Tecun uman biography of martin

Mayan emperor of Guatemala (1500-1524)

This affair is about the ruler. For representation Association football team, see C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. For the city, respect Ciudad Tecún Umán.

Tecun Uman^[1] (1500? – February 20, 1524) was one castigate the last rulers of the K'iche' Maya people, in the Highlands take away what is now Guatemala. According thither the Kaqchikel annals, he was slain by Spanish conquistadorPedro de Alvarado measure waging battle against the Spanish put up with their allies on the approach make it to Quetzaltenango on 12 February 1524. Tecun Uman was declared Guatemala's official safe hero on March 22, 1960, topmost is commemorated on February 20, honourableness popular anniversary of his death. Tecun Uman has inspired a wide diversification of activities ranging from the manufacture of statues and poetry to authority retelling of the legend in ethics form of folkloric dances to prayers. Despite this, Tecun Uman's existence bash not well documented, and it has proven to be difficult to cull the man from the legend.

Battle of El Pinar

See also: Spanish domination of Guatemala

In 1522 Hernán Cortés dead heat 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 sturdy highland Maya kingdoms declared their jingoism to the king of Spain.^[3] On the other hand Cortés' allies in Soconusco soon knowledgeable him that the K'iche' and class Kaqchikel were not loyal, and were instead harassing Spain's allies in significance region. Cortés decided to despatch Pedro de Alvarado with 180 cavalry, Ccc infantry, crossbows, muskets, 4 cannons, relaxed amounts of ammunition and gunpowder, existing thousands of allied Mexican warriors use up Tlaxcala, Cholula and other cities suspend central Mexico;^[4] they arrived in Soconusco in 1523.^[3]

Pedro de Alvarado and ruler army advanced along the Pacific seaside unopposed until they reached the Samalá River in western Guatemala. This sector formed a part of the K'iche' kingdom, and a K'iche' army peaky unsuccessfully to prevent the Spanish suffer the loss of crossing the river. Once across, say publicly conquistadors ransacked nearby settlements in apartment building effort to terrorise the K'iche'.^[5] Clearance 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, primacy Spanish and their allies stormed illustriousness town and set up camp suggestion the marketplace.^[6] Alvarado then turned tongue-lash head upriver into the Sierra Madre mountains towards the K'iche' heartlands, cross the pass into the fertile hole of Quetzaltenango. On 12 February 1524 Alvarado's Mexican allies were ambushed difficulty the pass and driven back lump K'iche' warriors but the Spanish mounted troops charge that followed was a exposй for the K'iche', who had not at any time before seen horses. The cavalry circulate the K'iche' and the army intersecting to the city of Xelaju (modern Quetzaltenango) only to find it deserted.^[7] Although the common view is divagate the K'iche' prince Tecun Uman boring in the later battle near Olintepeque, the Spanish accounts are clear wander at least one and possibly glimmer of the lords of Q'umarkaj dull in the fierce battles upon representation initial approach to Quetzaltenango.^[8] The destruction of Tecun Uman is said ingratiate yourself with have taken place in the fight of El Pinar,^[9] and local convention has his death taking place decant the Llanos de Urbina (Plains take up Urbina), upon the approach to Quetzaltenango near the modern village of Cantel.^[10] Pedro de Alvarado, in his base letter to Hernán Cortés, describes prestige death of one of the several lords of Q'umarkaj upon the providing to Quetzaltenango. The letter was full of years 11 April 1524 and was handwritten during his stay at Q'umarkaj.^[9]

The legend

The legends relate that Tecun Uman entered battle adorned with precious quetzal fluff, and that his nahual (animal life guide), also a quetzal bird, attended him during the battle. In representation midst of the battle, Alvarado tolerate Tecun Uman met face to confront, each with weapon in hand. Alvarado was clad in armor and horseman on his warhorse. As horses were not native to the Americas most recent peoples of Mesoamerica had no stock of burden of their own, Tecun Uman assumed they were one proforma and killed Alvarado's horse. Another repel says he merely attacked the plug in an attempt to knock Alvarado down, having no prior illusion renounce both man and animal to rectify one and the same. Tecun Confident quickly realized his error and wicked for a second attack but Alvarado's thrust his spear into his opponent's heart. The K'iche' prince's nahual, full with grief, landed on the loose hero's chest, staining its breast plumage red with blood, and thereafter boring. From that day on, all manful quetzals bear a scarlet breast tell off their song has not been heard since. Further, if one is stick to be placed in captivity, it would die, making the quetzal a metaphor of liberty.^[11]

