Motul Municipality

Motul Municipality (in the Yucatec Maya language: 'place of no overflowing') is one of the 106 municipalities in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It contains of land and is roughly east of the city of Mérida. History The founder of Motul was a Maya priest named Zac Mutul. An exact date is unknown, but the city dates from the eleventh century. Before the conquest, it was part of the province of Ceh Pech and afterwards, became part of the encomienda system. In 1581, the encomendero was Francisco de Bracamonte. In 1821, Yucatán was declared independent of the Spanish Crown. In 1825 the area was part of the Coastal region, with its headquarters in Izamal. During the Caste War of Yucatán in 1847, the state government ordered that suspects who appeared to be part of the conspiracy to revolt against the white settlers be whipped. Some 200 Indians were punished and the headman of Motul, Baselio May along with two of his fellow leaders José Miguel Pech and Nicolás Kuk were beaten and condemned to die, though their participation in the revolt was dubious.