrative. I almost think it to be what truly happened.
And I loved the narrative. I almost think it to be what truly happened.
Yeah, sorry about any grammatical errors, I'm from the South you see...
But I should get off my lazy ass and try to update this shouldn't I? I'm also a bit curious as to exactly how many people I've chased off with the high use of Mayan words and details.
But I should get off my lazy ass and try to update this shouldn't I? I'm also a bit curious as to exactly how many people I've chased off with the high use of Mayan words and details.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
If anything, you should attract more readers. People fail to appreciate the work you put into this and it peeves off.
Oh wow, I just found out I made a major mistake. With both this and the rough draft TL. All this time I've been using the Postclassic Yucatecan months and day names rather than the Classic Ch'ol ones. Which is a major mistake because the whole point is that the Classic civilization doesn't collapse. And the difference is not just pronunciation, over half the months are totally different. My bad. I did have an idea prepared as an explanation for this very situation because I had an inkling I might be wrong, but I'm not sure I like it very much.
In any case, I'm not just reviving this for attention, I am working on an update. Well, I was also working on the update shortly after I posted the last one but I accidentally lost all the stuff I typed which kinda pissed me off and it takes a while for me to reset. Again, my bad.
I did have an idea prepared as an explanation for this very situation because I had an inkling I might be wrong, but I'm not sure I like it very much.In any case, I'm not just reviving this for attention, I am working on an update. Well, I was also working on the update shortly after I posted the last one but I accidentally lost all the stuff I typed which kinda pissed me off and it takes a while for me to reset. Again, my bad.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Oh wow, I just found out I made a major mistake. With both this and the rough draft TL. All this time I've been using the Postclassic Yucatecan months and day names rather than the Classic Ch'ol ones. Which is a major mistake because the whole point is that the Classic civilization doesn't collapse. And the difference is not just pronunciation, over half the months are totally different. My bad.
In any case, I'm not just reviving this for attention, I am working on an update. Well, I was also working on the update shortly after I posted the last one but I accidentally lost all the stuff I typed which kinda pissed me off and it takes a while for me to reset. Again, my bad.
It's just a minor mistake.
I can't wait.Well, the last major PoD with Calakmul not being defeated was there to set up political changes that will help the Maya, but this update will contain the groundwork for the societal changes that shall help them. Yeah. So here we go.
The Glorious Reign of Bolon Koh Tz'unun
It was an auspicious day Bolon Koh Tz'unun was given his title as king of Ixnich'i Zotz. It was 9.15.5.16.0, 5 Overlord 3 New Sun (5 Ahau 3 Yaxkin). Tz'unun had been given the Interrogation of the Lords by the high priest, and he had passed. He had fasted and prayed for an entire day in the shrine of the city's royal temple, the tallest in the kingdom. Inside the dark shrine he pulled a thorned rope through his tongue, and burned that with a prayer paper and incense as an offering to the K'awiil, Itzamna, Hun Ye Nal, and his ancestors who had ruled over this city as men and ruled it now as gods. Through the vision serpent conjured by the offering he talked to them, and they confirmed his right to rule. As the smoke billowed out a great cheer erupted from the crowd gathered below, and they called for their new patron to come out. This he did, to more cheering, and then the coronation took place that afternoon in front of the palace of his forebears. He ascended a scaffold onto a royal throne draped in jaguar skins and covered by a canopy bearing Itzamna. He firmly tied the headband bearing a jade image of the god Hu'unal around his head. Then the high priest handed him a headdress made of wood and covered in jade and shell mosaic, trailing plumes of iridescent quetzal feathers. Finally, he was handed a scepter shaped in the form of snake-footed K'awiil. This done, he now took a headband name, a royal name, he chose for himself: Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna, 18 Images of Itzamna.
And then he was the lord of the kingdom of Ix. A powerful country as far as the southern kingdoms went, but nothing compared to the superpowers to the north. Tz'unun, who still often went by his birth name, made good on his promise to ally with Kaan, but he found his friendship with the Snake Kingdom to be more than he bargained for. The weak rule of his overlord Wamaw K'awiil gave him many new enemies but few friends. Kaan hardly used their awesome might, and so Tz'unun was on his own to increase his holdings. And he proved his might as a military leader. He brought his hold over Tulam Tzu, formerly a great power many hundreds of years before but now little more than a pilgrimage site. He made himself patron of this city as well, and he brought riches to his people by controlling this place, the Polochic river, and the entire lake of Izabal. He ruled fairly and listened to the counsel of his elders and bacabs, and the popol na, the council house. The people of Ix were happier than they ever were under the Usurper or even Tz'unun's grandfather.
