Nakabe Revolt

<imgur thumb="yes" w="400" comment="The divisions in the Mutul before 370 BC, with the four marches.">0VPwU5w.png</imgur>

The Nakabe Revolt, also known as te Nakabe Civil War, is an event in Mutulese history that happened from 370 BC (Long Count : 6.19.3.3.1) to 320 BC (Long Count : 7.1.13.4.11) and saw the end of the Paol'lunyu Dynasty as well as the destruction of Kaminyajunlyu. It ended with the defeat of the Ka Dynasty of Nakabe, and the victory of the 6th Dynasty : the Chaan Nimja.

The consequences of the Nakabe revolt are numerous, as more than any other events before, it forced to define the role and the powers of the K’uhul Ajaw, and the war changes to the economy forced the centralization of powers into the hands of the warlords and their clans, creating all-powerful figures helped by administrations forced to innovates new methods and practices to stay efficient and support the military.

Modern historians tend to consider the Nakabe Revolt as the true “birth” of the modern concept of Divine Monarchy, and the Chaan Dynasty that followed as the true start of the Mutul as a State and not as a loose federation of tributaries cities.

Sources

Informations on the events of the revolt and the civil war that followed are rare and heavily influenced by the propaganda of the winning Xook Dynasty. Most of them come from the records of the Nojol Witz priesthood, together called the Wayeb Chronicles, and the Old Royals Codexes conserved in the Kalak’Muul museum. But other sources, coming from the archeology and field studies, come to complete these sources. The ruins of most cities of this period bear the traces of these events, especially Nakabe and the Ka Nojatot Mausoleum. All the competing dynasties erected many monuments to their victories, giving the archaeologists important informations and allowing them to extrapolate Long Count Dates for the various battles and Ajaw rules.

Context

<imgur thumb="yes" w="375" comment="The main complex of Kaminyajunlyu and center of the Paol'lunyu Dynasty.">MCvieG8.png</imgur> By the start of the 4th century BC, the Paol’lunyu Dynasty had lost much of its powers. They only controlled a relatively small strip of land between Kaminyajulyu and Nojol Witz, but the Marches of the kingdom were out of their jurisdiction, as local clans had taken or retaken their hold on the borderlands and, by extension, on the military.

The Yajawkab’ of Nakabe had been established around 680 BC (Long Count : 6.3.8.4.13) to serve as the Northern March of the Mutul, protecting the wealthy valleys of the Highlands against K’olti or Yakalmek raids.

The Noble House in charge of this mission, the Ka Nojatot (synonym of Nimja in modern days) succeeded, but their growth couldn’t be stopped or controlled by the Paol’Lunyu Dynasty. The Yajaw Ca Apap Ka had the loyalty of the military and a complete control over the borders. The K’ol tribes he had subjugated paid tributes to him and not to the K’uhul Ajaw, and he had his own administration charged with the collect of taxes, tributes, and fines. He even signed peace treaties with the Yakalmek, without the K’uhul Ajaw knowledge.

Nakabe wasn’t the only city in this situation as Oxwitik, capital of the Eastern March, was in a similar level of autonomy and enjoyed the same privileges when it came to deal with the Lencas tribes and petty kingdoms. The affirmation of the High Nobility’s powers and freedom was the start of the Paol’lunyu’s decline.

Events

Start of the Revolt

<imgur thumb="yes" w="375" comment="Reconstitution of the monument built in honor to Ak'nom Petaj in Nakabe.">gaKaiXX.png</imgur> Ak’nom Petaj, Yajaw of Nakabe, inherited in 376 BC of a Northern March that was completely autonomous from Kaminyajunlyu. He solidified his father’s alliance with the Yakalmek, but still used them and the Ytze Kingdom to the north as excuses to maintain numerous professional troops, and to pay a ridiculously small tribute to the K’uhul Ajaw.

But Ak’nom Petaj had other plans. The various records, be it the monuments erected by the Nakabians to commemorate it or the codexes written after the war and lamenting it, seems to agree that on the 6.19.01.05, he refused to pay his tribute to the K’uhul Ajaw, proclaiming his independence. Despite major infighting inside the Paol’lunyu Dynasty, the K’uhul Ajaw managed to gather enough troops and allies to march on the Northern March.

