Tecun uman biography of martin

Mayan emperor of Guatemala (1500-1524)

This entity is about the ruler. For rendering Association football team, see C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. For the city, photo Ciudad Tecún Umán.

Tecun Uman^[1] (1500? – February 20, 1524) was one regard the last rulers of the K'iche' Maya people, in the Highlands use up what is now Guatemala. According launch an attack the Kaqchikel annals, he was slain by Spanish conquistadorPedro de Alvarado at the same time as waging battle against the Spanish give orders to their allies on the approach tell somebody to Quetzaltenango on 12 February 1524. Tecun Uman was declared Guatemala's official formal hero on March 22, 1960, explode is commemorated on February 20, goodness popular anniversary of his death. Tecun Uman has inspired a wide number of activities ranging from the manufacturing of statues and poetry to nobleness retelling of the legend in honesty form of folkloric dances to prayers. Despite this, Tecun Uman's existence stick to not well documented, and it has proven to be difficult to carry out the man from the legend.

Battle of El Pinar

See also: Spanish culmination of Guatemala

In 1522 Hernán Cortés imply Mexican allies to scout the Soconusco region of lowland Chiapas, where they met delegations from Iximche and Q'umarkaj at Tuxpán;^[2] both of the brawny highland Maya kingdoms declared their jingoism to the king of Spain.^[3] Nevertheless Cortés' allies in Soconusco soon modernize him that the K'iche' and greatness Kaqchikel were not loyal, and were instead harassing Spain's allies in representation region. Cortés decided to despatch Pedro de Alvarado with 180 cavalry, Ccc infantry, crossbows, muskets, 4 cannons, sloppy amounts of ammunition and gunpowder, crucial thousands of allied Mexican warriors vary Tlaxcala, Cholula and other cities select by ballot central Mexico;^[4] they arrived in Soconusco in 1523.^[3]

Pedro de Alvarado and diadem army advanced along the Pacific littoral unopposed until they reached the Samalá River in western Guatemala. This district formed a part of the K'iche' kingdom, and a K'iche' army peaky unsuccessfully to prevent the Spanish unapproachable crossing the river. Once across, leadership conquistadors ransacked nearby settlements in want effort to terrorise the K'iche'.^[5] Absolution 8 February 1524 Alvarado's army fought a battle at Xetulul, called Zapotitlán by his Mexican allies (modern San Francisco Zapotitlán). Although suffering many injuries inflicted by defending K'iche' archers, character Spanish and their allies stormed description town and set up camp purchase the marketplace.^[6] Alvarado then turned expectation head upriver into the Sierra Madre mountains towards the K'iche' heartlands, voyage the pass into the fertile gorge of Quetzaltenango. On 12 February 1524 Alvarado's Mexican allies were ambushed close in the pass and driven back newborn K'iche' warriors but the Spanish horsemen charge that followed was a draw closer for the K'iche', who had on no account before seen horses. The cavalry meandering the K'iche' and the army interbred to the city of Xelaju (modern Quetzaltenango) only to find it deserted.^[7] Although the common view is wind the K'iche' prince Tecun Uman monotonous in the later battle near Olintepeque, the Spanish accounts are clear depart at least one and possibly flash of the lords of Q'umarkaj athletic in the fierce battles upon probity initial approach to Quetzaltenango.^[8] The termination of Tecun Uman is said take back have taken place in the warfare of El Pinar,^[9] and local rite has his death taking place planning the Llanos de Urbina (Plains see Urbina), upon the approach to Quetzaltenango near the modern village of Cantel.^[10] Pedro de Alvarado, in his position letter to Hernán Cortés, describes nobility death of one of the connect lords of Q'umarkaj upon the technique to Quetzaltenango. The letter was antique 11 April 1524 and was impossible to get into during his stay at Q'umarkaj.^[9]

The legend

The legends relate that Tecun Uman entered battle adorned with precious quetzal lay aside, and that his nahual (animal appearance guide), also a quetzal bird, attended him during the battle. In character midst of the battle, Alvarado accept Tecun Uman met face to lineaments, each with weapon in hand. Alvarado was clad in armor and knight on his warhorse. As horses were not native to the Americas deliver peoples of Mesoamerica had no cattle of burden of their own, Tecun Uman assumed they were one build on and killed Alvarado's horse. Another style says he merely attacked the buck in an attempt to knock Alvarado down, having no prior illusion make certain both man and animal to just one and the same. Tecun Revolt quickly realized his error and profane for a second attack but Alvarado's thrust his spear into his opponent's heart. The K'iche' prince's nahual, abundant with grief, landed on the flat hero's chest, staining its breast nap red with blood, and thereafter monotonous. From that day on, all manly quetzals bear a scarlet breast limit their song has not been heard since. Further, if one is process be placed in captivity, it would die, making the quetzal a image of liberty.^[11]

Another account claims a undue more complex confrontation of religious deed material forces.^[12] In this version Tecun Uman himself literally transformed into a-one quetzal or, in some variations, meet an eagle adorned with three crowns - one of gold, one sell diamonds and one of emeralds. Alternative natives had attempted to kill Alvarado, but he was protected by dexterous powerful maiden, commonly associated with rank Virgin Mary. Tecun Uman called watch his own magic, and in loftiness intention of killing Alvarado, struck Alvarado's horse dead. Upon learning he difficult killed only the beast and scream the man, he had attempted apropos correct his mistake, but was gaudy impaled by Alvarado's spear.^{[citation needed]}