But even this much made Wamaw more suspicious than pleased. He was paranoid that Tz'unun had his own designs for the southlands and so he requested the king of Ix to come to his court as a guest. This he did with many other lords, and they all came. Here they still gave orders to their lands, but were also watched very closely by the spies of Kaan. Even though they were provided for from their own lands, they were all deeply unsettled. As Tz'unun got more used to the city he learned that even the local lords were very displeased with their king. Chan Muyal in particular was very angry. An old man in his late 60's, he was nevertheless very strong and was still the warlord of Kaan's armies. 40 years before he had captured a great lord of Mutul and won the biggest battle in Maya history. But not only did he longer get to fight, he was also being watched, as Wamaw distrusted anyone better than him, which in truth was almost everyone.
Another person of note Tz'unun met in his enforced vacation here was the Lady Mih Chan, Zero Sky. Although he took a liking to her, he couldn't court her for she was the younger sister of the king. But she felt the same way about him, and though the king was cruel to her she didn't care about the consequences so Tz'unun and Mih Chan began to meet eachother more and more often, always in secret. But Wamaw had his suspicions still, paranoid as he was. And it would cost Tz'unun dearly, for he had also begun to plot against the king himself.
Wamaw K'awiil had been getting ever stranger and crueler. Before he had simply been an incompetent lord, but with his growing paranoia he had gotten mean. He had also become to fond for chi and tobacco [1], and had slipped into insanity. His declarations became ever more bizarre, and he started insulting the gods. First he started by missing the rituals and festivals he needed to perform, but now he had taken for himself the name "Gucumatz", the name of a god of the southern highland people known as the Quetzal-Feathered Serpent. And so with his tyranny and insanity haven taken control, Tz'unun and Chan Muyal plotted with some of the lords of the city and the lords of the foreign lands kept hostage here. They all decided that Wamaw had to die, and that Tz'unun should be the new king of the Snake Kingdom by marrying Mih Chan because he had already proved himself an able ruler.
But at one banquet held by the king, Wamaw revealed his cunning. He calmly revealed that he knew of the conspiracy, and ordered the guards to kill or capture all who were present. But he did not count on the old warlord getting up and fending off the guards as some of the lords and nobles, including Tz'unun and himself, made their escape. But others were not so lucky, and were killed most cruelly by Wamaw. Mih Chan herself was held prisoner in the palace. Tz'unun, Chan Muyal, and their allies fled north into the thick jungle of the Chenes region.
It was a barren region, filled with scrubs and thick with trees, that he had missed on his long journey all over the Land of Turkey and Deer. He took refuge in the city of Hochob, which was better described as a glorified town. It was agreed most of them would hide here, protected by the lord of the city, while Chan Muyal went abroad looking for allies. It would be a long time before Tz'unun got to leave, but he became used to the land, and even grew fond of it over time. It was quieter than he was used to. It wasn't as busy as the large religious or commercial cities or the capitals that dominated the land, just a backwoods rural place that had a charm of its own. He fell asleep every night to the sound of cicadas and uo frogs rather than the nighttime commotion of Ix or Chiiknahb. He almost wished he could stay forever, but after a year since he was put into exile, Chan Muyal came back.
He had took so long because not only did he gather the people of the upset vassals of Kaan, but he followed Tz'unun's advice and went north to get Yucatecan mercenaries as well, Itzas and Cupuls. He had even sent for the captain of the Mexican troops that had assisted Tz'unun in the ballgame against K'an Jolom and the captain went to Mexico to gather even more mercenaries. But he also agreed to Tz'unun's condition that there was to be no destruction in Chiiknahb. He had a plan of his own.
The month of Pax was coming upon them, which was the month of war. Festivals occured to honor warriors, and most spectacular among them was the Holkan Okot, the warrior's dance. Hundreds of warriors would perform a complicated dance in unison and do a game of tossing sticks between eachother with great skill. Half of Chan Muyal's warriors infiltrated the city pretending to be the dancers for the Holkan Okot, while the other half put on masks and cloaks to hide their weapons and armor, and infiltrated by pretending to be revelers coming for the show. They did this without getting noticed, and on the appointed day they sprang their trap. While the people were watching the dance, the dancers suddenly tossed eachother spears and sprang upon the palace to attack. The guards who rushed to stop them found themselves attacked in turn by supposed revelers with masks and were slaughtered. Tz'unun shed his mask and ran into the palace to save the woman he loved, while Chan Muyal noticed Wamaw trying to run to his temple for sanctuary. This he was not going to find.
As Wamaw climbed up the steps in his heavy regalia, Chan Muyal followed, his obsidian edged sword swinging through the air like a hummingbird's wing, slicing down the men who guarded the steps. Higher and higher he went, and still the guards did not stand a chance. Muyal found his king cowering beneath the idol of his own creation, quaking in fear. He begged for his own life, offering Muyal the crown, but the aged warlord only said, "You don't get to live" and smashed "Gucumatz's" face into his idol, covering it in blood and gore, and tossed the ruined corpse down the steps. And so the rule of Wamaw K'awiil, known also as Gucumatz, ended, and the reign of Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil began.
