Divine Throne

The Glyph-Emblem of the Mutul

The Divine Throne is the unitary government of the Mutul. It claims to be a millenia old institution, dating back to the reign of K'o, the first Divine Lord of Kaminyajunlyu. However the Divine Throne would only take its modern form through the Itzamnaaj Reforms of the 1840s. Beforehand, each Dynasty that ruled over the Mutul, and almost every Divine Lord, had different administrations and thus slightly altered Divine Thrones accompanying them.

The Monarchy

Jasaw Chan K'awiil V portrait

Main article: Divine Monarchy of the Mutul

See also: Ilok'tab Dynasty

K'uhul Ajaw Jasaw Chan K'awiil V has ruled since the death of his father on 12 September 1991 (LC: 12.18.18.7.9/17 Mol /7 Muluk). He is the official head of state of the Mutul but in the K'uhul Ajaw legislative, executive, and judicial functions are combined (Decretals from the Divine Lord form the basis of the country's legislation). Since the beginning of Jasaw Chan K'awiil V's rule, no K'awiil has been nominated to the position, leading to the K'uhul Ajaw also being effectively the Head of Government who preside over the Four Pillars and Nine Generations, the thirteen ministries of the Divine Kingdom. The K'uhul Ajaw is the sole authority over the appointments to and dismissals from these ministries.

The Divine Monarch is also head of the Ajaw-Ilok'tab Lineage, the ruling dynasty of the Divine Kingdom. The heir presumptive to the throne is Jasaw Chan K'awiil's eldest son: Janab Pacaal. Succession laws are governed by the Detailed Description and Theorization of the Modalities of the Reincarnation Cycle of the Mortal Chaak as it has been observed for the past ten B'akt'un, a subsection of the Yax Tz’ibich Chaakal Chakun, the de-facto constitution of the Mutul.

The K'uhul Ajaw, in his role of highest ranking priest of the Divine Kingdom, must practice the rituals and teachings of the White Path. Practicing rituals from other polytheistic religions, such as the `"Gods Path", isn't considered an immediate rupture of the Covenants but the worship of "false idols" such as the Abrahamic God will mark an immediate descent from their divine position. The Divine Lord's religious authority also grant the power to appoint the Ajaw K'in and Aj K'in Mai, the two highest religious ranks of the Mutulese clergy. There are thirteen Ajaw K'in in total, whom together form the highest religious instance of the country, second only to the Divine Lord, and are one of the three B'ispop, the "Blessed Courts" who can propose legislations but have no legislative authority otherwise beside a the possibility to oppose tax raises (but no control over budget formations however).

Court Ranking

The apex of all aspects of society is the Divine Lord. Because of this absolute status, the K'uhul Ajaw is surrounded by an important court, the K'uhul Pop. Over the 3,000 years of the Mutul's existence, the K'uhul Pop has acquired a complex and detailed etiquette and all-reaching protocols. One of such protocols are the "Court Ranks", which determine the proximity of their holders to the royal power. These ranks can be categorized as such:

• Ch'ajnah (Blood relative)
• Apax (Childhood Friend)
• B'isp'iya (Blessed Friends)
• P'iya (Friends)
• Dynastic Relatives
• Non-Dynastic Relatives

As a result, the K'uhul Ajaw dispose around him of a court of friends and relatives whom he is free to promote to a number of positions, such as Yajaw, Ajaw K'in, officers, ambassadors and other diplomats. While the ranks of Blood, Dynastic, or Non-Dynastic Relative can only be inherited and are granted at birth, the "Friends" of the Divine Lord form a broader, but stronger, category. The Apaxtak are notably those who, generally having known the K'uhul Ajaw since his childhood, have the strongest ties with him. Almost every Apax in the history of the Mutul, with only an handful of exceptions, came from one of the Mutuleses Great Houses and the majority of them were already Dynastic or Non-Dynastic relatives. However, A Divine Lord's P'iyatak generally have a more diverse origin. The rank is bestowed to individuals who proved their worth in the eyes of the K'uhul Ajaw as a reward for their services.

The rank of "Blessed Friend" is a relatively recent innovation brought by the Itzamnaaj Reforms. It is bestowed to friend whom the K'uhul Ajaw consider to have proven themselves to be faithful and entirely dedicated to his service. To those he grant a ceremonial "Blessing", one of the most sought after and prestigious awards that can be received in he Divine Kingdom. A modern example is Ahil Chan Toktan, who became a Blessed Friend not long before his ascension to the position of Jasonek. While it is considered normal for Friends to have a political "patron" who support them in their career, the status of Blessed Friend can only be granted to people who are free from such ties as it would make any claim to be entirely devoted to the K'uhul Ajaw dubious. The same restriction applies to the Apaxtak in general.

Executive

Four Pillars and Nine Generations

the central administrative system of the Mutul is traditionally composed of a total of thirteen "ministers" : four "Bakabob" representing the regal powers of the State, and the "Bolon Tz'akab" which are responsible for various other precise areas. Under jasaw Chan K'awiil V, these ministries are titled :

Four Bakabob :

• Kan Tziknal : Minister of the Economy and Finances.
• Josanek : Minister of Foreign Relationships and Diplomacy.
• Hobnil : Minister of the Armies.
• Sak Kim : Minister of the Interior.

Nine Bolon Tz'akab :

• Minister of Justice
• Minister of Education
• Minister of Land Gestion
• Minister of Public Health
• Minister of Cultural Life
• Minister of Agriculture
• Minister of Rites
• Minister of the Treasury.
• Minister of the Public Workforce

A position akin to that of a prime minister also exist, the K'awiil, but is not regularly filled. For example, there has been no K'awiil since Jasaw Chan K'awiil V became K'uhul Ajaw in 1991. But before that, his father and grand-father made extensive use of the position as a political tool.