Yaxun Bʼahlam IV, also called Bird Jaguar IV, was a Mayan king from Yaxchilan. He ruled from 752 until 768 AD, continuing the period of

prosperity Prosperity is the flourishing, thriving, good fortune and successful social status. Prosperity often produces profuse wealth including other factors which can be profusely wealthy in all degrees, such as happiness and health. Competing notion ...

started by his father Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam III. He had to struggle to take and hold power, as he was not perceived to be the rightful heir to the throne.

Early life

Yaxun Bʼahlam was the son of Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam and

Lady Eveningstar Lady Eveningstar or Lady Ikʼ Skull (704-751), was a Maya queen and possible regent, wife of Itzamnaaj Bʼalam II, a Maya king of Yaxchilan. Their son, Yaxun Bʼalam IV - "Bird Jaguar", succeeded his father as king. She was possibly a regent for ...

. Lady Eveningstar was not the first wife of Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam and was from Calakmul. As Bird Jaguar was not the son of Lady Xook (Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam's first wife-aunt), he was not completely of the royal blood and would have difficulty acquiring the throne. Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam commissioned a

stele A stele ( ),Anglicized plural steles ( ); Greek plural stelai ( ), from Greek , ''stēlē''. The Greek plural is written , ''stēlai'', but this is only rarely encountered in English. or occasionally stela (plural ''stelas'' or ''stelæ''), whe ...

to be carved showing both Yaxun Bʼahlam and Lady Xook in the same panel, thus legitimating Yaxun.

Accession

There is a ten-year gap between the death of Itzamnaaj Bʼahlam III and the beginning of the reign of Yaxun Bʼahlam. A contemporaneous inscription from Piedras Negras mentions a ruler named Sak Jukub Yopaat B'ahlam being in office in July 749. On that day, Sak Jukub Yopaat B'ahlam witnessed the anniversary of Piedras Negras Ruler 4's accession. Either Sak Jukub erected no monuments, or they were destroyed by Yaxun B'ahlam, as he is only mentioned one time at Piedras Negras. This may indicate a struggle for the throne. Also, as Piedras Negras and Yaxchilan were rivals, this could have meant that Piedras Negras had gained control of Yaxchilan for a short time or at least had a more peaceful dynamic during those years. Yaxun Bʼahlam took the throne on May 3, 752, but he had problems even after he succeeded. In order to legitimize his claim to the throne, Yaxun Bʼahlam had a series of stelae created that pictured him with his father (including Stele 11).

Reign

Several buildings were constructed during the reign of Yaxun Bʼahlam, including Temple 33 and Temple 21. During his life, he captured at least 21 people, 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 a generation of his death, the building projects at Yaxchilan had ceased. He was succeeded by his son

Itzamnaaj Bahlam IV Itzamnaaj Bahlam IV (2 July 741 AD to 808?) was a Maya ajaw (king) of the city of Yaxchilan Yaxchilan () is an ancient Maya city located on the bank of the Usumacinta River in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. In the Late Classic Period Yaxchila ...

in 769.

Marriages

Yaxun Bʼahlam had married

Lady Chak Joloom The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Infor ...

Lady Wak Tuun The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Infor ...

Motul de San José Motul may refer to: * Motul (company) Motul S.A. is a global French company which manufactures, develops and distributes lubricants for engines (motorcycles, cars and other vehicles) and for industry. History Founded in 1853 in New York, the ...

Lady Wak Jalam Chan Ajaw The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Infor ...

Lady Mut Bahlam The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Infor ...

of Hix Witz.''Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens'' by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yaxun Balam 04 709 births 768 deaths Rulers of Yaxchilan