Caracol - Lords of Caracol

Lords of Caracol

Note that this list is not continuous, as the epigraphic record is incomplete.

• 331–349: Te' K'ab Chaak
• circa 470: K'ak' Ujol K'inich I
• 484–514: Yajaw Te' K'inich I
• 531–534: K'an I
• 553–593: Yajaw Te' K'inich II (Lord Water)
• 599–613: Knot Ajaw
• 618–658: K'an II
• 658–680: K'ak' Ujol K'inich II
• circa 700: Ruler VII
• mid 8th century: name unknown
• 793: Tum Yohl K'inich
• 798: K'inich Joy K'awiil
• 810–830: K'inich Toob'il Yoaat
• 835–849: K'an III
• 859: Ruler XIII

Te’ K’ab Chaak (Tree Branch Rain God) is the dynastic progenitor of Caracol, yet is only known from two Late Classic back dated texts. One places him at A.D. 331, and the second at A.D. 349.

K’ahk’ Ujol K’inich I (also known as Ruler I, or Smoking Skull I) appears on the 6th century genealogical text of Stela 16, but his place in the line of reigning lords is unknown. His reign has been estimated to be circa A.D. 470. He may have been the father of Yajaw Te’ K’inich I.

Yajaw Te’ K’inich I acceded to rulership in A.D. 484 (9.2.9.0.16), and is known from Stela 13, which records his celebration of the 4th K’atun in A.D. 514. His monuments include Stela 13 and Altar 4. He is the father of K’an I.

K'an I (also known as Ruler II) is the son of Yajaw Te’ K’inich I, and acceded his father in A.D. 531 – 9.4.16.13.3. Stela 15 text gives his parentage statement, and tells that his accession was overseen by a ‘higher authority,’ either another lord or a divine being. His monuments include Stela 16 (which includes his parentage statement) and Altar 14.

Yajaw Te' K'inich II (also known as Lord Water), son of K’an I and named after his grandfather, acceded to power in A.D. 553 - 9.5.19.1.2. His monuments include Stelae 1, 4(?), 14, and Altars 1, 6, and 24. His first monument, Stela 14, records the K’atun ending in A.D. 554 (9.6.0.0.0). As told on Altar 21, Yajaw Te’ K’inich II’s accession takes place under the auspices of the Tikal Lord Wak Chan K’awiil. He erected Stela 1 and Altar 1 to mark his last K’atun ending of 9.8.0.0.0, and four years later he is referenced as ‘seeing’ the 9.8.10.0.0 ending. He is mentioned in the fragmentary text on Stela 23. In A.D. 562 – 9.6.8.4.2 he enacted the first recorded star-war against Tikal and Lord Wak Chan K’awiil. His two sons, Knot Ajaw and Kan II, rule after him.

Knot Ajaw, born in A.D. 575 (9.7.2.0.3), succeeded his father Yajaw Te’ K’inich II in A.D. 599. Erected Stelae 5, 6, and 7 (?) to the west of Structure A13, as well as dedicated Altars 11(?) and 15. He was the half-brother of K’an II.

K’an II is described as the most successful Caracol ruler. Reigning for 40 years from A.D. 618 to 658, he expanded the causeway system and saw an increase in the site’s population. Born as Sak Witzil Baah (“White First Hill”, or “White Gopher Hill”) in A.D. 588, he took his grandfather’s name at his accession. He was the half-brother of Knot Ajaw, and was thus always stressing his legitimacy by referencing his mother (who may be Batz’ Ek’). It is interesting that he never references the rule of his brother Knot Ajaw in any of his monuments, even those that describe his dynastic predecessors. He also seems to have developed diplomatic contacts with the Snake polity, with whom he coordinated the war with Naranjo, which began in 626, and ended with the defeat of Naranjo in 631. His monuments include Stelae 3, 22, Altars 2, 7, 17,19, and 21, and potentially the Hieroglyphic Stairway and Panel 1 from Naranjo.

K’ahk’ Ujol K’inich II (also known as Smoking Skull II, or Ruler VI) succeeded K’an II in A.D. 658, but as he has no surviving parentage statements, we cannot be certain that he is K’an II’s son. His only monument appears at La Rejolla, and only two stucco texts from Caana (Sturcures B16-sub and B18). One of these texts shows that in A.D. 680, Caracol was the victim of a star war from Naranjo (also called Naranjo’s war of Independence). Martin and Grube suggest that this action drove K’ahk’ Ujol K’inich from Caracol, at which time he may have fled to La Rejolla 12 km to the northwest. The remainder of this text has not been excavated. This star war event seems to have launched Caracol’s epigraphic hiatus, which continues for 96 years, until A.D. 798.

Ruler VII reigned during the epigraphic hiatus, and erected only one stela (Stela 21) dated to A.D. 702 (9.13.10.0.0). One candidate for this ruler comes from Naj Tunich, some 46 km to the south. In one of the cave’s chambers dated to A.D. 692 is a text referring to a Caracol elite named Tz’ayaj K’ajk’, who carries the emblem glyph, but not the k’inich ajaw prefix.

Tum Yohl K’inich (also called Ruler VIII) is as enigmatic as Ruler VII. He likewise appears in the Naj Tunich, and also lacks the k’inich ajaw prefix, leaving his royal status in question. In this text, he performs a fire-bearing ritual under the supervision of a lord of Ixkun; an unnamed lord of Calakmul is also involved. All other appearances of his name occur in later retrospective texts like Altar 23, which lists him as a 3 K’atun lord, and the captor of two lords from Ucanal and Bital.

K’inich Joy K’awiil began a revival of the Caracol polity with his accession in A.D. 799 (9.18.9.5.9). He commissioned the B-Group Ballcourt, the markers of which date back to the dynastic founder Te’ K’ab Chaak. Stela 11 shows Tum Yohl K’inich in an ambiguous relationship to Joy K’awiil, which may show that he is the latter’s father, or as suggested by Altar 23 potentially a relative in a high-ranking military position.

K’inich Toobil Yopaat’s (also known as Ruler X and XI) accession date is not certain, but he erected five (possibly six) monuments (**Stelae 18, 19, Altars 12, 13), and seems to have repaired relations with Ucanal. This new relationship is depicted on Altars 12 and 13, as well as on stucco text from Structure B18.

K’an III is little known, and he erected three monuments.

Ruler XIII is the last known lord of Caracol, and erected only one monument: Stela 10. Stela 10 is a carved all glyphic monument which may commemorate the half-K’atun 10.1.10.0.0 (A.D. 859).