This is a list of rulers of Tikal, a major city-state of the Maya Lowlands during the Classic period. Tikal is known to have had at least 33 rulers from the 1st through 9th centuries AD. Twenty-seven of these have been identified, as of 2008.[n 1]
| Ajaw of Tikal | |
|---|---|
 Emblem glyph of Tikal | |
 Sihyaj Chan K'awiil II on frontispiece of Stela 31 of Tikal / 2010 photograph by HJPD / via Commons | |
| Details | |
| Style |
|
| First monarch | Yax Ehb Xook |
| Last monarch | Jasaw Chan K'awiil II / last known |
| Formation | c. AD 90 |
| Abolition | c. 869 |
| Residence | Tikal |
Background edit
The monarchy of Tikal is the oldest yet known in the Maya Lowlands, having been founded at the turn of the 1st century AD.[1] The dynasty is last attested in the late 9th century, after a span of some 800 years and at least 33 rulers.[2] Thorough excavations, first begun by the University of Pennsylvania, and later by the Guatemalan Institute of Archaeology, have uncovered troves of epigraphic data which Mayanists have employed to reconstruct Tikal's dynastic lineage.[2] As of 2008, 27 rulers have been identified, including at least one woman.
List edit
The following is an annotated, chronological list of known lords of Tikal. A tabular list is provided in the following section.[n 2]
Late Preclassic edit
- Yax Ehb' Xok – r. c. AD 60 or c. AD 90; dynastic founder.
- Siyaj Chan K'awil Chak Ich'aak ("Stormy Sky I") – r. c. 2nd century.
- Yax Ch’aktel Xok – r. c. 200.
Early Classic edit
- Balam Ajaw ("Decorated Jaguar") – r. 292.
- K'inich Ehb' – r. c. 300.
- Siyaj Chan K'awiil I - r. c. 307.
- Unen Bahlam ("Queen Jaguar") – r. 317.
- "Leyden Plate Ruler" – r. 320.
- K'inich Muwaan Jol – r. c. 359.
- Chak Tok Ich'aak I ("Jaguar Paw I") – r. c. 360–378; died on the same day that Siyah K'ak' arrived in Tikal.
- Yax Nuun Ayiin I – r. 379–404; son of a foreign noble.
- Siyaj Chan K'awiil II ("Stormy Sky II") – r. 411–456; son of Yax Nuun Ayiin I.
- K'an Chitam ("Kan Boar") – r. 458–486.
- Ma'kin-na Chan – r. c. late 5th century.
- Chak Tok Ich'aak II ("Jaguar Paw Skull") – r. 486–508; married "Lady Hand."
- Ix Kalo'mte' Ix Yo K'in ("Lady of Tikal") – r. 511–527; co-ruled with Kaloomte' B'alam, possibly as consort.
- Kaloomte' B'alam ("Curl-Head," "19th Lord") – r. 511–527; co-ruled with Ix Kalo'mte' Ix Yo K'in as regent.
- "Bird Claw" ("Animal Skull I," "Ete I") – r. c. 527–537.
- Wak Chan K'awiil ("Double-Bird") – r. 537–562; captured and possibly sacrificed in Caracol.
- "Lizard Head II" – r. unknown; lost a battle to Caracol in 562.
Late Classic edit
- Jasaw Chan K'awiil I ("Ruler A," "Ah Cacao") – r. 682–734; entombed in Temple I; married Lady Twelve Macaw; won a battle against Calakmul in 711.
- Yik'in Chan K'awiil ("Ruler B") – r. 734–766; tomb unknown.
- "Temple VI Ruler" – r. 766–768.
- Yax Nuun Ayiin II ("Chitam") – r. 768–790.
- Chitam II ("Dark Sun") – r. c. 810; buried in Temple III.
- "Jewel K'awil" – r. 849.
- Jasaw Chan K'awiil II – r. 869–889
Table edit
| Name | a.k.a. | No. | From | To | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yax Ehb Xook |
|
1st | c. 90 | c. 110 | Founder
|
| ? |
|
? | ? | ? | –
|
| ? | ? | c. 280 | c. 300 | –
| |
| Sihyaj Chan K'awiil I | –
|
11th | c. 307 | c. 310 | Son of Animal Headdress
|
| Unen Bahlam | –
|
? | c. 317 | c. 320 | –
|
| K'inich Muwaan Jol |
|
13th | c. 330 | 359 | Death 23 May 359, possibly
|
| Chak Tok Ich'aak I |
|
14th | 360 | 378 |
|
| Yax Nuun Ahiin I |
|
? | 379 | c. 404 |
|
| Sihyaj Chan K'awiil II |
|
16th | 411 | 456 |
|
| K'an Chitam |
|
? | 458 | c. 486 |
|
| Chak Tok Ich'aak II |
|
? | c. 486 | 508 |
|
| ? |
|
? | 511 | c. 527 |
|
| Kaloomte' Bahlam | Curl Head
|
19th | c. 511 | c. 527 | –
|
| ? | Twentieth Ruler
|
20th | ? | ? | a.k.a. Bird Claw or Animal Skull I or Ete I, possibly
|
| Wak Chan K'awiil | Double Bird
|
21st | 537 | 562 |
|
| ? | 22nd | c. 590 | c. 620 | Son of Fire Cross
| |
| ? | 23rd | ? | ? | –
| |
| ? | 24th | ? | ? | –
| |
| Nuun Ujol Chaak |
|
? | c. 655 | c. 680 | Son of K'inich Muwaan Jol II, possibly
|
| Jasaw Chan K'awiil I |
|
? | 682 | 734 |
|
| Yik'in Chan K'awiil |
|
27th | 734 | c. 746 |
|
| ? | 28th | c. 766 | 768 | Son of Yik'in Chan K'awiil
| |
| Yax Nuun Ahiin II |
|
29th | 768 | c. 794 |
|
| Nuun Ujol K'inich | –
|
? | c. 800 | c. 800 | –
|
| ? | ? | c. 810 | c. 810 | –
| |
| Jewel K'awiil | –
|
? | c. 849 | c. 849 | Son of Nuun Ujol K'inich, possibly
|
| Jasaw Chan K'awiil II | Stela 11 Ruler
|
? | c. 869 | c. 869 | –
|
See also edit
- Maya monarchs, listing known rulers of various Classic and Postclassic Maya states
- Lists of ancient kings, listing lists of known rulers of various ancient Old and New World states
Notes and references edit
Explanatory footnotes edit
- ^ Dates sourced from Martin & Grube 2008 are in the Julian calendar, converted from the Maya Long Count via the GMT+2 correlation (Martin & Grube 2008, p. 13).
- ^ English language names are provisional nicknames based on rulers' identifying glyphs, where their Maya language names have not yet been definitively deciphered phonetically.
Short citations edit
- ^ Martin & Grube 2008, pp. 17, 25–26.
- ^ a b Martin & Grube 2008, p. 25.
- ^ Martin & Grube 2008, pp. 24–53.
Full citations edit
- FAMSI (2012) [First published ca 2004 by FAMSI]. "Maya Royal Dynasties" (PDF). FAMSI (Guide) (Revised by Inga E Calvin ed.). Los Angeles, California: Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2023.
- Martin S, Grube N (2008) [First published 2000 by Thames & Hudson]. Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya (2nd ed.). London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-28726-2. LCCN 2008396649.
- Sharer RJ, Traxler LP (2006) [First published 1946 by SUP]. The Ancient Maya (6th ed.). Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4816-0. LCCN 2005003043.