Now formally the ruler of Kaan, the Snake Kingdom, Bolon Koh Tz'unun made his residence in Chiiknahb and handed the rule of Ix to a cousin of his. And from the center of his new kingdom he strove to make it a better kingdom for the common people than ever before. He did this using much of the things he learned on his travels. He gave power to his council, let them rule their own lands and give their counsel when needed, and he listened to what they had to say. He enlarged the city to make it less cramped, creating more neighborhoods that were spacious so the people could grow their gardens and have a chultun in every residential complex. Trees were planted throughout the city as in Uxmal, creating a garden city.
More famous however are the public works. When creating the new suburbs and housings, he brought architects and builders from the north, especially from Chenes. The new buildings of all types began to take on the Chenes style which has become emblematic of Kaan, and with these northern workers he also made more complex structures. Canals were built, even plumbing in many buildings, to create a system of running water. With this technique they even made fountains. But more crucial was the canal network radiating from outside the city, in the same style as he saw from Itzna. He even used builders from there, and so created a similar hydraulic system in addition to the many reservoirs to water his massive city in the dry season and in droughts. To feed the people, the hills away from the city were built into terraces, like those in the southern mountains.
Another problem to be averted was the increasing lack of trees. On his travels Tz'unun had noticed the soil eroding and becoming useless due to overexposure and lack of trees. So he began to enlarge the sacred preserves of trees that all kings had, and had his milpa farmers start charring the trees instead of cutting them down, enriching the soil and preserving the forest. His hydraulic and and agricultural techniques were spread all over the peninsula, to the extent where many people claimed to have came up with them.
And most notable of his legacy were the contributions to the state. He professionalized the army more, taking many of the things he found in Mexico. Armor became more complex, with many of the holcanes as well as nobles adopting the paneled collars and back mirrors and even the helmets made from wood and covered in shell mosaic. These warriors were fierce, and had a strong reputation all over. The Kingdom of the Snake once more became and imperious power, and the legacy of Bolon Koh Tz'unun was cemented in the annals of Maya history.
_________________
[1] Chi is the classical term for what the Mexicans call pulque. Also, Mayan tobacco was raw and very strong, sometimes having hallucinogenic effects.
The Glorious Reign of Bolon Koh Tz'unun
It was an auspicious day Bolon Koh Tz'unun was given his title as king of Ixnich'i Zotz. It was 9.15.5.16.0, 5 Overlord 3 New Sun (5 Ahau 3 Yaxkin). Tz'unun had been given the Interrogation of the Lords by the high priest, and he had passed. He had fasted and prayed for an entire day in the shrine of the city's royal temple, the tallest in the kingdom. Inside the dark shrine he pulled a thorned rope through his tongue, and burned that with a prayer paper and incense as an offering to the K'awiil, Itzamna, Hun Ye Nal, and his ancestors who had ruled over this city as men and ruled it now as gods. Through the vision serpent conjured by the offering he talked to them, and they confirmed his right to rule. As the smoke billowed out a great cheer erupted from the crowd gathered below, and they called for their new patron to come out. This he did, to more cheering, and then the coronation took place that afternoon in front of the palace of his forebears. He ascended a scaffold onto a royal throne draped in jaguar skins and covered by a canopy bearing Itzamna. He firmly tied the headband bearing a jade image of the god Hu'unal around his head. Then the high priest handed him a headdress made of wood and covered in jade and shell mosaic, trailing plumes of iridescent quetzal feathers. Finally, he was handed a scepter shaped in the form of snake-footed K'awiil. This done, he now took a headband name, a royal name, he chose for himself: Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna, 18 Images of Itzamna.
And then he was the lord of the kingdom of Ix. A powerful country as far as the southern kingdoms went, but nothing compared to the superpowers to the north. Tz'unun, who still often went by his birth name, made good on his promise to ally with Kaan, but he found his friendship with the Snake Kingdom to be more than he bargained for. The weak rule of his overlord Wamaw K'awiil gave him many new enemies but few friends. Kaan hardly used their awesome might, and so Tz'unun was on his own to increase his holdings. And he proved his might as a military leader. He brought his hold over Tulam Tzu, formerly a great power many hundreds of years before but now little more than a pilgrimage site. He made himself patron of this city as well, and he brought riches to his people by controlling this place, the Polochic river, and the entire lake of Izabal. He ruled fairly and listened to the counsel of his elders and bacabs, and the popol na, the council house. The people of Ix were happier than they ever were under the Usurper or even Tz'unun's grandfather.
