page_title: Second Tikal–Calakmul War
section_title: Dos Pilas
hierarchical_section_title: Second Tikal–Calakmul War / Dos Pilas
caption_attribution_description: English: Site of Calakmul, Mexico - Structure I
context_page_description: The Second Tikal–Calakmul War was the second in a series of wars between Tikal and Calakmul known as The Tikal–Calakmul wars. Tikal and Calakmul were some of the most prosperous cities in Peten during the classic period of Mesoamerican chronology. After the classic came the post classic which was characterized by a decline in Maya Civilization. During that time both Tikal and Calakmul were abandoned.
context_section_description: In 629 Ajaw K'inich Muwaan Jol II of Tikal made his son B'alaj Chan K'awiil ( in the Maya writing system) ruler of Dos Pilas, a newly founded vassal state of Tikal. B'alaj Chan K'awiil was a major protagonist in the bitter factional dispute between two lords carrying the same emblem glyph. The clash emerged from the obscurity of Tikal's 130-year Hiatus and coincided with the epic contest for political ascendency between Tikal and Calakmul. B'alaj Chan K'awiil's claim to the royal emblem of Mutal  was evidently based on him being the son of K'inich Muwaan Jol, as stated on Dos Pilas Panel 6. Nuun Ujol Chaak, the other bearer of the Tikal emblem, was probably his half-brother.
  A recently exposed section of Hieroglyphic Stairway 2 in Dos Pilas might have thrown light on the timing and circumstances of a Tikal at the time, but erosion obscures most of the details of B'alaj Chan K'awiil's early life. The text does reveal that in 648 he scored a military victory while the same day saw the death of a lord bearing the Mutal emblem. It is unclear, but these events appear to serve as preamble to what came next. In 650 Yuknoom the Great, the Snake Lord, of Calakmul attacked Dos Pilas and forced B'alaj Chan K'awiil to take refuge at Aguateca. Then in 657 the Snake Lord attacked Tikal itself and drove Nuun Ujol Chaak from his city, establishing Calakmul as the supreme power in the entire region. B'alaj Chan K'awiil accepted Yuknoom Ch'een as his overlord, and Nuun Ujol Chaak was probably compelled to pledge fealty as well, for both lords carrying the Mutal emblem witnessed a ritual performed by Calakmul prince Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' at some point in the years leading up to 662.
caption: Calakmul
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