Another account claims a often more complex confrontation of religious stand for material forces.^[12] In this version Tecun Uman himself literally transformed into capital quetzal or, in some variations, let somebody borrow an eagle adorned with three crowns - one of gold, one run through diamonds and one of emeralds. Opposite natives had attempted to kill Alvarado, but he was protected by systematic powerful maiden, commonly associated with glory Virgin Mary. Tecun Uman called flood in his own magic, and in rendering intention of killing Alvarado, struck Alvarado's horse dead. Upon learning he abstruse killed only the beast and call the man, he had attempted give your approval to correct his mistake, but was run impaled by Alvarado's spear.^{[citation needed]}

A unconventional version states Tecun Uman had distinctive opportunity to kill Alvarado but in the end failed and was slain by predispose of Alvarado's subordinates, a soldier systematic by the name of Argueta.^[13]

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

Historical evidence

The true existence of a consecutive Tecun Uman is subject of current debate. One piece of evidence get through to suggest he lived comes from marvellous letter written by Alvarado to Hernán Cortés. However, the letter is totally sparing in details, with Alvarado sole mentioning of the battle that ensued: "in this affair one of influence four chiefs of the city carp Utatlán was killed, who was say publicly captain general of all this country."^[15] Alvarado did not provide a title for the K'iche' general; nor blunt he mention how or by whose hand the man was killed. Many other indigenous documents describe the onset of Alvarado in what would step Guatemala, including the Título C'oyoi which describes the battle in terms quiet to the modern legend. This statement also contains the earliest known mention to the K'iche' leader as Tecum Umam.^{[citation needed]}

The Popol Vuh^[16] confirms rectitude observations of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Título de Totonicapán, which record that four lords ruled blue blood the gentry K'iche' at the time of honesty Spanish conquest. The first-born son delineate the Keeper of the Mat (the most powerful of the lords) was expected to prove himself by influential the K'iche' army and was stated the title "nima rajpop achij", magnanimity same title given to Tecun Forthright in the Título K'oyoi. This decline all tied together by the tribe of the K'iche' lords that go over given near the end of grandeur Popul Vuh and a section end the Título de Totonicapan, which both refer to the son of decency Keeper of the Mat as "Tecum" at the time of Alvarado's arrival.^{[citation needed]}

A second explanation for the nonappearance of greater detail in Alvarado's message is that Tecun Uman actually outspoken battle with one of Alvarado's subordinates, by the name of Argueta. That suggestion is based on the abide of Argueta's descendants that the in a state they keep as an heirloom carefulness their predecessor is stained with glory blood of the K'iche' hero.^[13]

Name

It practical believed that "Tecun Uman" was addon than likely not the ruler's term at all but may have functioned as a sort of title. Significance earliest recorded appearance of the reputation is in the Título C'oyoi blackhead which he is referred to tempt "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 critique not part of Tecun's name at the same height all. It has been suggested put off "umam" may have been a concern to his genealogy, or the honour may have originally been derived come across another title given to the exemplar, "q'uq'umam", meaning "ancient one of trogon feathers", or it might have pour from the indigenous name for graceful prominent local volcano: "Teyocuman."^[13]

Baile de polar Conquista

Main article: Baile de la Conquista

The Guatemalan Baile de la Conquista ("Dance of the Conquest") is a routine dance borrowing its structure from description Spanish Baile de los Moros ("Dance of the Moors"), which commemorates justness expulsion of the Moors from Espana. The dance is known to possess been performed throughout certain regions go along with colonial Latin America during a period when Catholic priests encouraged its regarding to aid them in the transformation of various native populations.^{[citation needed]}

In Guatemala, the dance recounts the early rumour of the conquest, centering on nobleness confrontation between Tecun Uman and Pedro de Alvarado, which in turn serves as a symbol for the undue larger conflict in which they were involved. The dance reenacts the incursion led by Alvarado and the triumph of Guatemala. To fit the of the Baile de los Moros, the role of the Moorish lord is replaced with that of Tecun Uman. It has therefore been not compulsory that the structure of the shove forced them to create a commander for the native armies, with Tecun Uman created specifically for that purpose.^[13] This theory is generally given small credence, in light of the surveillance that such documents as the Título K'oyoi appeared long before the foremost performances of the Baile de hostility Conquista.^[17]

National Hero

Tecun Uman was declared systematic National Hero of Guatemala on Go 22, 1960, and is celebrated per annum on February 20 for the balls and dignity he demonstrated in correlation to the Spanish Conquistadors.^[18] Tecun Uman's namesakes include a small town value the department of San Marcos matrimony the Guatemala-Mexico border as well though countless hotels, restaurants, and Spanish schools throughout Guatemala. He is also skim through in a poem by Miguel Ángel Asturias that bears his name.^[19] Play in contrast to his popularity, he psychoanalysis at times rejected by Maya indigenous activists who consider his status pass for a national hero a source indifference irony, considering the long history interrupt mistreatment of Guatemala's native population.^[20]

See also

Notes

References

External links