But even this much made Wamaw more suspicious than pleased. He was paranoid that Tz'unun had his own designs for the southlands and so he requested the king of Ix to come to his court as a guest. This he did with many other lords, and they all came. Here they still gave orders to their lands, but were also watched very closely by the spies of Kaan. Even though they were provided for from their own lands, they were all deeply unsettled. As Tz'unun got more used to the city he learned that even the local lords were very displeased with their king. Chan Muyal in particular was very angry. An old man in his late 60's, he was nevertheless very strong and was still the warlord of Kaan's armies. 40 years before he had captured a great lord of Mutul and won the biggest battle in Maya history. But not only did he longer get to fight, he was also being watched, as Wamaw distrusted anyone better than him, which in truth was almost everyone.
Another person of note Tz'unun met in his enforced vacation here was the Lady Mih Chan, Zero Sky. Although he took a liking to her, he couldn't court her for she was the younger sister of the king. But she felt the same way about him, and though the king was cruel to her she didn't care about the consequences so Tz'unun and Mih Chan began to meet eachother more and more often, always in secret. But Wamaw had his suspicions still, paranoid as he was. And it would cost Tz'unun dearly, for he had also begun to plot against the king himself.
Wamaw K'awiil had been getting ever stranger and crueler. Before he had simply been an incompetent lord, but with his growing paranoia he had gotten mean. He had also become to fond for chi and tobacco [1], and had slipped into insanity. His declarations became ever more bizarre, and he started insulting the gods. First he started by missing the rituals and festivals he needed to perform, but now he had taken for himself the name "Gucumatz", the name of a god of the southern highland people known as the Quetzal-Feathered Serpent. And so with his tyranny and insanity haven taken control, Tz'unun and Chan Muyal plotted with some of the lords of the city and the lords of the foreign lands kept hostage here. They all decided that Wamaw had to die, and that Tz'unun should be the new king of the Snake Kingdom by marrying Mih Chan because he had already proved himself an able ruler.
But at one banquet held by the king, Wamaw revealed his cunning. He calmly revealed that he knew of the conspiracy, and ordered the guards to kill or capture all who were present. But he did not count on the old warlord getting up and fending off the guards as some of the lords and nobles, including Tz'unun and himself, made their escape. But others were not so lucky, and were killed most cruelly by Wamaw. Mih Chan herself was held prisoner in the palace. Tz'unun, Chan Muyal, and their allies fled north into the thick jungle of the Chenes region.
It was a barren region, filled with scrubs and thick with trees, that he had missed on his long journey all over the Land of Turkey and Deer. He took refuge in the city of Hochob, which was better described as a glorified town. It was agreed most of them would hide here, protected by the lord of the city, while Chan Muyal went abroad looking for allies. It would be a long time before Tz'unun got to leave, but he became used to the land, and even grew fond of it over time. It was quieter than he was used to. It wasn't as busy as the large religious or commercial cities or the capitals that dominated the land, just a backwoods rural place that had a charm of its own. He fell asleep every night to the sound of cicadas and uo frogs rather than the nighttime commotion of Ix or Chiiknahb. He almost wished he could stay forever, but after a year since he was put into exile, Chan Muyal came back.
He had took so long because not only did he gather the people of the upset vassals of Kaan, but he followed Tz'unun's advice and went north to get Yucatecan mercenaries as well, Itzas and Cupuls. He had even sent for the captain of the Mexican troops that had assisted Tz'unun in the ballgame against K'an Jolom and the captain went to Mexico to gather even more mercenaries. But he also agreed to Tz'unun's condition that there was to be no destruction in Chiiknahb. He had a plan of his own.
The month of Pax was coming upon them, which was the month of war. Festivals occured to honor warriors, and most spectacular among them was the Holkan Okot, the warrior's dance. Hundreds of warriors would perform a complicated dance in unison and do a game of tossing sticks between eachother with great skill. Half of Chan Muyal's warriors infiltrated the city pretending to be the dancers for the Holkan Okot, while the other half put on masks and cloaks to hide their weapons and armor, and infiltrated by pretending to be revelers coming for the show. They did this without getting noticed, and on the appointed day they sprang their trap. While the people were watching the dance, the dancers suddenly tossed eachother spears and sprang upon the palace to attack. The guards who rushed to stop them found themselves attacked in turn by supposed revelers with masks and were slaughtered. Tz'unun shed his mask and ran into the palace to save the woman he loved, while Chan Muyal noticed Wamaw trying to run to his temple for sanctuary. This he was not going to find.
As Wamaw climbed up the steps in his heavy regalia, Chan Muyal followed, his obsidian edged sword swinging through the air like a hummingbird's wing, slicing down the men who guarded the steps. Higher and higher he went, and still the guards did not stand a chance. Muyal found his king cowering beneath the idol of his own creation, quaking in fear. He begged for his own life, offering Muyal the crown, but the aged warlord only said, "You don't get to live" and smashed "Gucumatz's" face into his idol, covering it in blood and gore, and tossed the ruined corpse down the steps. And so the rule of Wamaw K'awiil, known also as Gucumatz, ended, and the reign of Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil began.
