Jasaw Chan K'awiil V

Jasaw Chan K'awiil V
K'uhul Ajaw
Reign	12 September 1991 – present
Coronation	30 September 1991
Predecessor	Jasaw Chan K'awiil IV
Heir presumptive	Janab Pacaal
Born	(1964-11-01) 1 November 1964 Kalak'muul, Mutul
Spouse	Ix Cib Chel (m. 1984)
House	Ilok'tab Dynasty
Father	Jasaw Chan K'awiil IV
Mother	Ix Unahen Mo
Religion	White Path

Jasaw Chan K'awiil V (Ho Jasaw Chan K'awiil, b.1964) is the reigning K'uhul Ajaw and 402th Monarch of the Mutul. His reign began on LC 12.18.18.7.9 (12 September 1991) after the death of his father. His coronation happened the LC 12.18.18.8.7 (30 September 1991) and was the first televised coronation of the Mutul, broadcasted by all public channels and with free rights given to all private television channels.

Jasaw's rule has been characterized as a complete turnaround when compared to his father's social and economical policies. With his rule starting in the aftermath of the Ghantar Boycott of the Mutul, Jasaw Chan K'awiil V method to deal with the economical problems known by the Divine Kingdom was to follow the Reze Economical Model, fused with a more traditionaly Mutli Dirigism. It also saw a renewal of relations between the Mutul and Ochran and Scipia, notably with the creation of the Four Rising Nations Summit. Authoritarian practices in the Mutul, such as the control of the press or the cult of personality surrounding the figure of the K'uhul Ajaw have continued in spite of the Liberalisation of the economy, with a more active role given to private investors both from and outside the Mutul.

Early Life and Education

Jasaw Chan K'awiil written in Regular Glyphs

Jasaw Chan K'awiil was born on LC 12.18.18.7.9 at 10:20 pm in the Room of Ix Chel of the Kalak'muul Royal Palace to Jasaw Chan K'awiil the Elder, B'ah Ch'ok Ajaw, and Lady Unahen Mo, and was the couples fifth child. Under the Mutulese religious calendar, his birthdate is considered to be a Lucky day, and the Oracles made many predictions on his future, based on the calendar, the hour of his birth, the positions of the stars, and many other methods. The Oracles predictions were given the Royal Family only and like all predictions concerning a Divine King's life, have not been made public. He was presented to the ancestors 3 days later, the SC 3 Zac 13 Ajaw, a date considered especially propice to the consultation of the spirits.

His birth, gender, and name were only publicly announced after the Presentation to the Ancestors, and was followed by week of games all thourough the Mutul : Pitz, gladiatorial fights, different kind of sports and dance competitions happened in every major cities of the Mutul. The Royal Family also sent offerings to all the idols of Ix Chel and Ix Ulsa all thourough the country.

Education

Jasaw Chan K'awiil began his education by way of private tutors to the age of twelve, when he was allowed to join the prestigious Nawi (a school for the Mutulese aristocracy) Lamat Ik'. There, he would follow the Basic then Advanced Programs for Public Officials, and the Program for Priesthood. He graduated in 1968, and since then all information on his scolarship or results have yet to be made public, a secrecy that is the rule when it comes to the private life of the Royal Family in the Mutul.

Marriage

Following traditions, Once he graduated from Nawi Lamat Ik', the Royal Family started to organise the marriage of Jasaw Chan K'awiil with Lady Cib Chel the 27 April 1984. Like all major events in a Mutlit's life, the date was chosen by a college of Oracles, following Mutuleses traditions and religious practices. The marriage was celebrated at the Ix Ulsa K'uh Nah in Sakal Witz, central Mutul. The ceremony was not broadcasted, at it was not yet the practice at the time, and is considered to have been a "relatively private" ceremony, as few mention of it were made in the press, only the direct and indirect families of the married were invited, and the people who came to see were mostly pilgrims travelling to Sakal Witz, which is considered to be a Holy City for the White Path.

His wife and him had their first child, Janab Pacaal, 6 years after their marriage.

Pre-reign duties and activities

After his marriage, Jasaw Chan K'awiil was given the status of "Observer of the Royal Cabinet", allowing him to observe the weekly meeting of the K'uhul Ajaw and his ministers. He was also given a few religious charges, and he was put in charge of the Royal Cult to the past K'uhul Ajaw. After a year at this post, he was soon promoted to the gestion of Temples and Religious Buildings in Kalak'muul. He served in this position for three years, and he was then given the charge of Head Priest of the Kalak'muul Religious Ch'ob (Council), with the title of B'ah Aj K'in Tohil (Head Priest of Tohil, patron god of the Ilok'tab Dynasty).

