Rahpop Achi Balam
Balam, eldest son of the Kaqchikel ruler Hunyg, who bore the high title rahpop achi and died of the pestilence two days after his father.
The Pestilence at Iximche
Annals of the Kaqchikels, edited and translated by Daniel G. Brinton (1885) · events of the early 1520s (Brinton dates the king’s death to 1521); written down later in the sixteenth century
130. Xaja ru cabih xcam chic ka tata rahpop Achi Balam ri y mama, yxnu^-ahol ; xa £a hunam xecam y mama rujJ-in ru tata ki tan ti chuvin, ti ^Jayin vinak chi camic. Tok xecam ka tata ka mama, xax be tzak chi el <J-hakap vinak chi civan, xa ^ij, xa ^-uch, xtiochic vinak ; tixibin chi camic xecamigan ymama, herach camic ru ^J-ahol ahauh ru^Jin ru cha£ ru nimal : querela xoh canah vi can chi mebail ri yxnu^-ahol, ^-aoh ok zjhutik ^-ahola, ok xoh canah can konohel. Rupoyibal alaxic.
Only two days later our father died too, the counselor Balam, your grandfather, my children. Grandfathers and fathers died alike. Great was the stench; the people stank of death. When our fathers and grandfathers died, half the people fell into the ravines. Only dogs and vultures fed on the people. Terrible was the death that destroyed your grandfathers. The king’s son died together with his younger brother and his elder brother. So we were left in poverty, my children. We were small boys, and all of us were left. So our birthright was set aside.
131. Rahpop achi Balam, rubi, nabey ru^ahol ahauh Huny£, ha ki tanti £a£ar chi quivach ahaua, ok xpe nima camic ^-hac.
The counselor Balam was the name of the eldest son of King Hunyg. He was already honored before the lords when the great death of the pestilence came.