Now formally the ruler of Kaan, the Snake Kingdom, Bolon Koh Tz'unun made his residence in Chiiknahb and handed the rule of Ix to a cousin of his. And from the center of his new kingdom he strove to make it a better kingdom for the common people than ever before. He did this using much of the things he learned on his travels. He gave power to his council, let them rule their own lands and give their counsel when needed, and he listened to what they had to say. He enlarged the city to make it less cramped, creating more neighborhoods that were spacious so the people could grow their gardens and have a chultun in every residential complex. Trees were planted throughout the city as in Uxmal, creating a garden city.
More famous however are the public works. When creating the new suburbs and housings, he brought architects and builders from the north, especially from Chenes. The new buildings of all types began to take on the Chenes style which has become emblematic of Kaan, and with these northern workers he also made more complex structures. Canals were built, even plumbing in many buildings, to create a system of running water. With this technique they even made fountains. But more crucial was the canal network radiating from outside the city, in the same style as he saw from Itzna. He even used builders from there, and so created a similar hydraulic system in addition to the many reservoirs to water his massive city in the dry season and in droughts. To feed the people, the hills away from the city were built into terraces, like those in the southern mountains.
Another problem to be averted was the increasing lack of trees. On his travels Tz'unun had noticed the soil eroding and becoming useless due to overexposure and lack of trees. So he began to enlarge the sacred preserves of trees that all kings had, and had his milpa farmers start charring the trees instead of cutting them down, enriching the soil and preserving the forest. His hydraulic and and agricultural techniques were spread all over the peninsula, to the extent where many people claimed to have came up with them.
And most notable of his legacy were the contributions to the state. He professionalized the army more, taking many of the things he found in Mexico. Armor became more complex, with many of the holcanes as well as nobles adopting the paneled collars and back mirrors and even the helmets made from wood and covered in shell mosaic. These warriors were fierce, and had a strong reputation all over. The Kingdom of the Snake once more became and imperious power, and the legacy of Bolon Koh Tz'unun was cemented in the annals of Maya history.
_________________
[1] Chi is the classical term for what the Mexicans call pulque. Also, Mayan tobacco was raw and very strong, sometimes having hallucinogenic effects.
No comments? How discouraging. Ah well, might as well continue by putting the life of Bolon Koh Tz'unun into historical perspective, at least as far as TTL is concerned...
The Maya Renaissance
Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna's [1] rise to power came at a crucial time for the Maya. While how much of his life is fact and how much is legend is still unknown, what is known is that he contributed to the changes that marked a "renaissance" for the entire civilization. Before him the population was at a peak of 10,000,000 and there was not enough being done to help sustain the population. Instead kings mostly continued to build taller and taller pyramids, which required much work and trees. The loss of trees contributed to soil erosion, which made farming even harder, and to fill the work quotas some rulers increased their raids to take slaves from rivals. If the renaissance had not occurred it his hard to imagine how they would have dealt with the great drought that occurred in the Fire Katun. Some authors have suggested that many of the large cities would be totally abandoned due to the catastrophe. While the drought was one of the largest in human history, this is of course ridiculous and not a mainstream theory.
But ignoring what could've been, what did happen was that the rulers in the south gradually emulated many of the styles and techniques of the north. Cities became less centralized, building slowed down, and new agricultural techniques helped sustain the massive population. While a lot of the changes are attributed to Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna, known in his time as Bolon Koh Tz'unun, there are others who deserve some of the credit. Most stories even have him emulating Itzna and Uxmal, yet many nowadays ignore their contributions. The real credit for the hydraulic works of Kaan that were emulated in the other kingdoms goes to Tiwol Chan Mat [2], an early Classic ruler of Itzna who first started the construction on the complex canal system that is still one of the largest in Mesoamerica.
And the rule of Tz'unun was not entirely without troubles. After marrying the sister of the usurped king and taking the throne of the largest kingdom in the Yucatan, there were many nobles who, despite the tyranny of Wamaw K'awiil, decried their new ruler as a usurper and a foreigner. Some of the bakabs even built their temples to be larger and grander, so as to attract more worshippers from the royal temples [3]. But when he increased the size of the army and started attacking nearby enemies and getting more vassals, support for him grew and all the bakabs and sajals started supporting him as they had more to gain this way.
Outside of Kaan, other kings were competing for power as well. The glorious king of Pa'Chan, Itzamnaaj Balam the Great, was continuing to enforce his will on cites around his side of the Utzacbe river, even though he was now in his eighties. In the esteemed city of Lakamha, Upakal K'inich succeeded his brother K'inich Ahkal Mo' Nahb, taking the name of his greatest ancestor as a royal name: K'inich Janaab Pakal. But most dramatic of all was the story of Xuxpi, the ally of Mutul in the far southeast.
Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, 18 Images of the Lightning God, had been king of this great land for over two katuns. In this time he increased building projects and brought much prestige to his city. He was venerated even outside of his kingdom as a pious man, who respected the gods and was considered to be knowledgeable in religious matters. He even increased the holdings of his kingdom, but his fate was sealed by a man he thought his ally, and a friend. K'ahk' Tiliw Chan Yopaat was a vassal king of his, trusted above all others by Uaxaclajuun, who had even overseen his enthronement. But Wamaw K'awiil of Kaan had made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and in an act of treachery he rebelled against his overlord, capturing him. It is rumored he was tortured, a heinous thing to do to any king, let alone one who the torturer betrayed, but whatever happened, on 9.15.6.14.6, 6 Cham 4 Kutzew [4] he was beheaded in a public ceremony watched by a throng of those he had called his subjects and vassals.
Yopaat did not get to enjoy his newfound friendship with Kaan as much as he wanted however, as shortly after his new overlord was overthrown by Bolon Koh Tz'unun. While the alliance was maintained, few favors were given to him as Tz'unun would not trust a traitor, even if that traitor was an ally. Soon into his reign, however, Tz'unun faced a grave threat, the most serious in Kaan's history since the beginning of the Wasp Katun in 695. Yik'in Chan K'awiil, son of the man who came so close to defeating them before, had decided to do what his father could not so he gathered a massive army to fight his new rival. He even got his allies in Pa'Chan and Lakamha to send forces. As Itzamnaaj was far to old to fight, he sent his greatest sajal, Tilom of the Jaguar Hills, to lead elements of his army.
In response, Tz'unun gathered allies from Yokib', the Chenes region, Saal, and many soldiers from the cities of the Itzas and Yucatecans. It was a large force, perhaps around the size his forebears brought to Yellow Rabbit in 695. His force was advanced, rather than being concentrated on nobles with their servants and masses of peasants, most of the troops in Tz'unun's army were holcanes, professionals who organized the militia, and members of warrior societies and noble retinues. They were protected by cotton vests hardened by brine and stuffed sometimes with rock salt. Some wore panelled collars of leather or bone/wood scales as well, along with some leg protection and helmets of wood and shell mosaic to make them shine. Some of them even wore the back mirrors emblematic of the soldiers of the Place of Reeds. Most importantly, they had all been instructed to stay in one group as an army rather than splitting into smaller groups to fight other lords.
As it happened, both armies met in the land of Chatan, near the ancient ruins of Oxte'tuun. Both rulers had come, riding their massive heavily-adorned litters. Their vassal kings did likewise, although not usually as ornate. Most significant of all however was the fact that Tz'unun had brought hte Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Kaan, the massive serpent effigy that was a symbol of Mutul's army until it was captured in that great battle of 695. The army of Mutul was incensed by Tz'unun's act, and attacked rashly before Yik'in even gave the order. This was what he had predicted, and as Mutul's massive army charged for Kaan's trophy Tz'unun had his allies come and flank the rushing warriors. What ensued was a fierce battle, which quickly turned into a rout and then a massacre. Yik'in however, showed great wisdom by pulling back what troops he could, forming a line with his allies. But the damage had been done, and the Itza warriors in Kaan's army chased the retreaters through the line of Mutul's force, creating a gap which was exploited, resulting the total defeat of Mutul. Yik'in escaped however, swearing he would have vengeance one day.
The Battle of Chatan in 9.15.10.0.17, 7 Chab' 0 Ik' Sihom, July 11th 741, secured the Kingdom of the Snake for the remainder of Bolon Koh Tz'unun's reign. As it turned out, Yik'in would die a few years later of old age before he ever could have a chance at vengeance, and his successors were much less able kings than he was. The rest of Tz'unun's reign was rather peaceful, in that there were no more such momentous battles or events. He would die a couple decades later after suffering a paralytic stroke. However his legacy, although the story of life remains dubious, was cemented and leaving him as the man credited for beginning the Maya Renaissance. Over the next several decades the people of the Yucatan started to make many strides in the sciences and other areas. By the start of the 9th Century, when a massive drought struck the land, the people endured, even if they suffered a great deal. In the aftermath, a great influx of Mexicans started to come, and from then on the "Medieval" period of Maya history was about to begin...
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Two updates in two days, is that a record for me? Oh, and don't hesitate to tell me that I am receiving few views or comments because I'm a horrible writer.
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[1] Like among the Chinese or Japanese, the rulers' royal names are more common in histories than their personal birth names.
[2] Made up guy, I don't know any of the rulers of Edzna's names at all. The stelae there are pretty eroded.
[3] As it turns out temples seem to have been a tad secular, in that they were associated with the people who built them rather than any specific god. In times of trouble nobles might've spent more money on their temples to tell the people "See? The king is not doing so well, you should pray with us instead of him."
