On This Day In History: Maya King Yuknoom Ixquiac ‘Jaguar Paw Smoke’ Assumes The Crown Of Calakmul – On Apr 3, 686

MessageToEagle.com – On April 3, 686, Maya king Yuknoom Ixquiac (Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk’) – “Jaguar Paw Smoke” assumes the crown of Calakmul, now a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region.

Yuknoom Ixquiac, who was a Maya king of the Kaan kingdom, acceded in his thirty-sixth year, but
there are indications that he may have effectively governed the kingdom for a substantial period
before this on behalf of the previous king, Yuknoom the Great, who may have been Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk’s father, probably incapacitated in his later years.

Calakmul, one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands,
administered a large domain marked by the extensive distribution of their emblem glyph of the snake head sign, to be read “Kaan”. Calakmul was the seat of what has been dubbed the Kingdom of the Snake or Snake Kingdom. This Snake Kingdom reigned during most of the Classic period.

Yich’aak K’ahk’s accession was recorded at El Peru by local ruler K’inich Bahlam and at Dos Pilas by B’alaj Chan K’awiil. At Naranjo, the son of Lady Six Sky, (K’ak’ Tiliw Chan Chaak”, acceded in 693.

In 695 Calakmul suffered a military defeat at the hands of Tikal and it was believed that the king was killed or captured in that battle. A stucco scene at Tikal shows a prisoner being “adorned” for sacrifice and names the Kaan king in a related caption; the text is damaged and in its current condition it allowed for the possibility that it referred to Yich’aak K’ahk’ himself instead of him being the overlord of the prisoner to be killed.
A new find at La Corona has revealed that the king survived at least until 696, when he made
a visit to that town. Researchers believe that Yich’aak K’ahk’ is buried in Tomb 4 within Calakmul’s  Structure 2.

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