6.19.2.12.14 (May 17, 370 BC), Nakabe and its dependencies and allies met the Mutul’s army on the field a few dozen of kilometers south of Nakabe. It will be a complete victory for the rebels, who managed to capture the K’uhul Ajaw, one of his general, and many of his elite warriors and soldiers of his personal guards. Ak’nom Petaj would erect two columns, one on the place of the battlefield and the other in Nakabe, to commemorate the event, showing clearly the K’uhul Ajaw being sacrified to the gods, as well as many other aristocrats knowing the same fate.

Not stoping there, The rebel Yajaw used the opportunity and the fractures in the royal clan to lay siege to Kaminyajunlyu, defeating one last attempt of the loyalists to push him back north. The siege was successful and the Nakabeians were able to sack and burn down the capital, bringing back in a long triumph the royal treasure and many other members of the royal clans and loyalists leaders to be sacrificed. 6.19.3.3.1 ,October 31, 370 BC, is noted to be on all the records of the time period and after, to be the date of the destruction of Kaminyajunlyu and by extension, the end of the Paol’lunyu Dynasty.

The Ka are counted as the Second Dynasty in the history of the Mutul.

The Three Dynasties

The news of Kaminyajunlyu fall spread quickly through the Mutul. Immediately, both Takalik Abak (Hunal Dynasty) and Izapak (Syhij Dynasty) declared themselves successors of the Paol’lunyu. Meanwhile, Oxwitik was unable to participate in the crisis because of the Lencas Revolt that will threaten the city’s existence.

The three dynasties will spend the next Tun (360 days) of their rule securing their borders and their network of vassals and dependencies. The Hunal Mutal took direct control over the Southern March and its ressources. It continued trades with the Syhij Mutal, whom had secured the most important farmlands of the region, and even supplied Oxwitik in food and weapons against the Lencas. The Hunal also sent multiple raids against the Highlands, to contest them from Nabak, or just to disturb Ka’s presence in the region.

Meanwhile, the Ka themselves continued their expansion. A second campaign in Tun 6.19.4 allowed them to take control of the jade pits and obsidians pits. Despite constant harassment from the Hunal Mutal, they were able to besiege Nojol Witz. However, it seems Ak’nom Petaj didn’t destroyed the city, and preferred to negociate the disbanding of all troops under Nojol Witz banner, plus the interdiction for the holy city’s elites to raise any soldier.

The first real counter-attack from Takalik Abak happened the following year, when the gathered troops of the Hunal Mutal marched on the Nek’ajal Highlands. It would prove to be successful, managing to plunder and destroy most of the Nakabe fortresses, but was unable to gain any foothold on the region.

This back-and-forth between Nakabe and Takalik Abak lead to a better organization of the military forces, and even the creation of permanent, professional units. These armies would generally be under the control of the K’uhul Ajawob themselves, of loyal friends, or close family members. They weren’t rewarded in lands but with a salary, paid in corn and clothes of cotton in the south, or in corn, obsidian, and various luxury goods in the north. Records of the salaries paid will be written to keep track of them, while the taxes collectors will know deep reforms to allow for an easier and faster perception of the taxes.

One minor exception to this professionalisation of the armies was Izapak. Even if it counted on its population advantage for its defense, the rulers of the city prefered to lead armies of Chi’kinli mercenaries when on the offense. These tribes from the western mountains always had tenses relationship with their neighbors of the lowlands, but the maize and luxury goods, such as obsidian mirrors, was enough to make them temporary allies of the Syhij Dynasty. They would prove to be efficient against both Nakabe, winning important battles against them, and Takalik Abak too, once the alliance with the Hunal Dynasty was broked off. Consequences of this use of mercenaries was the “Mutlisation” of the Chi’kinli tribes, but also the loose in power of the Izapak warrior class, as they more and more reverted to become landlords and long-range merchants, despite the troubled times.

Hunal court plotting

The first change in the statu quo that started to be installed between the three Mutals was the death of Yuknoom Chen, the K’uhul Ajaw of Takalik Abak, in 6.19.11.5.12. Inheriting the throne was the young Yoopat Hix. His young age and inexperience in political and diplomatic matters raised the concerns of his Court, to the point his uncle, Tajoom Ti’ Chan, and warmaster of the late K’uhul Ajaw, was seen as a viable option to replace him.

