Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ |
|
|---|---|
| Ajaw | |
Funerary mask of Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ
|
|
| King of Calakmul | |
| Reign | 4 April 686 - 31 March 698 |
| Predecessor | Yuknoom Ch'een II |
| Successor | Yuknoom Tookʼ Kʼawiil |
| Born | 6 October 649 Calakmul |
| Died | 31 March 698 (aged 48) Calakmul |
| Burial | Calakmul |
| Issue | Yuknoom Tookʼ Kʼawiil, King of Calakmul |
| Father | Yuknoom Ch'een II |
| Religion | Maya religion |
Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ (born October 6, 649, died March 31, 698) was a powerful Maya king. He was also known as Yuknoom Ixquiac, which means "Jaguar Paw Smoke." He ruled the Kaan kingdom, a major Maya civilization, from its capital city of Calakmul. This was during the Classic Period of Mesoamerican history.
Contents
Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ's Rule
Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ became king when he was 36 years old. However, he might have been helping to rule the kingdom even before that. His father, Yuknoom the Great, was the previous king. He lived to be very old and might have needed help governing in his later years.
Early Years and Power
A special stone carving, called Stela 9, from the year 662, talks a lot about Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ's birth. It gives him a full royal title, showing his importance from a young age. This suggests he was involved in important events even before officially becoming king.
Many victories and signs of the Kaan kingdom's power might have been due to him. For example, the Kaan kingdom won battles against Tikal in 677 and 679. He also oversaw new kings taking power in other cities like Moral and Cancuen.
In 682, a powerful woman named Lady Six Sky was sent from Dos Pilas. Her mission was to help restart the royal family in the city of Naranjo. This was another sign of the Kaan kingdom's influence. Also, in 685, a Kaan leader showed their power in Piedras Negras.
Becoming King
When Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ officially became king, this event was recorded in other cities. The ruler Kʼinich Bahlam noted it in El Peru. And Bʼalaj Chan Kʼawiil recorded it in Dos Pilas. Later, in 693, Lady Six Sky's son, Kʼakʼ Tiliw Chan Chaak, became king in Naranjo.
Battle and Survival
In 695, Calakmul faced a big military defeat against Tikal. For a while, people thought that King Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ might have been killed or captured in this battle. An image found in Tikal showed a prisoner, and a damaged text nearby mentioned the Kaan king. This made people wonder if it was him.
However, a new discovery at La Corona showed that the king survived. He visited that town in 696, proving he was still alive. It is believed that Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ is buried in Tomb 4 inside Calakmul's Structure 2.
Royal Monuments
Yuknoom Yichʼaak Kʼahkʼ did not create as many grand monuments as the king before him. The two stone monuments (stelae) that are still standing, including Stela 105 from 692, are located a bit far from the main part of the city.
See also
In Spanish: Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' para niños