[4] Yay for Classic date names! It's 6 Kimi 4 Tzec by the Yucatecan calendar, or April 29th 738 by ours.
The Maya Renaissance
Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna's [1] rise to power came at a crucial time for the Maya. While how much of his life is fact and how much is legend is still unknown, what is known is that he contributed to the changes that marked a "renaissance" for the entire civilization. Before him the population was at a peak of 10,000,000 and there was not enough being done to help sustain the population. Instead kings mostly continued to build taller and taller pyramids, which required much work and trees. The loss of trees contributed to soil erosion, which made farming even harder, and to fill the work quotas some rulers increased their raids to take slaves from rivals. If the renaissance had not occurred it his hard to imagine how they would have dealt with the great drought that occurred in the Fire Katun. Some authors have suggested that many of the large cities would be totally abandoned due to the catastrophe. While the drought was one of the largest in human history, this is of course ridiculous and not a mainstream theory.
But ignoring what could've been, what did happen was that the rulers in the south gradually emulated many of the styles and techniques of the north. Cities became less centralized, building slowed down, and new agricultural techniques helped sustain the massive population. While a lot of the changes are attributed to Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Itzamna, known in his time as Bolon Koh Tz'unun, there are others who deserve some of the credit. Most stories even have him emulating Itzna and Uxmal, yet many nowadays ignore their contributions. The real credit for the hydraulic works of Kaan that were emulated in the other kingdoms goes to Tiwol Chan Mat [2], an early Classic ruler of Itzna who first started the construction on the complex canal system that is still one of the largest in Mesoamerica.
And the rule of Tz'unun was not entirely without troubles. After marrying the sister of the usurped king and taking the throne of the largest kingdom in the Yucatan, there were many nobles who, despite the tyranny of Wamaw K'awiil, decried their new ruler as a usurper and a foreigner. Some of the bakabs even built their temples to be larger and grander, so as to attract more worshippers from the royal temples [3]. But when he increased the size of the army and started attacking nearby enemies and getting more vassals, support for him grew and all the bakabs and sajals started supporting him as they had more to gain this way.
Outside of Kaan, other kings were competing for power as well. The glorious king of Pa'Chan, Itzamnaaj Balam the Great, was continuing to enforce his will on cites around his side of the Utzacbe river, even though he was now in his eighties. In the esteemed city of Lakamha, Upakal K'inich succeeded his brother K'inich Ahkal Mo' Nahb, taking the name of his greatest ancestor as a royal name: K'inich Janaab Pakal. But most dramatic of all was the story of Xuxpi, the ally of Mutul in the far southeast.
Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, 18 Images of the Lightning God, had been king of this great land for over two katuns. In this time he increased building projects and brought much prestige to his city. He was venerated even outside of his kingdom as a pious man, who respected the gods and was considered to be knowledgeable in religious matters. He even increased the holdings of his kingdom, but his fate was sealed by a man he thought his ally, and a friend. K'ahk' Tiliw Chan Yopaat was a vassal king of his, trusted above all others by Uaxaclajuun, who had even overseen his enthronement. But Wamaw K'awiil of Kaan had made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and in an act of treachery he rebelled against his overlord, capturing him. It is rumored he was tortured, a heinous thing to do to any king, let alone one who the torturer betrayed, but whatever happened, on 9.15.6.14.6, 6 Cham 4 Kutzew [4] he was beheaded in a public ceremony watched by a throng of those he had called his subjects and vassals.
Yopaat did not get to enjoy his newfound friendship with Kaan as much as he wanted however, as shortly after his new overlord was overthrown by Bolon Koh Tz'unun. While the alliance was maintained, few favors were given to him as Tz'unun would not trust a traitor, even if that traitor was an ally. Soon into his reign, however, Tz'unun faced a grave threat, the most serious in Kaan's history since the beginning of the Wasp Katun in 695. Yik'in Chan K'awiil, son of the man who came so close to defeating them before, had decided to do what his father could not so he gathered a massive army to fight his new rival. He even got his allies in Pa'Chan and Lakamha to send forces. As Itzamnaaj was far to old to fight, he sent his greatest sajal, Tilom of the Jaguar Hills, to lead elements of his army.
In response, Tz'unun gathered allies from Yokib', the Chenes region, Saal, and many soldiers from the cities of the Itzas and Yucatecans. It was a large force, perhaps around the size his forebears brought to Yellow Rabbit in 695. His force was advanced, rather than being concentrated on nobles with their servants and masses of peasants, most of the troops in Tz'unun's army were holcanes, professionals who organized the militia, and members of warrior societies and noble retinues. They were protected by cotton vests hardened by brine and stuffed sometimes with rock salt. Some wore panelled collars of leather or bone/wood scales as well, along with some leg protection and helmets of wood and shell mosaic to make them shine. Some of them even wore the back mirrors emblematic of the soldiers of the Place of Reeds. Most importantly, they had all been instructed to stay in one group as an army rather than splitting into smaller groups to fight other lords.