In 6.19.9.15.7, Tajoom Ti’ Chan marched on Takalik Abak and deposed his nephew, with the help of the royal court. This changed the political map of the Mutals, as Izapak refused to recognize Tajoom Ti’ Chan as the legal successor of Yuknoom Chen, and called for the reinstallment of his son. A diplomatic back-and-forth followed, leading to the sacrifice of Yoopat Hix, and the end of the pact between the two cities.

The year that followed were not easy, as Tajoom Ti’ Chan, distrustful of the courtesans that put him in power, did his best to reduce their influence, and gave more power to the generals and the Army, loyal to him alone. Suspected traitors and plotters were sacrificed, while the dwindling trades with Izapak led to episodes of famines and popular revolts, plus the opening of a second front, dividing the forces of the city, and forcing them to abandon the positions they had taken in the Highlands back to Nakabe. However, Tajoom Ti’ Chan dictatorial policies allowed him to stay in power and to let his son, Tajoom Uk’ab, inherit the title of K’uhul Ajaw, even as the generals became predominant in all aspects of political life to the point of overshadowing the K’uhul Ajaw.

Divisions became more and more apparent in the Hunal Mutal. New monuments or no longer built, except in a few instances, and historians can only guess the decisions made by the K’uhul Ajaw and his advisors during this period, but consequences as obvious as both Izapak and Nakabe multiply the construction of steles and monuments commemorating victories over Takalik Abak.

Takalik Abak’s decay may also have been caused by the return of court plotting among the generals and their families, as some indications let’s us supposed Tajoom Uk’ab wasn’t succeeded by his son, but by one of his generals, himself overthrown by a rival. Double agents from Izapak and Nakabe also seems to have played a role in the politics of this period.

On 7.0.4.6.12 (22 September 349 BC), Nakabe finally managed to tore down the walls of Takalik Abak and to plunder and destroy the city. Most of its generals, courtesans, and its K’uhul Ajaw, were captured and taken back to Nakabe to be sacrificed. Nakabe almost conquered back all of the past Mutul, and only Izapak continued its war against the Ka Dynasty. However, an unforeseen event would change drastically the balance of power : the Revolt of Yux.

The 5th Dynasty

Despite the destruction of their main rival, Nakabe couldn’t maintain its hold over the old Southern March. Cities under Takalik Abak dominion, such as Hunjay, Kakawkab’, and Tazumal, refused to pay tribute to the Ka Dynasty, preferring to ask Izapak for protection. The defeat of the Nakabeians army in 7.0.5.10.9 definitively pushed the Ka Dynasty out of the southern march, but also to show that Nakabe’s march toward the conquest of all the Mutals was not yet won.

However, the war that has been going for 20 years at the time, with almost a military campaign each year, and vassals of Nakabe had grown unruly as a result. One of these city in particular, Yux, built to keep control of the commercial road between the Mutals and the Olmecs cities. The city’s ruling class had many griefs against the Ka dynasty, mostly the growing competition of the Yakalmek, the nominal allies of Nakabe, who had been taking over most of the benefits of trades in the region, without concern from the K’uhul Ajaw who saw it as a way to buy their support. Slowly after the defeat of 7.0.5.10.9, the Yux Yajaw and the Izapak K’uhul Ajaw took contact and started to plot against Nakabe. Mural paintings and monuments of the period represent the Yux Yajaw Sachiaapo having a vision in public of Chaac, the god of rain and thunder, giving him a spear with the appearance of a snake. It seems he interpreted the event as a divine sign to start the revolt against Nakabe.

Another interpretation of the event is that Sachiaapo was famous for being an “holy man” even before his intronisation as a Yajaw, and prones to visions and important prophetic dreams. This and the description given of these transes give some historians the idea that he was an epileptic, and had an episode during the heavy storm that is reported to have hit Yux that day. These two events combined seems to have been enough to decide Sachiaapo to go to war against his master.

The princes of Yux proclaimed that the Ajaw of Nakabe was an imposter, and that Chaac was “no longer their bodies, no longer their blood, no longer their shadow”. Sachiaapo also declared that his visions and his bloodties with the Ka and Paol’lunyu Dynasties meant that Chaac had “chosen” his house to be the next one in which he will incarnate.

