Early history
Archaeologists only found traces of one pre-Kaqchikel occupational phase and this was an ancient level dating to the Late Preclassic. Occasional Early and Late Classic remains have been found but they are incidental and do not represent a Classic Period occupation of the site.
Late Postclassic history
The Kaqchikel people were closely related to the K'iche', their former allies. The K'iche'an peoples (including the Kaqchikel, the K'iche' and others) had received strong influences from central Mexico since the time of the great Early Classic metropolis of Teotihuacan. The history of Iximche is largely drawn from the Annals of the Kaqchikels, a document written in the Kaqchikel language but using Latin characters soon after the Spanish Conquest. This document details the origins, history and conquest of the Kaqchikels. The Kaqchikel served as close allies of the K'iche' for many years. The Kaqchikel rulers Hun-Toh and Wuqu-Batz' served the great K'iche' king K'iq'ab with such loyalty that he rewarded them with the royal titlesAhpo Sotz'il and Ahpo Xahil and the power to rule. The sons of K'iq'ab became jealous of the growing power of the Kaqchikel lords and led a revolt against their father that seriously damaged his authority. This revolt had serious consequences for the K'iche' as their conquered domains seized the opportunity to break free from their subjugation.
A minor incident in the K'iche' capital Q'umarkaj escalated to have important consequences. A K'iche' soldier tried to seize bread from a Kaqchikel woman who was selling it in the market.The woman refused the soldier and drove him off with a stick. The Kaqchikel demanded the execution of the K'iche' soldier while the K'iche' nobility demanded the punishment of the Kaqchikel bread seller. When the Kaqchikel lords refused to hand
