Yaxun B'alam IV

Infobox Monarch
name =Yaxun B’alam IV
title =High King of Yaxchilan


caption =
reign =752 – 768
predecessor =Itzamnaaj B'alam II
successor =Itzamnaaj B'alam III
spouse 1 =unknown
issue =unknown
father =Itzamnaaj B'alam II
mother =Lady Eveningstar
date of birth =709
date of death =768

Yaxun B’alam IV, also called Bird Jaguar IV, is the most famous of the kings from Yaxchilan known by the name Yaxun B’alam. He ruled on the throne from 752 until 768 AD, continuing the period of prosperity started by his father Itzamnaaj B'alam II. He had to struggle to come to power, and even afterwards to appear as the rightful heir in the eyes of the people.

Early life

Yaxun B’alam IV was the son of Itzamnaaj B'alam II and Lady Eveningstar. Lady Eveningstar was not the first wife of Itzamnaaj B'alam and was actually from Calakmul. As Bird Jaguar was not the son of Lady Xoc (Itzamnaaj B'alam's first wife), he was not completely of the royal blood and would have difficulty acquiring the throne. Itzamnaaj B'alam commissioned for a stele to be carved showing both Yaxun B'alam and Lady Xoc in the same panel, thus helping his son to become the king later.

Accession

There is a ten year gap between the death of Itzamnaaj B'alam II and the beginning of the reign of Yaxun B’alam. Evidently, there was a struggle for the throne of Yaxchilan. Yaxun B'alam took the throne in 752, but it appears he still had problems even while in office. In order to legitimize his claim to the throne, Yaxun B'alam had a series of stele created that pictured him with his father (including Stele 11).

Reign

Several buildings were constructed during the reign of Yaxun B’alam including Temple 33 and Temple 21. During his life, he captured at least 21 captives (as evidenced by the statement on Yaxchilan Stela 11). His seventeen year reign was much shorter than that of his father’s, and he died in 768. Within about a generation of his death the building projects at Yaxchilan had ceased. He was succeeded by Itzamnaaj B'alam III in 769.

References

Schele, Linda, & David Freidel. (1990). "A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of The Ancient Maya." New York, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc.

Montgomery, John. (2002). "How to Read Maya Hieroglyphs." New York, New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc.