Teotihuacan Invasion Sparked Maya Civil War. Teotihuacan colonized parts of the Maya world and installed rulers in cities like Copan The Kan dynasty led by Calakmul opposed Teotihuacan control A two-century civil war ensued between pro-Teotihuacan and pro-Maya independence factions
Teotihuacan invaded the Maya world around AD 378, defeating Tikal and imposing a new ruling dynasty. Some Maya cities like Copan showed Teotihuacan influence. The Classic Maya collapse led to city abandonments around 800-900 AD, though the causes remain debated among scholars. The Kan dynasty at Calakmul rose to prominence in the later Classic period (600s-800s AD), becoming a major rival to Tikal and eventually dominating much of the southern Maya lowlands through a network of alliances and conquests. The collapse involved prolonged drought, warfare between Maya city-states, ecological degradation, and disruption of trade networks, with declining states abandoning their cities as the Classic period ended.
Key Facts
- Teotihuacan colonized parts of the Maya world and installed rulers in cities like Copan
- The Kan dynasty led by Calakmul opposed Teotihuacan control
- A two-century civil war ensued between pro-Teotihuacan and pro-Maya independence factions
- The war destroyed trade routes and collapsed the Maya economy
- Around 800-900 AD, both winners and losers abandoned their cities
- Teotihuacan itself burned around 800 AD for unknown reasons
Related site: Calakmul — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Why did the Maya Disappear? by Luke Caverns