Copán is an archaeological site of the Maya civilization in the Copán Department of western Honduras, not far from the border with Guatemala. It was the capital city of a major Classic period kingdom from the 5th to 9th centuries AD. The city was in the extreme southeast of the Mesoamerican cultural region, on the frontier with the Isthmo-Colombian cultural region, and was almost surrounded by non-Maya peoples.
Dos Pilas is a Pre-Columbian site of the Maya civilization located in what is now the department of Petén, Guatemala. It dates to the Late Classic Period, being founded by an offshoot of the dynasty of the great city of Tikal in AD 629 in order to control trade routes in the Petexbatún region, particularly the Pasión River. In AD 648 Dos Pilas broke away from Tikal and became a vassal state of Calakmul, although the first two kings of Dos Pilas continued to use the same emblem glyph that Tikal did. It was a predator state from the beginning, conquering Itzan, Arroyo de Piedra and Tamarindito. Dos Pilas and a nearby city, Aguateca, eventually became the twin capitals of a single ruling dynasty. The kingdom as a whole has been named as the Petexbatun Kingdom, after Lake Petexbatún, a body of water draining into the Pasión River.
Yax Nuun Ahiin I, also known as Curl Snout and Curl Nose, was a 4th-century ruler of the Maya city of Tikal. His name when transcribed is YAX-?-AH:N, translated "First? Crocodile". He took the throne on September 12, 379, and reigned until his death. He is referred to by the Mayan title ajaw, meaning lord.
Calakmul is a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region. It is 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the Guatemalan border. Calakmul was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands.
Jasaw Chan K'awiil I also known as Ruler A, Ah Cacao and Sky Rain,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on May 3, 682 and reigned until his death.
Yik'in Chan K'awiil also known as Ruler B, Yaxkin Caan Chac and Sun Sky Rain,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on December 8, 734.
Chak Tok Ich'aak I also known as Great Paw, Great Jaguar Paw, and Toh Chak Ich'ak was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on August 7, 360? and reigned until his death in 378, apparently at the hands of invaders from central Mexico.
Yax Nuun Ahiin II also known as Ruler C and Chitam,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on December 25, 768 and reigning probably until his death. He was son of Yik'in Chan K'awiil and brother of 28th Ruler. The monuments associated with Yax Nuun Ahiin II are: Stelae 19, 21 and Altars 6 and 10.
During the 7th and 8th centuries in Mesoamerica, there was an evident shift in the roles women played in ancient Maya society as compared with the previous two centuries. It was during this time that there was a great deal of political complexity seen both in Maya royal houses as well as in the Maya area. Warfare was a significant factor in political competition and marriage was one of the ways that alliances were made between the different polities. This was accompanied by a shift in women's roles from wife and mother to playing integral parts in courtly life, such as participating in rituals involving the supernatural world and at times ruling individual polities.
B'alaj Chan K'awiil was a Maya ruler of Dos Pilas. He is also known as Ruler 1, Flint Sky God K and Malah Chan K'awil.
Jasaw Chan K'awiil II also known as Stela 11 Ruler,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He ruled c.869. The monuments associated with Jasaw Chan K'awiil II are: Stela 11 and Altar 11.
Lady Lahan Unen Mo' also known as Lady 12 Baby Macaws and Kalajuun Une' Mo' was a Maya queen of Tikal as a wife of ajaw Jasaw Chan K'awiil I. She was the mother of ajaw Yik'in Chan K'awiil. She died in c.704.
The Third Tikal–Calakmul War was the third in a series of wars between Tikal and Calakmul, two of the Major superpowers of the Maya Civilization during the classic period.
The Tikal–Calakmul wars were a series of wars, mainly between Tikal and Calakmul on the Yucatán Peninsula, but also with vassal states in the Petén Basin such as Copan, Dos Pilas, Naranjo, Sacul, Quiriguá, and briefly Yaxchilan had a role in initiating the first war.
Animal Headdress, was ajaw ("lord") of the Maya city-state of Tikal. He was father of his successor Sihyaj Chan K'awiil I and husband of Lady Skull.
Sihyaj Chan K'awiil I, was ajaw ("lord") of the Maya city-state of Tikal. He was son of his predecessor Animal Headdress and Lady Skull. The monument associated with Sihyaj Chan K'awiil I is El Encanto Stela I.
K'an Chitam, also known as Kan Boar and K'an Ak, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on August 8, 458. He was son of Sihyaj Chan K'awiil II and Lady Ahiin. The monuments associated with K'an Chitam are Stelae 2?, 9, 13 and 40.
Chak Tok Ich'aak II, also known as Jaguar Paw II and Jaguar Paw Skull, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne c. 486 and reigned until his death. He was son of K'an Chitam and Lady Tzutz Nik. The monuments associated with Chak Tok Ich'aak II are Stelae 3, 7, 15, 21, and possibly 26.
Wak Chan K'awiil, also known as Double Bird, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on December 27, 537(?) and reigning probably until his death. He was son of Chak Tok Ich'aak II and Lady Hand. He sponsored accession of Yajaw Te' K'inich II, ruler of Caracol in 553. The monument associated with Wak Chan K'awiil is Stelae 17.
28th Ruler was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He ruled c.766-768. Little is known about this ruler. He was a son of 27th ruler of Tikal Yik'in Chan K'awiil and elder brother of his successor 29th ruler Yax Nuun Ahiin II.