As it happened, both armies met in the land of Chatan, near the ancient ruins of Oxte'tuun. Both rulers had come, riding their massive heavily-adorned litters. Their vassal kings did likewise, although not usually as ornate. Most significant of all however was the fact that Tz'unun had brought hte Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah Kaan, the massive serpent effigy that was a symbol of Mutul's army until it was captured in that great battle of 695. The army of Mutul was incensed by Tz'unun's act, and attacked rashly before Yik'in even gave the order. This was what he had predicted, and as Mutul's massive army charged for Kaan's trophy Tz'unun had his allies come and flank the rushing warriors. What ensued was a fierce battle, which quickly turned into a rout and then a massacre. Yik'in however, showed great wisdom by pulling back what troops he could, forming a line with his allies. But the damage had been done, and the Itza warriors in Kaan's army chased the retreaters through the line of Mutul's force, creating a gap which was exploited, resulting the total defeat of Mutul. Yik'in escaped however, swearing he would have vengeance one day.
The Battle of Chatan in 9.15.10.0.17, 7 Chab' 0 Ik' Sihom, July 11th 741, secured the Kingdom of the Snake for the remainder of Bolon Koh Tz'unun's reign. As it turned out, Yik'in would die a few years later of old age before he ever could have a chance at vengeance, and his successors were much less able kings than he was. The rest of Tz'unun's reign was rather peaceful, in that there were no more such momentous battles or events. He would die a couple decades later after suffering a paralytic stroke. However his legacy, although the story of life remains dubious, was cemented and leaving him as the man credited for beginning the Maya Renaissance. Over the next several decades the people of the Yucatan started to make many strides in the sciences and other areas. By the start of the 9th Century, when a massive drought struck the land, the people endured, even if they suffered a great deal. In the aftermath, a great influx of Mexicans started to come, and from then on the "Medieval" period of Maya history was about to begin...
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Two updates in two days, is that a record for me?
Oh, and don't hesitate to tell me that I am receiving few views or comments because I'm a horrible writer.______________________
[1] Like among the Chinese or Japanese, the rulers' royal names are more common in histories than their personal birth names.
[2] Made up guy, I don't know any of the rulers of Edzna's names at all. The stelae there are pretty eroded.
[3] As it turns out temples seem to have been a tad secular, in that they were associated with the people who built them rather than any specific god. In times of trouble nobles might've spent more money on their temples to tell the people "See? The king is not doing so well, you should pray with us instead of him."
[4] Yay for Classic date names! It's 6 Kimi 4 Tzec by the Yucatecan calendar, or April 29th 738 by ours.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
You're receiving very low comments because people are generally very ignorant of Mayan history or want to know what happens when the Mayans finally come into contact with the Europeans.
I too have been facing a drought in comments but it was good. I can't say much more because I don't know too much about the Mayans. I don't want you to abandon this.
I too have been facing a drought in comments but it was good. I can't say much more because I don't know too much about the Mayans. I don't want you to abandon this.
Heh, one of the reasons I scrapped Land of Turkey and Deer was that some of the commenters and even myself didn't like how much it skipped over pre-Columbian history and went straight to the contact. Anyway, I am probably going to up the pace a lot. It only went so slow through the 600/700's because those two decades are crucial for the understanding of what has happened and will happen. And they have the pods. So yeah, now we can breeze a bit faster through the (OTL) Terminal and Postclassic periods. Yay!
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Heh, one of the reasons I scrapped Land of Turkey and Deer was that some of the commenters and even myself didn't like how much it skipped over pre-Columbian history and went straight to the contact. Anyway, I am probably going to up the pace a lot. It only went so slow through the 600/700's because those two decades are crucial for the understanding of what has happened and will happen. And they have the pods. So yeah, now we can breeze a bit faster through the (OTL) Terminal and Postclassic periods. Yay!
That's good. I decided it would be too boring to go into the history of the Aztec empire prior to contact since the whole point of my TL involves Cortes carving himself a kingdom in the ashes of the old Aztec empire so I went for the "visions" that Montezuma allegedly had prior to the Spanish conquest.
Good to know!
Great updates, 9 Fanged Hummingbird! Looks like the Maya will survive the OTL collapse, owing to the new canals (how timely they were made) and the general lack of conflict in the 8th century. Hail Bolon Koh Tz'unun!
) and the general lack of conflict in the 8th century. Hail Bolon Koh Tz'unun!It's not so much that they're new rather than there simply being more of them made in the same way Edzna's were. Edzna happened to have a massive and ingenious system, but the other cities did have canals as well.Great updates, 9 Fanged Hummingbird! Looks like the Maya will survive the OTL collapse, owing to the new canals (how timely they were made