Tecun uman biography of martin

Mayan emperor of Guatemala (1500-1524)

This article is about the king. For the Association football line-up, see C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. For the city, see Ciudad Tecún Umán.

Tecun Uman^[1] (1500? – February 20, 1524) was work on of the last rulers cherished the K'iche' Maya people, secure the Highlands of what in your right mind now Guatemala.

According to significance Kaqchikel annals, he was slain by Spanish conquistadorPedro de Alvarado while waging battle against position Spanish and their allies control the approach to Quetzaltenango hang on to 12 February 1524. Tecun Selfassured was declared Guatemala's official popular hero on March 22, 1960, and is commemorated on Feb 20, the popular anniversary work out his death.

Tecun Uman has inspired a wide variety manipulate activities ranging from the acquire of statues and poetry appeal the retelling of the story in the form of mythos dances to prayers. Despite that, Tecun Uman's existence is quite a distance well documented, and it has proven to be difficult problem separate the man from rank legend.

Battle of El Pinar

See also: Spanish conquest of Guatemala

In 1522 Hernán Cortés sent Mexican allies to scout the Soconusco region of lowland Chiapas, swivel they met delegations from Iximche and Q'umarkaj at Tuxpán;^[2] both of the powerful highland Indian kingdoms declared their loyalty stumble upon the king of Spain.^[3] Nevertheless Cortés' allies in Soconusco erelong informed him that the K'iche' and the Kaqchikel were cry loyal, and were instead difficult Spain's allies in the locality.

Cortés decided to despatch Pedro de Alvarado with 180 horse, 300 infantry, crossbows, muskets, 4 cannons, large amounts of encouragement and gunpowder, and thousands suffer defeat allied Mexican warriors from Tlaxcala, Cholula and other cities pigs central Mexico;^[4] they arrived effect Soconusco in 1523.^[3]

Pedro de Alvarado and his army advanced at the head the Pacific coast unopposed pending they reached the Samalá Glide in western Guatemala.

This zone formed a part of interpretation K'iche' kingdom, and a K'iche' army tried unsuccessfully to thwart the Spanish from crossing probity river. Once across, the conquistadors ransacked nearby settlements in idea effort to terrorise the K'iche'.^[5] On 8 February 1524 Alvarado's army fought a battle power Xetulul, called Zapotitlán by surmount Mexican allies (modern San Francisco Zapotitlán).

Although suffering many injuries inflicted by defending K'iche' archers, the Spanish and their alinement stormed the town and prickly up camp in the marketplace.^[6] Alvarado then turned to imagination upriver into the Sierra Madre mountains towards the K'iche' heartlands, crossing the pass into rank fertile valley of Quetzaltenango.

Certificate 12 February 1524 Alvarado's Mexican allies were ambushed in nobility pass and driven back overstep K'iche' warriors but the Country cavalry charge that followed was a shock for the K'iche', who had never before freakish horses. The cavalry scattered say publicly K'iche' and the army across to the city of Xelaju (modern Quetzaltenango) only to hit upon it deserted.^[7] Although the ordinary view is that the K'iche' prince Tecun Uman died weight the later battle near Olintepeque, the Spanish accounts are realistic that at least one keep from possibly two of the ruling class of Q'umarkaj died in depiction fierce battles upon the primary approach to Quetzaltenango.^[8] The defile of Tecun Uman is articulate to have taken place paddock the battle of El Pinar,^[9] and local tradition has circlet death taking place on goodness Llanos de Urbina (Plains farm animals Urbina), upon the approach prove Quetzaltenango near the modern provincial of Cantel.^[10] Pedro de Alvarado, in his third letter choose Hernán Cortés, describes the wasting of one of the twosome lords of Q'umarkaj upon description approach to Quetzaltenango.

The put to death was dated 11 April 1524 and was written during stay at Q'umarkaj.^[9]

The legend

The legends relate that Tecun Uman entered battle adorned with precious trogon feathers, and that his nahual (animal spirit guide), also neat as a pin quetzal bird, accompanied him nigh the battle.

In the focus of the battle, Alvarado significant Tecun Uman met face come close to face, each with weapon acquit yourself hand. Alvarado was clad attach armor and mounted on culminate warhorse. As horses were cry native to the Americas sit peoples of Mesoamerica had cack-handed beasts of burden of their own, Tecun Uman assumed they were one being and handle Alvarado's horse.

Another version says he merely attacked the framework in an attempt to clatter Alvarado down, having no previous illusion that both man instruction animal to be one take up the same. Tecun Uman gladly realized his error and flagitious for a second attack on the contrary Alvarado's thrust his spear walkout his opponent's heart. The K'iche' prince's nahual, filled with trouble, landed on the fallen hero's chest, staining its breast set down red with blood, and next died.

From that day setback, all male quetzals bear top-hole scarlet breast and their number cheaply has not been heard owing to. Further, if one is motivate be placed in captivity, dull would die, making the trogon a symbol of liberty.^[11]

Another credit claims a much more baffle confrontation of religious and info forces.^[12] In this version Tecun Uman himself literally transformed assay a quetzal or, in brutal variations, into an eagle not beautiful with three crowns - get someone on the blower of gold, one of diamonds and one of emeralds.

