How the ‘Star Wars’ Between Calakmul and Tikal Changed the Maya World Forever

Calakmul VS Tikal, the conflict that defined an era.

The multi-generational conflict between the Mayan cities of Tikal and Calakmul, referred to as the “Star Wars,” was a series of intense political and military struggles during the later centuries of the Classic Period (250–900 CE).

These wars were not just between Calakmul and Tikal but involved a network of alliances and proxy conflicts with other city-states like El Naranjo and El Caracol, which played crucial roles in the larger rivalry. There were also proxy wars between other centers of power, including Palenque, Tonina, Tortuguero, Dos Pilas, and Seibal.

Before we go on, it’s important to remember that although this series of wars was terrible, it was not “all-out war, all the time.” Some of the factions, including Palenque and El Naranjo, saw their greatest era of splendor during this time, with the construction of some of their grandest temples and the rule of leaders like K’inich Janaab Pakal, also known as Pakal the Great, and Ix Wak Chan Jalam Ajaw Lem, or Lady Six Sky.

Tikal, located in present-day Guatemala, and Calakmul, in modern Mexico, were two of the grandest Maya cities. Their competition was not only for territory but also for control over trade routes and vassal states. The name “Star Wars” comes from the glyphs that reference star-related warfare, possibly tied to astronomical events or calendrical cycles that influenced their battles.

Though Tikal ultimately emerged victorious, it was by no means unscathed, as the conflict likely contributed to its almost immediate decline and a shift in power dynamics across Mesoamerica.

First Phase: Calakmul’s Ascendancy (c. 562–695 CE)

The conflict between Calakmul and Tikal began in earnest in 562 CE when Calakmul, under the rule of Sky Witness, defeated Tikal with the help of its ally El Caracol. This victory initiated Tikal’s “hiatus,” about 130 years during which the city’s influence waned. Calakmul, meanwhile, expanded its power by installing loyal rulers in cities like El Naranjo and Dos Pilas, turning them into proxies. El Caracol, now aligned with Calakmul, became a dominant force in the eastern lowlands, further isolating Tikal. This phase lasted over a century, with Calakmul maintaining dominance through strategic alliances rather than direct rule.

Second Phase: Tikal’s Resurgence (c. 648–695 CE)

By the mid-7th century, Tikal began to recover under the leadership of Nuun Ujol Chaak, who resisted Calakmul’s influence. However, Calakmul struck back by supporting a rival faction in Dos Pilas, leading to a civil war within Tikal’s sphere. In 657 CE, Calakmul’s king, Yuknoom the Great, installed a puppet ruler at El Naranjo to attack Tikal’s allies. Despite these setbacks, Tikal’s eventual king, Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, rallied his forces and, in 682 CE, launched a counteroffensive. This phase lasted around 50 years and was marked by Tikal gradually regaining strength while Calakmul overextended its network of vassals.

Third Phase: Tikal’s Victory in 695 CE and Its Cost

The final phase of the war between Calakmul and Tikal was brief but decisive. In 695 CE, Jasaw Chan K’awiil I defeated Calakmul in a major battle, sacking the city and capturing its patron god. This victory ended Calakmul’s supremacy and restored Tikal as the dominant power in the Maya lowlands. However, the prolonged wars had weakened both cities, and as mentioned earlier, neither fully recovered its former glory.

The Reordering of the Maya World

Aside from severely weakening both Calakmul and Tikal, eventually leading to the severe decline of both as major centers of power, the Star Wars had other serious implications for the region. One of the most important power shifts in the immediate region began with the military skirmishes, which eventually turned into a full-blown war between Palenque and Tonina. Though Palenque remained in a stronger position by the formal end of the Star Wars, it too would decline during the so-called age of the classical collapse, and eventually fall to the growing might of the forces of Tonina, who descended from the mountains, intent on capturing this great city and its vast trade network through the Usumacinta River.

The Outcome: Power Moves North

After the collapse of the Classic Period, power in the Maya world began to gravitate to the north, where cities of modest size like Uuc Yabnal would be transformed into the Postclassic powerhouse of Chichén Itzá, due at least in part to the northern migrations of the Itzá peoples from what today are the regions surrounding Lake Petén Itzá (near Tikal) and subsequent invasions by Toltecs and other Nahuatl-speaking peoples. This post-war period also sees the ascendancy of Uxmal, which overtook the then most important city of the Puuc region, Kabah, to assert dominance over what is today southern Yucatán and northern Campeche in Mexico. However, its influence spread much further afield.

Explore the Maya World with us!

To this day, Calakmul and Tikal remain some of the most expansive and impressive archaeological sites in Mesoamerica. Interested in visiting either (or both), why not come along with us? Contact: carlos.rosado@roofcatmedia.com for more information.