Yajawil of Kumakah
Yajawil of Kumakah | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Sun of Tohil
| |
Motto: Young Sun, Bright Moon, Burning Mountain | |
 Location of Kumakah in the Mutul | |
| Capital and | Kumakah |
| Official languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2020) | |
| Demonym(s) | Kumakahians |
| Government | Absolute monarchy |
| Legislature | Noj Holpop |
| Noj Sajal Ch'ob | |
| Noj Mam Ch'ob | |
| Province of the Mutul | |
| Area | |
• | 46,434 km2 (17,928 sq mi) |
The Yajawil of Kumakah is a province in southern Mutul. Divided between the Achi Lowlands and the K'iche Highlands, the Yajawil sit at the foot of Nojwitz Mountains, the physical border between the Divine Kingdom and the Noble Republic. The Chixoy River find its source in the K'iche Highlands and flow through the province and continue its road for thousand of kilometers until reaching the Makrian Ocean in Kayahallpa. Beside Sante Reze to its south, Kumakah is border to the west by the Yajawil of Mamk'ab, to the north west by the Yajawil of Tolonik, to the north by the Yajawil of Pokomk'ab, and to the north east by the Yajawil of Pokomwitz.
The Yajawil represent more or less the core of what was the Kingdom of Kumakah, the K'iche kingdom that would go on to conquer the rest of the Mutul during the late 11th century. Its rulers would become the K'uhul Ajawtek, and the latest of these K'iche Dynasties is none other than the Ilok'tab Dynasty which has ruled over the Mutul since the 13th century.
Despite its relative isolation, Kumakah remain a core region of the Mutul and the most developped of the southern provinces. It's economy is centered around Heavy industry and Engineering. Kumakah is notably where the Mutul' weapon manufactures are located, far removed from potential threats and close to the raw materials and energy extracted from the mountains and rivers.
Kumakah is a very conservative province, home to some of the oldest and most powerful houses and families of the Divine Kingdom. It was notably the powerbase of the Royalists during the Sajal War and its from Kumakah that Itzamnaaj B'alam reconquered the throne for his son, B'alijaj Chan K'awiil II and the K'iche people there have remained both Orthodox in their practice of the White Path and indefectible in their attachement to the Divine Throne. In return, the Kumakah is one of the most well funded province and access to healthcare is easier there than in most other provinces of the Mutul.
Etymology
The Yajawil is named after its capital city, Kumakah. Kumakah itself is a deformation in Mutli of the K'iche name of the agglomeration: Qʼumarkah. The meaning, "Place of old reeds" (Qʼumqaraqʼaj), is a traditional expression in Western Mutul used to refer to a large metropolis or powerful city. Puh (or Tullan) in Kanol share a similar etymology to Kumakah. This is one of the many clues used by certain historians to validate the traditional myths of the Kʼicheʼ people that tie them to the ancient Chik'in Kingdom and the K'uy Dynasty.
History
K'iche Kingdom
The K'iche enter history only in the 7th century with the creation of the First K'iche Kingdom which was officially founded the 9.4.11.6.0 3 Kankin 11 Ajaw (17 December 525) in Sak K'ak Witz ('White Fire Mountain') by the so-called Forefathers of which the current aristocratic lineages of the K'iche people, including the Ilok'tab, claim descent. A generation or so later four Forefathers clans (the Sotz'il, Xahil, Tukuche, and Raxonihay) seceded and abandoned Sak K'ak Witz, migrating further east and founding their own city of Iximt'e. Later, a second crisis in Sak K'ak Witz led to three other clans (the Nimabal, Tahub, and Ilok'tab) leaving as well during the 8th century and founding a different city in the Highlands: Kumakah.
The royal historiography present these clans as descendents of Tatinak-Chaan lineages who migrated southward to flee the troubles of the Maize Bread Rebellion that almost broke down the K'uy Dynasty from within. However, historians outside of the Mutul have noted disrepancies inside this story. Notably, the complete lack of contemporary K'uy documents or monuments mentioning the foundation of new kingdoms by nobles from their own state. Similarly, that the K'uy wouldn't try to exerce their hegemony over these runaway houses once their authority had been restored after the Rebellion seems implausible to some. The same "Heterodox" or "Heretical" historians have put forward a different hypothesis, linking the K'iche Forefathers not with noble houses but with insurectionists turned to banditry who fled outside of the Mutul to avoid repression. However, this theory is also hotly debated and lack strong evidences.
The Kingdoms of Kumakah had a strong vertical structure. At the top of society were the Ajawtek, 'the Lords', who ruled over their vassals, the Aj K'ajol. Slaves were also held and included both sentenced criminals and prisoners of war. The nobility itself was strongly codified and vertical: there were twenty-four Nimja, or 'Great Houses', in Kumakah. All of these houses were grouped in four clans: the Nimabal K'iche, the Tahub, the Ilok'tab, and the K'oyol. At the foundation of the city, only three clans existed but the K'oyol were added later on as they grew in power after the early conquests. Each clan had at its head a patron lineage and so was led by a clearly defined Patriarch. The Patriarch of the Nimabal K'iche was also the Ajpop, the King.
