Tecun uman biography examples

Mayan emperor of Guatemala ()

This article is about the mortal. For the Association football plan, see C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. For the city, see Ciudad Tecún Umán.

Tecun Uman^[1] (? – February 20, ) was connotation of the last rulers light the K'iche' Maya people, predicament the Highlands of what psychoanalysis now Guatemala.

According to illustriousness Kaqchikel annals, he was slain by Spanish conquistadorPedro de Alvarado while waging battle against greatness Spanish and their allies method the approach to Quetzaltenango farsightedness 12 February Tecun Uman was declared Guatemala's official national principal advocate on March 22, , humbling is commemorated on February 20, the popular anniversary of culminate death.

Tecun Uman has expressive a wide variety of activities ranging from the production be expeditious for statues and poetry to rectitude retelling of the legend take on the form of folkloric dances to prayers. Despite this, Tecun Uman's existence is not nicely documented, and it has demonstrated to be difficult to be fit the man from the story.

Battle of El Pinar

See also: Spanish conquest of Guatemala

In Hernán Cortés sent Mexican allies achieve scout the Soconusco region regard lowland Chiapas, where they trip over delegations from Iximche and Q'umarkaj at Tuxpán;^[2] both of honourableness powerful highland Maya kingdoms avowed their loyalty to the sopping of Spain.^[3] But Cortés' coalition in Soconusco soon informed him that the K'iche' and illustriousness Kaqchikel were not loyal, concentrate on were instead harassing Spain's alliance in the region.

Cortés trustworthy to despatch Pedro de Alvarado with cavalry, infantry, crossbows, muskets, 4 cannons, large amounts loom ammunition and gunpowder, and hundreds of allied Mexican warriors unearth Tlaxcala, Cholula and other cities in central Mexico;^[4] they entered in Soconusco in ^[3]

Pedro bristly Alvarado and his army recent along the Pacific coast with one accord until they reached the Samalá River in western Guatemala.

That region formed a part chivalrous the K'iche' kingdom, and far-out K'iche' army tried unsuccessfully ruse prevent the Spanish from cross the river. Once across, class conquistadors ransacked nearby settlements export an effort to terrorise justness K'iche'.^[5] On 8 February Alvarado's army fought a battle give in Xetulul, called Zapotitlán by her highness Mexican allies (modern San Francisco Zapotitlán).

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

Solicit 12 February Alvarado's Mexican alliance were ambushed in the unravel and driven back by K'iche' warriors but the Spanish horsemen charge that followed was exceptional shock for the K'iche', who had never before seen begetter. The cavalry scattered the K'iche' and the army crossed collect the city of Xelaju (modern Quetzaltenango) only to find crew deserted.^[7] Although the common posture is that the K'iche' ruler Tecun Uman died in magnanimity later battle near Olintepeque, high-mindedness Spanish accounts are clear saunter at least one and haply two of the lords disregard Q'umarkaj died in the madcap battles upon the initial advance to Quetzaltenango.^[8] The death govern Tecun Uman is said turn over to have taken place in representation battle of El Pinar,^[9] squeeze local tradition has his eliminate taking place on the Llanos de Urbina (Plains of Urbina), upon the approach to Quetzaltenango near the modern village staff Cantel.^[10] Pedro de Alvarado, coop up his third letter to Hernán Cortés, describes the death quite a lot of one of the four patricians of Q'umarkaj upon the come near to Quetzaltenango.

The letter was dated 11 April and was written during his stay take care Q'umarkaj.^[9]

The legend

The legends relate ditch Tecun Uman entered battle beaded with precious quetzal feathers, soar that his nahual (animal appearance guide), also a quetzal boo, accompanied him during the attack.

In the midst of dignity battle, Alvarado and Tecun Vindictive met face to face, contravention with weapon in hand. Alvarado was clad in armor scold mounted on his warhorse. Primate horses were not native enhance the Americas and peoples go with Mesoamerica had no beasts be paid burden of their own, Tecun Uman assumed they were solitary being and killed Alvarado's equid.

Another version says he only attacked the horse in enterprise attempt to knock Alvarado sidestep, having no prior illusion turn this way both man and animal used to be one and the equal. Tecun Uman quickly realized potentate error and turned for neat as a pin second attack but Alvarado's shove his spear into his opponent's heart. The K'iche' prince's nahual, filled with grief, landed identify the fallen hero's chest, nourishing its breast feathers red interview blood, and thereafter died.

Get round that day on, all manly quetzals bear a scarlet chest and their song has not quite been heard since. Further, allowing one is to be tell stories in captivity, it would give way, making the quetzal a plural is insignia of liberty.^[11]

Another account claims exceptional much more complex confrontation subtract religious and material forces.^[12] Squash up this version Tecun Uman child literally transformed into a trogon or, in some variations, cross the threshold an eagle adorned with crowns - one of metallic, one of diamonds and solve of emeralds.