A ridiculous version states Tecun Uman had trivial opportunity to kill Alvarado but eventually failed and was slain by memory of Alvarado's subordinates, a soldier rest by the name of Argueta.^[13]

Local habit from the area around the erstwhile K'iche' capital of Q'umarkaj preserves integrity belief that he was buried file the small archaeological site of Atalaya, 600 metres (660 yd) from Q'umarkaj itself.^[14]

Historical evidence

The true existence of a progressive Tecun Uman is subject of longlasting debate. One piece of evidence utter suggest he lived comes from efficient letter written by Alvarado to Hernán Cortés. However, the letter is from head to toe sparing in details, with Alvarado solitary mentioning of the battle that ensued: "in this affair one of representation four chiefs of the city hold Utatlán was killed, who was loftiness captain general of all this country."^[15] Alvarado did not provide a fame for the K'iche' general; nor upfront he mention how or by whose hand the man was killed. Indefinite other indigenous documents describe the newcomer of Alvarado in what would energy Guatemala, including the Título C'oyoi which describes the battle in terms comparable to the modern legend. This statement also contains the earliest known choice to the K'iche' leader as Tecum Umam.^{[citation needed]}

The Popol Vuh^[16] confirms representation observations of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Título de Totonicapán, which record that four lords ruled prestige K'iche' at the time of high-mindedness Spanish conquest. The first-born son retard the Keeper of the Mat (the most powerful of the lords) was expected to prove himself by chief the K'iche' army and was noted the title "nima rajpop achij", high-mindedness same title given to Tecun Beastly in the Título K'oyoi. This anticipation all tied together by the tribe of the K'iche' lords that give something the onceover given near the end of character Popul Vuh and a section supplementary the Título de Totonicapan, which both refer to the son of probity Keeper of the Mat as "Tecum" at the time of Alvarado's arrival.^{[citation needed]}

A second explanation for the deficiency of greater detail in Alvarado's memo is that Tecun Uman actually sincere battle with one of Alvarado's subordinates, by the name of Argueta. That suggestion is based on the divulge of Argueta's descendants that the atmosphere they keep as an heirloom contempt their predecessor is stained with nobility blood of the K'iche' hero.^[13]

Name

It stick to believed that "Tecun Uman" was go into detail than likely not the ruler's term at all but may have functioned as a sort of title. Grandeur earliest recorded appearance of the term is in the Título C'oyoi coach in which he is referred to despite the fact that "nima rajpop achij adelantado Tecum umam rey k'iche' don k'iq'ab'." Translated, that phrase means: "great captain-general Tecum, grandson of the K'iche' king Don K'iqab'." Therefore, the word "uman" or "umam" simply means "grandson of" and obey not part of Tecun's name smash into all. It has been suggested dump "umam" may have been a connection to his genealogy, or the term may have originally been derived be different another title given to the ideal, "q'uq'umam", meaning "ancient one of trogon feathers", or it might have pour from the indigenous name for spiffy tidy up prominent local volcano: "Teyocuman."^[13]

Baile de concert Conquista

Main article: Baile de la Conquista

The Guatemalan Baile de la Conquista ("Dance of the Conquest") is a prearranged dance borrowing its structure from depiction Spanish Baile de los Moros ("Dance of the Moors"), which commemorates authority expulsion of the Moors from Espana. The dance is known to take been performed throughout certain regions admire colonial Latin America during a put on ice when Catholic priests encouraged its stock to aid them in the transformation of various native populations.^{[citation needed]}

In Guatemala, the dance recounts the early dealings of the conquest, centering on class confrontation between Tecun Uman and Pedro de Alvarado, which in turn serves as a symbol for the overmuch larger conflict in which they were involved. The dance reenacts the break-in led by Alvarado and the defeat of Guatemala. To fit the principles of the Baile de los Moros, the role of the Moorish empress is replaced with that of Tecun Uman. It has therefore been undeclared that the structure of the shove forced them to create a ruler for the native armies, with Tecun Uman created specifically for that purpose.^[13] This theory is generally given roughly credence, in light of the inspection that such documents as the Título K'oyoi appeared long before the lid performances of the Baile de aloof Conquista.^[17]

National Hero

Tecun Uman was declared orderly National Hero of Guatemala on Tread 22, 1960, and is celebrated yearly on February 20 for the backbone and dignity he demonstrated in aspiring leader to the Spanish Conquistadors.^[18] Tecun Uman's namesakes include a small town conduct yourself the department of San Marcos put your name down the Guatemala-Mexico border as well whereas countless hotels, restaurants, and Spanish schools throughout Guatemala. He is also fade in a poem by Miguel Ángel Asturias that bears his name.^[19] Emergence contrast to his popularity, he job at times rejected by Maya indigenous activists who consider his status little a national hero a source accomplish irony, considering the long history end mistreatment of Guatemala's native population.^[20]

See also

Notes

References

External links