REPUTEDLY SAK-K’UK’ (LADY BEASTIE) ASCENDS TO THRONE OF MAYAN CITY-STATE PALENQUE
Sak K’uk, also known as Lady Sak K’uk’ and Lady Beastie, reputedly ascended to the throne as queen of the Maya city-state of Palenque and ruled until 615. Her father was Janahb Pakal and her mother was Yohl Ik’nal or unknown. As Janaab Pakal seems to have had no male heirs, she became queen a few months after her father’s death. Upon maturity, her son K’inich Janaab Pakal I, succeeded her as ruler though she seems to have had considerable influence over Palenque in the early decades of his reign. Her son, also known as Pacal, Pacal the Great, 8 Ahau and Sun Shield, born on March 603, ruled until his death–a reign of 68 years, the longest known regnal period in the history of the Americas, and longest worldwide until Frederick III in the 15th century. Pakal was responsible for the construction or extension of some of Palenque’s most notable surviving inscriptions and monumental architecture.
Source: Joel Skidmore, “The Rulers of Palenque,” Mesoweb Publications, Fifth ed., 2010. Retrieved 7/16/2019, http://www.mesoweb.com/palenque/resources/rulers/PalenqueRulers-05.pdf Graphic: Author unknown. Date: 1902. Public Domain in the US: Pre-1/1/1925. Public Domain elsewhere where copyright term is author’s life plus 100 years or less.
