HEAVEN BORN MERIDA AND ITS DESTINY - Histomesoamericana

38 INTRODUCTION
incursion of naked cannibals (Caribs or Miskitos?) in 1362, and Izamal
was reported destroyed, probably by Xiu. Chichen was destroyed again in
1382, Uxmalin 1401.
Fifteenth Century. The League of Mayapan presupposed a Xiu hegemony
in western Yucatan, centered at Uxmal, an Itza preeminence in the east,
centered at Chichen, and joint rule in the walled city of Mayapan in the
center, the seat of the cycle. As the terminal katun of the Xiu cycle approached
(8 Ahau), tensions mounted. Otzmal had seated the katun in
12 Ahau (1401)—in Itza territory. (From this date until 1848, the Books
chronicle the lordship of the katuns. A synopsis of the cities, Jaguars, and
Spokesmen is given in appendix D.) Zizal and Coba disputed the seating
of the katun in 10 Ahau—both also in Itza country. When Kan Cab A and
Izamal (also Itza) claimed 8 Ahau (1441-1461), things were ripe for an
explosion. The Peten Itza (who then called themselves the Xuluc 'the
remnant of the Itza') saw the handwriting on the wall, and in 1448 they
migrated south to the heart of the Guatemalan Peten and seated a new
cycle and katun at Tan Xuluc Mul. They seem to have lived in and near
Mayapan and were particularly exposed to the coming storm, which hit
in 1451. "
The Itza governor of Mayapan at the beginning of 8 Ahau was apparently
Mex Cue. The governor of Uxmal was probably Hunac Ceel. The
governor of Izamal was Ul Ahau, the governor of Merida was Tzim Thul,
and the governor of Chichen Itza was Xib Chac. Izamal was the primary
seat of the katun, and the Jaguar of Izamal was ailing. A plot was hatched
which involved the dynastic politics of Izamal and a number of other
cities, including Champoton, whose governor may have been Kak Mo,
closely linked to Izamal, and Chichen, whose Can lineage was also related
to the Izamal dynasty.
8 Ahau was the terminal katun of the Xiu may. In anticipation of the
start of a new cycle in 6 Ahau, new officials were supposed to be named at
the mid-katun ceremonies of 8 Ahau in 1451. Merida got into the act by
naming Tzim Thul as Jaguar and Uayom Ch'ich' the Strong as Spokesman,
at the same time designating Merida as the new seat of the cycle as
well as the katun. Can Ul was named counselor to the Jaguar, thus giving
Xiu ceremonial backing to his claim to the governorship of Izamal.
When Ul Ahau died, his heirs in Izamal included Ahau Can, Hapay
Can, Itzam Can, and Can Ul, all of them relatives of Kukul Can at Chichen,
priest of Quetzalcoatl and next in line to the governorship of that
city. Ahau Can had the best claim, and the Itza of Chichen were determined
to support him. Before they could act, however, Hunac Ceel deposed
the Itza governor of Mayapan, replacing him with Cau Ich, naming
Chab Le as the Spokesman, and throwing Mex Cue into the cenote at
Chichen.
To counter or perhaps to forestall these moves (the dating of the events
is uncertain), the Itza of Chichen sent an embassy to Izamal. It was made
up of three of the four Ba Cabs of Chichen Itza: the East priest Xib Chac,
the North priest Xib Chac, and the South priest Uoh Puc. Chichen was
left in charge of Kukul Can, the priest of Nacxit and apparently West