Ceh Pech (pronounced ''Keh Pech'', 'Ceh (deer): patronymic, perhaps Ah Ceh; Pech (tick), perhaps also a

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, al ...

composed of the union of two family names') is the name of a post-classic

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popu ...

ruling family A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

and a province, or ''

kuchkabal A ''kuchkabal'' ( , ''kuchkabalo'ob'', 'province'), also known as an ''ah kuch-kab'' or ''ah cuch-cab'', was a system of social and political organisation common to Maya polities of the Maya Lowlands, in the Yucatán Peninsula, during the ...

'' of the northern

Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...

. It existed before the

Spanish conquest of the Yucatán Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

in the 16th century. The Pech family exists to the present day.

History

15th century

The socio-political dissolution of the

League of Mayapan The League of Mayapan (Yucatec: Luub Mayapan Maya glyphs: ) was a confederation of Maya states in the post classic period of Mesoamerica on the Yucatan peninsula. The main members of the league were the Itza, the Tutul-Xiu, Mayapan, and Uxm ...

occurred in the mid-15th century, before the arrival of Europeans. 16 jurisdictions ended, who occupied the territory now comprised by the Mexican states of Yucatán,

Campeche Campeche (; yua, Kaampech ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Campeche), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by ...

, and

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...

Naum Pech is considered to be the founder of the

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

. He was a relative of the

Cocomes The Cocom or Cocomes were a Maya family or dynasty who controlled the Yucatán Peninsula in the late Postclassic period. Their capital was at Mayapan. The dynasty was founded by Hunac Ceel, and was overthrown sometime between 1440 and 1441 by Ah ...

dynasty of

Mayapan Mayapan (Màayapáan in Modern Maya; in Spanish Mayapán) is a Pre-Columbian Maya site a couple of kilometers south of the town of Telchaquillo in Municipality of Tecoh, approximately 40 km south-east of Mérida and 100 km west o ...

and reigned as the

Halach Uinik Halach uinik or halach uinic (Yucatec Maya:'real man') was the name given to the supreme ruler, overlord or chief, as they were called in the colonial period of a Maya ''kuchkabal''. Most ''kuchkabal'' were run by a halach uinik, who ruled on beh ...

from 1470 in Motul (now in the

Mexican state The states of Mexico are first-level administrative territorial entities of the country of Mexico, which is officially named United Mexican States. There are 32 federal entities in Mexico (31 states and the capital, Mexico City, as a separate ent ...

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

), the capital of the principality that was named after his family: Ceh Pech. Other members of the family's lineage of the Pech appeared in other locations such as: Tunal Ah Pech and their children, who settled in Maxtunil, Ah Kom Pech, seated in Xulcumcheel, Nakuk Pech, the batab of Chicxulub Pueblo. Ah Makam Pech, batab of Yaxkukul, and other relatives played leadership roles in the region.

16th century

Similar to the Tutul Xiu, the Ceh Pech cooperated early on, although not consistently, with the Spanish ''conquistadores''. At times the Ceh Pech even provided

auxiliary troops The (, lit. "auxiliaries") were introduced as non-citizen troops attached to the citizen legions by Augustus after his reorganisation of the Imperial Roman army from 30 BC. By the 2nd century, the Auxilia contained the same number of in ...

against principalities of the free Maya, pursuing traditional local policies of enmity. Nevertheless, their capital was conquered in 1538 and they lost their sovereignty. However, the Ceh Pech received recognition of their

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

by the Spanish and were allowed to carry the title of Don, usually reserved for the head of the family. In addition, the family retained their inherent economic and social supremacy over their former estates. On May 8, 1544 members of the Ceh Pech family sent a letter to the Spanish King

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infant ...

in order to draw attention to their situation. Between December 25, 1557 and January 6, 1558 Alonso Ortiz de Argueta, the Spanish governor of Yucatán, received homage of Melchor Pech from Chuburna and Francisco Pech from Concal as representatives of their family on the occasion of the accession of Philip II to the throne. In 1567 the Pech family represented the Batab (governor) in 21 of 25 towns in Ceh Pech.

Later centuries

In 1688 15 adult members of the family are mentioned in tax lists, although a total number of 34 family members were known at that time. As late as the 17th and 18th century the office of Batab in Yaxkukul, Ixil, Motul, Chuburna and Chicxulub was run by a member of the Pech. In Ixil the Pech possessed by far the largest estates.

Family Members

* Ah Kom Pech * Ah Makam Pech * Francisco Pech * Melchor Pech * Naum Pech, from 1470 Halach Huinik in Motul * Nakuk Pech (1490–1562), Batab of Xulub Chen (today's Chicxulub), author of ''The history of Xulub Chen''. (1562)Mayathan: ''Ubelil u kablail Chac Xulub Chen.''; English: ''The Chronicle of Chac Xulub.'' * Tunal Ah Pech

References