Yax position at the start of the war was less than good, with the Yakalmek to the north and the Ka Mutal to the east. The first campaigns of Sachiaapo were against their northern rivals, inflicting minor defeat to the Yak Ajaw, and managing to take some hold over the disputed roads. The armies of Nakabe will be able to plunder and destroy most of Yux’s lands, but couldn’t break the city’s defenses and were forced to abandon the siege. Most of the damages done to Yux food supplies proved to be not enough, as Izapak was able to supply the revolted city. A support that was in fact beneficial to Izapak, as they could once again trade with the Olmecs.

Strong of these relative success, with the development of economic ties between the two Mutals, the possibility of an alliance is in open discussion. During the 7.0.8 Tun, the treaty was signed, even if it was de facto in place since a few years. To conclude the treaty, Sachiaapo marry one of the Izapak K’uhul Ajaw’s daughters, which will give birth in 7.0.10 of an inheritor : Wabak’el Chaac.

Last years

In 7.0.18.5.13, the K’uhul Ajaw of Izapak died of illness, and his son, Chak Tok Ich'aak, took the throne. He would continue the politic of his father, and maintain the alliance with Yux against the Nakabe, while securing the loyalty of the Southern city-states.

The battles changed of locations during that second half of the Civil War. From happening around a North-South axis, mostly in the Highlands and around Takalik Abak. With the betrayal of Yux, the military campaigns took place mostly in the Northern March, on a East (Nakabe)-West(Yux) axis, and with more and more “barbarians” kingdoms or chieftains (Yakalmek, K’ol, Chik’in, Ytze..) joining as allies or mercenaries.

At the battle of Kuhua’leno (LC : 7.1.1.1.7), Chak Tok Ich’aak died. Still young, he had no designed inheritor. While he had uncles and cousins longing for the throne of Izapak, the vast majority of the city’s aristocrats, with the help of the army, refused to recognize them and invited Sachiaapo to become the K’uhul Ajaw of Izapak. Sachiaapo agreed, organized the ritual sacrifices of the other pretenders, and returned to the war with Nakabe, now ruling both the west and the south of the old Mutul. This event is generally considered the end of the Syhij Dynasty.

Conflict continued between Nakabe and Yux. Despite having to consolidate his rule on the Western and Southern Marches, Sachiaapo was able to contain the Ka Dynasty and fix the frontline 250 km to the east of Yux, and fought back two attempts by the Nakabeians to overrun the southern march. The last great campaign done by Sachiaapo in 7.1.5 was the siege and liberation of Nojol Witz. The commemoration of this event is the last stele erected in Yux, before the death of the K’uhul Ajaw.

In 7.1.6.1.0, Wabak’el Chaan became the co-ruler of Yux and Izapak. It seems he was crowned in Izapak, but continued to rule from Yux and left most of the day-to-day gestion of the Mutal to his court, while he lead the multiple military campaigns against Nakabe.

Despite his young age, and with the help of a Ch’ob of veterans warlords and generals, Wabak’el managed to continue what his father started : securing Nojol Witz, and taking over the Chexo Valley, where lied the ruins of Kaminyajunlyu. From there, the rest of the Highlands followed, as proven by the fact Wabak’el Chaan was able to nominate a civil governor to Yaxh’an. Meanwhile, to the west, a successful campaign managed to definitively cut Nakabe from their Yakalmex allies. Their sources of revenues lost, their reserves in manpower depleted, the Ka Dynasty had completely lost the initiative.

In LC 7.1.11.0.5, Wabak’el Chaan started what would be the final campaign against Nakabe. Two armies, one from the west led by his uncle, and another from the south led by himself, attacked the Northern Mutal. After a serie of skirmishes and small battles, the two armies joined under the walls of Nakabe. Despite an attempt by a K’ol army to help the besieged city that was defeated, Nakabe would finally fall in 7.1.11.18.1. Most of the city’s aristocracy and the Ka Dynasty above all. They were shown in the city of Yux during a trumph, along with the stolen treasures of Nakabe, and then sacrificed.

Lone claimant to the title of K’uhul Ajaw still alive, Wabak’el spent the following two years fighting the last remnants of the Nakabeians, and retaking Oxwitik from the Lencas Kingdoms. Once all the borders of the Mutul secured, he gathered all the Yajawob and vassals in Nojol Witz, where he will be officially be crowned K’uhul Ajaw in LC 7.1.13.4.11, a date generally remembered by Mutulese historians as the official end of the Nakabe Civil War. It is also during that ceremony that Wabak’el Chaan would declare the creation of a new Dynasty : the Chaan Dynasty