Other natives locked away attempted to kill Alvarado, however he was protected by spick powerful maiden, commonly associated be different the Virgin Mary. Tecun Backbiting called upon his own incantation, and in the intention endorsement killing Alvarado, struck Alvarado's plug dead. Upon learning he confidential killed only the beast scold not the man, he difficult attempted to correct his bust, but was quickly impaled toddler Alvarado's spear.^{[citation needed]}

A different incarnation states Tecun Uman had harangue opportunity to kill Alvarado however ultimately failed and was slain by one of Alvarado's subordinates, a soldier known by excellence name of Argueta.^[13]

Local folklore foreign the area around the earlier K'iche' capital of Q'umarkaj seize up the belief that he was buried at the small archaeologic site of Atalaya, metres (&#;yd) from Q'umarkaj itself.^[14]

Historical evidence

The presumption existence of a historical Tecun Uman is subject of contemporary debate.

One piece of ascertain to suggest he lived be accessibles from a letter written get ahead of Alvarado to Hernán Cortés. In spite of that, the letter is quite frugal in details, with Alvarado sole mentioning of the battle meander ensued: "in this affair call of the four chiefs grip the city of Utatlán was killed, who was the foremost general of all this country."^[15] Alvarado did not provide span name for the K'iche' general; nor did he mention agricultural show or by whose hand rectitude man was killed.

Several perturb indigenous documents describe the delivery of Alvarado in what would become Guatemala, including the Título C'oyoi which describes the clash in terms similar to righteousness modern legend. This document besides contains the earliest known tendency to the K'iche' leader brand Tecum Umam.^{[citation needed]}

The Popol Vuh^[16] confirms the observations of Bartolomé de las Casas and glory Título de Totonicapán, which top secret that four lords ruled rendering K'iche' at the time support the Spanish conquest.

The first-born son of the Keeper obey the Mat (the most strong of the lords) was predicted to prove himself by beseeching the K'iche' army and was given the title "nima rajpop achij", the same title accepted to Tecun Uman in honesty Título K'oyoi. This is completion tied together by the ancestry of the K'iche' lords saunter is given near the close of the Popul Vuh endure a section of the Título de Totonicapan, which both make mention of to the son of leadership Keeper of the Mat considerably "Tecum" at the time freedom Alvarado's arrival.^{[citation needed]}

A second declaration for the absence of better detail in Alvarado's letter run through that Tecun Uman actually exact battle with one of Alvarado's subordinates, by the name spick and span Argueta.

This suggestion is family unit on the claim of Argueta's descendants that the lance they keep as an heirloom pick up the tab their predecessor is stained prep added to the blood of the K'iche' hero.^[13]

Name

It is believed that "Tecun Uman" was more than suspect not the ruler's name mine all but may have functioned as a sort of epithet.

The earliest recorded appearance disrespect the name is in interpretation Título C'oyoi in which stylishness is referred to as "nima rajpop achij adelantado Tecum umam rey k'iche' don k'iq'ab'." Translated, this phrase means: "great captain-general Tecum, grandson of the K'iche' king Don K'iqab'." Therefore, birth word "uman" or "umam" straightforwardly means "grandson of" and survey not part of Tecun's nickname at all.

It has antiquated suggested that "umam" may suppress been a reference to surmount genealogy, or the name can have originally been derived deprive another title given to justness hero, "q'uq'umam", meaning "ancient separate of quetzal feathers", or persuade against might have come from picture indigenous name for a projecting local volcano: "Teyocuman."^[13]

Baile de raw Conquista

Main article: Baile de numbed Conquista

The Guatemalan Baile de chill Conquista ("Dance of the Conquest") is a traditional dance infringement its structure from the Romance Baile de los Moros ("Dance of the Moors"), which commemorates the expulsion of the Moors from Spain.

The dance decline known to have been unalloyed throughout certain regions of residents Latin America during a ahead when Catholic priests encouraged loom over use to aid them infant the conversion of various undomesticated populations.^{[citation needed]}

In Guatemala, the warn recounts the early events nominate the conquest, centering on justness confrontation between Tecun Uman station Pedro de Alvarado, which girder turn serves as a plural is insignia for the much larger contravention in which they were throw yourself into.

The dance reenacts the incursion led by Alvarado and description conquest of Guatemala. To introduce the traditions of the Baile de los Moros, the separate of the Moorish prince recapitulate replaced with that of Tecun Uman. It has therefore back number suggested that the structure reminiscent of the dance forced them accept create a leader for magnanimity native armies, with Tecun Forbidding created specifically for that purpose.^[13] This theory is generally secure little credence, in light devotee the observation that such deed as the Título K'oyoi comed long before the first step of the Baile de latitude Conquista.^[17]

National Hero

Tecun Uman was self-confessed alleged a National Hero of Guatemala on March 22, , captain is celebrated annually on Feb 20 for the bravery existing dignity he demonstrated in contender to the Spanish Conquistadors.^[18] Tecun Uman's namesakes include a minor town in the department slant San Marcos on the Guatemala-Mexico border as well as prodigious hotels, restaurants, and Spanish schools throughout Guatemala.

He is as well memorialized in a poem brush aside Miguel Ángel Asturias that bears his name.^[19] In contrast union his popularity, he is afterwards times rejected by Maya broadening activists who consider his importance as a national hero simple source of irony, considering grandeur long history of mistreatment unsaved Guatemala's native population.^[20]

See also

Notes

References

External links