MAYA: POLITCIAL ORGANIZATION
THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
The Maya developed city-states.
During the Classical period city-states were run by nobles. Several dynasties rose
and fell.
The ruler of the Maya, the AHAW, lived in the city.
The HALACH UINICH governed the city-state for the Ahaw.
The ruler of each city-state was the Halach Uinich- the true man or real man.
The Halach Uinich was a hereditary ruler. This means that the office descended
from father to son. However, if the sons of the dead ruler were not fit to rule, one of
his brothers became head of state. Failing this, some other suitable person from the
ruler’s family was elected by a council of nobles.
The Halach Uinich was an absolute hereditary ruler who held:

Civil Office

Military Office and

Religious Office
The Halach Uinich as religious leader: In his religious capacity the Halach Uinich
co-operated closely with the priests who acted as god-contacts for the people and
they in turn followed the dictates of their divine rulers.
The Maya ruler was therefore called a priest-king.
The Halach Uinich was helped by a council of chiefs and priests known as AH
CUCH CABOB.
Towns and villages around the city-state were administered by sub-lords, the
SAJALOB, and represented by a chief, the BHAAH SAHAL.
The BATABOBS were lesser chiefs responsible for the day to day running of a
village.
NACOMS, war chiefs elected for proving themselves in war, were part of the
political system. They were elected for three years. They lived a regimented life,
abstaining from alcohol and women, and assisted officials with the daily collection of
taxes and planting of crops.
LAWS/PRISONS
There were no prisons. Anyone who stole was punished by having to work off the
value of his theft.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Norman, Alma. The people who came Book 1 Trinidad and Tobago ; Kingston ;
London : Longman Caribbean, 1986, 1968.
Claypole, W. and Robottom, J. Caribbean History Foundation Book 1 Harlow, Essex:
Longman, 2009.
Lennox Honychurch; Karl Watson (contrib.); James Rose (contrib.); Veta Dawson
(contrib.); Caribbean Examinations Council. CXC Study Guide Caribbean History for
CSEC OUP Oxford; August 2018
Honychurch, Lennox. Caribbean People Book 1 [Kingston]: Nelson Caribbean,
cop.1979.
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