Reputedly, each of the clan was linked to a specific role in society. The Nimabal were the rulers and administrators, the Tahub the traders and scholars, the Ilok'tab the warriors, and the K'oyol the artisans, smiths, and stonecutters of Kumakah. They also had each their titular deity: Yax K'ak Witz for the Nimabal, Awilix for the Tahub, Tohil for the Ilok'tab, and Kukumatz for the K'oyol.
Through matrimonial policies, the K'iche and K'akchikel of Iximt'e became allies. The Ajpop of Kumakah and the Ajpop K'amha, 'King-Elect' of the K'akchikel, jointly organised raids and incursions into their neighbors territories. They notably destroyed what remained Sak K'ak Witz and conquered vast parts of the K'oja people' lands, pushing the latter further south and higher into the mountains. In 785 a dispute emerged between the two cities as they jointly defeated the Achi kingdom of the lowlands, but they submitted only to the K'iche. War broke between the two parties and the alliance was lost replaced instead by a state of permanent tension and warfare that would last for a century. This conflict was ultimately lost by the K'akchikel and their kingdom was re-integrated into the K'iche State in 893.
Throughout the following century the K'iche would continue their expansion, notably against the Mam kingdoms, the K'oja Confederation, the Chaa Kingdom, Chajoma Kingdom (founded by K'akchikel exiles), and the Pokomam and Pokomchi people.
Cousins War
The Cousins War was a two centuries long era of political division within the Mutul. The K'uy Dynasty collapsed in 895 due to international pressures (the many defeats against the Kayamuca Empire) that created internal weaknesses (loss of prestige, legitimacy, and revenues) which in reaction caused a decentralisation of military and civil powers (the K'aloomt'e) which amplified dynastic issues, issues that exploded at the first succession crisis with all K'aloomt'e proclaiming themselves K'uhul Ajaw.
To gain an edge over their rivals, the 'Southern Mutal' began negotiations to gain the support of the K'iche Ajpop. The Mutal had come to rely more and more on mercenaries for its military campaigns and through an alliance with the K'iche the Southern K'uhul Ajaw hoped to obtain their military support as well. The Ajpop Ku'kumatz agreed to the alliance and married the Southern K'uhul Ajaw' daughter. Acting as the de-facto commander-in-chief of his father-in-law, K'ukumatz forced the K'in K'uy lineage of the Eastern Mutal and the Sak'in lineage of the Central Mutal to abdicate their thrones. He then defeated in battle the Western Mutal in battle and plundered the Muynal Basin.
Through his unprecedented victories, K'ukumatz became the dominant figure at his father-in-law's court. He joined his wife' court intrigues and ploted with her the downfall of her brothers and cousins. Following her advices, he forced her father to abdicate his throne to her and the 8th of May 1094 he was enthroned co-ruler of the Mutul.
Second Grand K'oja War
While the K'iche Ajpop and most of his court and military staff were away, the K'oja mountain people seized the opportunity to launch raids into the K'iche Kingdom, threatening the city of Kumakah itself although they were forced to abandon the siege due to a lack of war engines. In 1098, K'ukumatz returned at the head of his army to stop the K'oja. The Mountaineers were forced to retreat but during the campaign, K'ukumatz was killed by skirmishers. And so, in 1099, his son K'ikab succeeded him as Ajpop. The same year, her mother abdicated in his favour as K'uhul Ajaw, securing his position and unifying the two states (even though she remained regent in her son's absence).
K'ikab launched a grand invasion of the K'oja territories in the mountains and destroyed most of their fortresses. He notably killed their leader in battle, recovered the bones of his father and of his sister -kidnapped, forcefully married, and ultimately executed by the K'oja king during the war- and destroyed their capital. The K'oja as a people ceased to appear in history after the war, either killed by the K'iche armies or deported throughout the new Mutul as slaves. Their fortresses would be left in ruins, perched in the clouds, abandoned until the Mutulo-Reze Wars 550 years later.
Revolt of the Two Princes
Over the next ten years, K'ikab would complete the reunification of the Mutul in full defeating every other Mutals. But in 1109, ten years after his crowning, two of his sons and their vassals rebelled against their father. This revolt proved extremely successful and the two princes imposed themselves as the new hegemons of the Mutul, relegating their father to a ceremonial role. Soon after however, in 1112, the Crown Prince died leaving K'ikab without clear successor. The rebel princes began a new fratricide war for the throne, burning the capital city of Taaj to the ground in the process.
K'ikab was able to escape the siege of Taaj in the confusion with many of his followers, and so despite his illness. He listened to the advice of his K'iche partisans and reached Kumakah before his sons and barricaded himself there before summoning a grand council of the Mutul' nobility still loyal to him. The Council decided, following the previous dynasties' customs but against K'iche's traditions, to elect Tziawilix the K'uhul Ajaw's daughter as K'uhul Ajaw. The war against her two brothers was ultimately won and in 1114 when her father died Tziawilix succeeded him as K'uhul Ajaw.