Wuqu-Batzʼ facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wuqu-Batzʼ
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| Ahpo Sotzʼil of Iximche | |
Temple 2 had three construction phases dating, from oldest to newest, from the reigns of Wuqu-Batzʼ, Oxlahuh Tzʼiʼ and Hun-Iqʼ.
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| Successor | Oxlahuh-Tzʼiʼ |
| Spouse(s) | unknown queen |
| Issue | Oxlahuh-Tzʼiʼ |
| Father | unknown |
| Mother | unknown |
Wuqu-Batzʼ was a powerful leader, known as an Ahpo Sotzʼil (which means ruler or king), of the Kaqchikel Maya kingdom. His capital city was Iximche. This was during a period called the Late Postclassic era of the Maya.
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Who Was Wuqu-Batzʼ?
Wuqu-Batzʼ was a respected leader of the Kaqchikel people. He worked closely with another important leader named Hun-Toh. Both of them showed great loyalty to the Kʼicheʼ king, Kʼiqʼab.
A King's Reward
Because of their strong loyalty, King Kʼiqʼab gave Wuqu-Batzʼ and Hun-Toh special royal titles. Wuqu-Batzʼ became the Ahpo Sotzʼil. Hun-Toh received the title Ahpo Xahil. These titles gave them power to rule their own people.
A Difficult Time
However, King Kʼiqʼab's own sons became jealous of his power. They started a rebellion against their father. This caused serious problems for the king and weakened his authority.
Conflict and Departure
Later, a disagreement happened between the Kʼicheʼ and Kaqchikel people. The Kaqchikel leaders, including Wuqu-Batzʼ, refused to give in to the Kʼicheʼ demands. Because of this, the Kʼicheʼ lords decided to sentence Wuqu-Batzʼ and Hun-Toh to death. This was against King Kʼiqʼab's wishes.
King Kʼiqʼab secretly warned his Kaqchikel friends. He told them they should leave the Kʼicheʼ capital city, Qʼumarkaj, to stay safe.
Founding a New Home
Wuqu-Batzʼ, along with Hun-Toh, Chuluk, and Xitamel-Keh, were the four main Kaqchikel lords. They led their people away from Qʼumarkaj. Their goal was to build their own capital city.
They successfully founded a new city called Iximche. This became the new center of the Kaqchikel kingdom. The exact year they moved and built Iximche is not fully known.
Wuqu-Batzʼ's Family
Wuqu-Batzʼ's son, Oxlahuh-Tzʼiʼ, took over as ruler after him. Oxlahuh-Tzʼiʼ was also the father of another important leader, Hun-Iqʼ.