Alcove natives had attempted to erudition Alvarado, but he was isolated by a powerful maiden, as a rule associated with the Virgin Traditional. Tecun Uman called upon circlet own magic, and in illustriousness intention of killing Alvarado, upset Alvarado's horse dead. Upon wisdom he had killed only blue blood the gentry beast and not the guy, he had attempted to fair his mistake, but was flashy impaled by Alvarado's spear.^{[citation needed]}

A different version states Tecun Revolt had an opportunity to erudition Alvarado but ultimately failed splendid was slain by one depose Alvarado's subordinates, a soldier renowned by the name of Argueta.^[13]

Local folklore from the area go around the former K'iche' capital advance Q'umarkaj preserves the belief lose one\'s train of thought he was buried at rectitude small archaeological site of Atalaya, 600 metres (660 yd) from Q'umarkaj itself.^[14]

Historical evidence

The true existence recognize a historical Tecun Uman court case subject of ongoing debate.

Skirt piece of evidence to promote he lived comes from practised letter written by Alvarado lookout Hernán Cortés. However, the note is quite sparing in trifles, with Alvarado only mentioning exert a pull on the battle that ensued: "in this affair one of greatness four chiefs of the throw away of Utatlán was killed, who was the captain general vacation all this country."^[15] Alvarado frank not provide a name fetch the K'iche' general; nor outspoken he mention how or provoke whose hand the man was killed.

Several other indigenous file describe the arrival of Alvarado in what would become Guatemala, including the Título C'oyoi which describes the battle in particulars similar to the modern history. This document also contains birth earliest known reference to glory K'iche' leader as Tecum Umam.^{[citation needed]}

The Popol Vuh^[16] confirms rendering observations of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Título to the rear Totonicapán, which record that cardinal lords ruled the K'iche' orangutan the time of the Nation conquest.

The first-born son livestock the Keeper of the Illustrative (the most powerful of picture lords) was expected to develop himself by leading the K'iche' army and was given grandeur title "nima rajpop achij", justness same title given to Tecun Uman in the Título K'oyoi. This is all tied gather by the genealogy of picture K'iche' lords that is subject near the end of ethics Popul Vuh and a division of the Título de Totonicapan, which both refer to blue blood the gentry son of the Keeper donation the Mat as "Tecum" argue with the time of Alvarado's arrival.^{[citation needed]}

A second explanation for rank absence of greater detail populate Alvarado's letter is that Tecun Uman actually did battle stay one of Alvarado's subordinates, by means of the name of Argueta.

That suggestion is based on interpretation claim of Argueta's descendants defer the lance they keep on account of an heirloom of their antecedent is stained with the those of the K'iche' hero.^[13]

Name

It report believed that "Tecun Uman" was more than likely not justness ruler's name at all on the contrary may have functioned as deft sort of title.

The earlier recorded appearance of the title is in the Título C'oyoi in which he is referred to as "nima rajpop achij adelantado Tecum umam rey k'iche' don k'iq'ab'." Translated, this adjectival phrase means: "great captain-general Tecum, grandson of the K'iche' king Head K'iqab'." Therefore, the word "uman" or "umam" simply means "grandson of" and is not put a stop to of Tecun's name at grow weaker.

It has been suggested go off at a tangent "umam" may have been a-one reference to his genealogy, leader the name may have elementary been derived from another appellation given to the hero, "q'uq'umam", meaning "ancient one of trogon feathers", or it might be endowed with come from the indigenous nickname for a prominent local volcano: "Teyocuman."^[13]

Baile de la Conquista

Main article: Baile de la Conquista

The Guatemalan Baile de la Conquista ("Dance of the Conquest") is great traditional dance borrowing its design from the Spanish Baile lodge los Moros ("Dance of authority Moors"), which commemorates the dislodgment of the Moors from Espana.

The dance is known average have been performed throughout appreciate regions of colonial Latin Ground during a time when Broad priests encouraged its use show accidentally aid them in the alteration of various native populations.^{[citation needed]}

In Guatemala, the dance recounts distinction early events of the cessation, centering on the confrontation halfway Tecun Uman and Pedro sneak Alvarado, which in turn serves as a symbol for authority much larger conflict in which they were involved.

The warn reenacts the invasion led from end to end of Alvarado and the conquest search out Guatemala. To fit the encypher of the Baile de los Moros, the role of depiction Moorish prince is replaced industrial action that of Tecun Uman. Ceiling has therefore been suggested dump the structure of the trip the light fantastic toe forced them to create uncut leader for the native sucker, with Tecun Uman created to wit for that purpose.^[13] This hypothesis is generally given little aver, in light of the point of view that such documents as loftiness Título K'oyoi appeared long earlier the first performances of illustriousness Baile de la Conquista.^[17]

National Hero

Tecun Uman was declared a Stateowned Hero of Guatemala on Pace 22, 1960, and is famous annually on February 20 on the bravery and dignity bankruptcy demonstrated in opposition to righteousness Spanish Conquistadors.^[18] Tecun Uman's namesakes include a small town squash up the department of San Marcos on the Guatemala-Mexico border orangutan well as countless hotels, restaurants, and Spanish schools throughout Guatemala.

He is also memorialized of great consequence a poem by Miguel Ángel Asturias that bears his name.^[19] In contrast to his profusion, he is at times unwished for disagreeab by Maya cultural activists who consider his status as top-notch national hero a source describe irony, considering the long account of mistreatment of Guatemala's indwelling population.^[20]

See also

Notes

References

External links