Lady Six Monkey
| Lady 6 Monkey | |
|---|---|
| Iyadzehe | |
Jaltepec | |
| Died | 1101 Huachino |
| Spouse | Lord Eleven Wind 'Blood Jaguar' (from Huachino) |
| Issue |
|
Mixtec | Ñuñuu 'Dzico-Coo-Yodzo' |
| Father | Lord Ten Eagle 'Stone Jaguar', King consort of Jaltepec |
| Mother | Lady Nine Wind 'Stone Quechquemitl', Queen regnant of Jaltepec |
Lady Six Monkey (Mixtec: Ñuñuu Dzico-Coo-Yodzo; born before 1073 – died 1101) was a
Lady Six Monkey's career is described in many contemporary documents, particularly the Codex Selden. She is best known for her conflict against Eight Deer Jaguar Claw, a struggle that John M. D. Pohl of the Fowler Museum has described as "an Iliad of the Mixtec people".[1]
Life
Six Monkey was born to Lady Nine Wind and Lord Ten Eagle, the rulers of
Six Monkey married Lord Eleven Wind, the ruler of Huachino, in 1089.[8] She went on to have two children: Lord Four Wind, born in 1092, and Lord One Alligator, born in 1095.[9] After her marriage, Six Monkey aimed to consolidate her power. During this period, Six Monkey's ambassadors were insulted by the Lords Six Lizard and Two Alligator, leading her to consult Nine Grass again for assistance and military support. Once Nine Grass' support was secured, Six Monkey defeated both lords in battle and burned their towns.[5] Two Alligator was subsequently sacrificed at Jaltepec, while Six Lizard was sacrificed at Huachino.[8] Six Monkey changed her sobriquet after this victory; previously nicknamed "Serpent Quechquemitl", she instead adopted the name "War Quechquemitl".[5]
The most significant conflict of Six Monkey's reign was her war against Lord Eight Deer. Jansen and Perez Jimenez argue that Eight Deer was seeking to stamp out the descendants of his father's first wife; these descendants included Six Monkey's husband, Eleven Wind, thus entangling her in the conflict.[9] During this war, Eight Deer conquered Huachino in approximately 1101, and sacrificed both Eleven Wind and Six Monkey in the aftermath of his victory.[10] Some contemporary documents about Six Monkey's reign, such as the Codex Selden and Codex Añute, omit mention of her downfall and death.[8][9]
Six Monkey's eldest son, Four Wind, survived the conquest of Huachino. Four Wind would later go on to marry Eight Deer's daughter, Ten Flower, a marriage that was notable for uniting the royal dynasties of Jaltepec, Huachino, and Tilantongo.[11] Four Wind also went on to orchestrate the assassination of Eight Deer in 1115.[9][12] The strife between the families of Six Monkey and Eight Deer was reported in multiple codices, suggesting that Six Monkey's rise and fall was a well-known narrative in the region.[9]
References
- ^ Williams, p. 16.
- ^ a b Williams, p. 179.
- ^ a b c Jansen et al., 374.
- ^ Williams, pp. 179–180, 183.
- ^ a b c Marcus, Joyce (2001). "Breaking the Glass Ceiling: The Strategies of Royal Women in Ancient States" (PDF). Gender in Pre-Hispanic America. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2010.
- ^ Jansen et al., 440.
- ^ Williams, p. 183.
- ^ a b c Williams, p. 184.
- ^ a b c d e Jansen et al., p. 445.
- ^ Williams, p. 23.
- ^ Williams, p. 186.
- JSTOR 24319038.
Bibliography
- Jansen, Maarten; Lladó-Buisán, Virginia M.; Snijders, Ludo, eds. (2019). Mesoamerican Manuscripts: New Scientific Approaches and Interpretations. Leiden: Brill.
- Williams, Robert Lloyd (2009). Lord Eight Wind of Suchixtlan and the Heroes of Ancient Oaxaca: Reading History in the Codex Zouche-Nuttall. Austin: University of Texas Press.