He has also served honorary leader of numerous State-sponsored events, including fencing competitions and Pitz tournaments. Through his 7 years between his marriage and his coronation, he was also the officer in charge of the royal family's ceremonies and the personal priest of the royal household.

Reign

Coronation

Plan of the Kalak'muul Pantheon where the ceremony took place.

18 days separate Jasaw Chan K'awiil first official day as K'uhul Ajaw and his crowning. This was to both give time for the organisation of the ceremony and so it could happen on a good day that would bring fortune and prosperity for the reign to come. To keep with the tradition, it would take place in the "Kalak'muul Pantheon", the largest complex of religious buildings, pyramids, and old observatories of the city. Especially, the crowning itself was to happen at the top of the "Great Divine House of the Thousands Chaac", the largest and tallest pyramid of the capital.

Finaly, the Oracles and the new K'uhul Ajaw choosed SC 15 Chen 12 Manik to be the date of the ceremony. Manik is considered to be a good day by the Mutulese religion, one that represent the cycle of death and rebirth, growth and fertility. It is a day of harmony put under the protection of the god of the Hunt and of Nature.

At the day of the ceremony, the royal cortege departed from the Royal palace at 9:00am, and went through the Royal Plaza, followed the Divine Sacbe to the west before going south by the Pilgrims' Avenue, to the Fourteen Temples Plaza. There, Jasaw Chan K'awiil and his escort left the royal motorcade to continue the rest of the travel on foot. They reached the entrance of the Three Skulls Gate, leaving offerings of maize, copal and blood to the Idol of Tohil. After going through the Gate, they arrived at the Eastern Plaza where under the cameras, Jasaw started his ascension of the Great Divine House of the Thousands Chaac.

Arrived at the top, he was met by the Thirteen High Priests of the Mutul. The High Priests conducted the Service, while Jasaw Chan K'awiil was painted and dressed to better ressemble Chaac. He then drank the chocolate - Psilocybe beverage the High Priests had prepared, and he entered the Sanctuary at 12:00pm exactly. He would spend the next four hours inside the Sanctuary, only the re-appear at 16:12pm, no longer as Chaac Impersonator but wearing his regal crown, the Royal Bun which serve as the Glyph-Emblem of the country, and with various, still fresh tattoos, notably the "Mark of the Hunter" on his left scapula, symbolizing the day of his coronation, the "Chaac's Blood and Flesh" glyph right above his vertebra proeminens to show his status as the Mortal Incarnation of Chaac, right above the number 402 in Mutulese numerals, as he is the 402th Officialy Recognized K'uhul Ajaw by the Divine Throne.

Festivities would continue until late into the night, as the Divine Throne had declared the week of the crowning to be a holiday, and even issued a national "Conquest of the Night"" Decree that temporaly authorized all night-time public festivities in the Mutul.

Personal Life

Public Perception and Character

Jasaw Chan K'awiil V never participate in any form of interview or conference. All his public interventions have been either written -the royal decrees- or carefully planned speech for great occasions. Public apparitions of the K'uhul Ajaw are about as rare : during religious events -generally officing as Master of the Ceremony- some rare pilgrimages to Sakal Witz, Q'umarkaj, or other important religious center of the Mutul during which he gives blessing to groups of carefully selected believers, and for Pitz games or gladiatorial fights.

Like all K'uhul Ajaw before him, a real cult of personality has been created around Ho Jasaw Chan K'awiil. Pictures of him are framed in all public locations, in the halls of Hotels, in airports, at marketplaces, working places, and even inside people's house, as pictures, drawings, or small statues of the Divine Monarch can be found near the house's shrine. Despite the lack of informations on his privacy, the K'uhul Ajaw often occupy a fair amount of the mediatic scene, as his travels, pilgrimages, ceremonies in which he officies, or any public events in which he participate, are the focus of public news channel all thourough the country, but also of private news agencies, as the broadcasting rights for these events are free.

All in all, Ho Jasaw Chan K'awiil as been generally interpreted to be a conservative, religious, minded individual. He came back on his father's reforms that gave a more proeminent role to the Divine Throne in matter of social rights or workers rights, responsibilities he generaly gave back to the Nuk Najob, the Mutulese equivalent of trade unions.