K'an Joy Chitam I

K'an Joy Chitam I. ( May 3, 490; † February 6 565 ) was a ruler ( Ajaw ) of the Mayan city of Palenque. He ruled on 6 February 529 until his death.

Origin and family

K'an Joy Chitam I was (12 Lamat Where Long Count 9.2.15.3.8, Calendar Round 6 ) was born on May 3, 490. His family relationship to his predecessor Ahkal Mo ' Nahb I. remain a mystery. As this was the time of K'an Joy Chitams birth only 14 years old, it seems unlikely that he was his father. Also unclear is whether his two successors Ahkal Mo ' Nahb II and Kan Balam I. his sons were.

An inscription from the Temple of the Sun at Palenque called a ritual where K'an Joy Chitam I. on 19 November 496 ( 9.3.1.15.0, 12 Ajaw 8 Keh ) participated at the age of 6 years. Although the then ruler Butz'aj Sak chiik had already moved some years before the seat of power of the yet unidentified village Toktahn to Palenque, this ritual was still held in Toktahn. The old seat of power had so its importance not abruptly lost. In the course of this ritual K'an Joy Chitam I was introduced to an office, but its meaning is unclear.

Reign

The beginning of the reign of K'an Joy Chitam I. seems to have been accompanied by difficult political circumstances. His predecessor Ahkal Mo ' Nahb I died on 1 December 524 K'an Joy Chitam I. ascended the throne but not until more than four years later, on February 6, 529 ( 9.4.14.10.4, 5 K'an 12 K'ayab ). His age seems to have been a major reason for this, as he was when he took office already 38 years old.

From his following, more than thirty years of reign hardly events have survived. An under K'inich Ahkal Mo ' Nahb III. ( 678- after 736 ) resulting inscription from Temple XIX at Palenque called celebrations for the end of a calendar period on 11 February 561 ( 9.6.7.0.0 ). This is so far the only event available via the detailed descriptions. Another, highly weathered inscription from the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque mentions other ends of calendar periods, namely July 1 534 ( 9.5.0.0.0 ) and on March 18, 554 ( 9.6.0.0.0 ) and possibly on 3 April 551 ( 9.5.17.0.0 ) and on January 25, 564 ( 9.6.10.0.0 ). For March 11, 552 ( 9.5.17.17.3 ) another event is called, but the poor condition of the inscription makes precise statements here about impossible.

K'an Joy Chitam I died on February 6, 565 ( 9.6.11.0.16, 7 Kib 4 K'ayab ). At 74, he reached for a pre-Columbian time comparatively old age. His successor Ahkal Mo ' Nahb II ascended the throne 85 days later, on 2 May 565