The history of Ayacucho is full of conflicts, wars and important moments during its development. Despite the fact that today it is a peaceful and perfectly safe area to visit, this Peruvian region has not always been like this.
Ayacucho is the capital of the Huamanga province, in the Ayacucho region. Today it stands out above all for its religious importance and for its festivities, which attract tens of thousands of tourists throughout the year.
The name of the region derives from two Quechua words: aya (death) and kuchu (corner); that is, "the corner of death."
This name was given to the region because it was the scene of one of the most important battles for independence.
Prehispanic era
The first signs of human life in the history of the region come from the Pikimachay caves, some 25 kilometers away from the city. They are believed to be approximately 15,000 years old.
Later there were two important empires occupying the region. First, the Wari civilization, whose empire occupied a large area, approximately half of the Peruvian Andes. This empire lasted about 400 years.
Then, until the arrival of the Spanish, the predominant civilization in the area was the Inca Empire.
Arrival of the Spaniards
In 1540 the famous conqueror Francisco Pizarro conquered the region that today Ayacucho occupies from the hands of the Inca Empire. After expelling them, he founded the city of San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga.
Despite the fact that the first inhabitants were Spanish settlers, many of whom were soldiers brought in to fight the Incas, the city was cultured and developed modern infrastructures very quickly. In 1677 the first university was founded.
The name of the city was shortened, becoming called Huamanga; At present, this name and that of Ayacucho continue to coexist, both being valid to refer to the population.
The region quickly grew rich during the following centuries, mainly due to the silver mines, which are found all around the capital.
Independence of Peru
During the later centuries Ayacucho enjoyed relative peace; but this ended in the early 19th century, when the war for the independence of Peru was being fought.
In 1824, in the nearby town of La Quinua, the Battle of Ayacucho took place. This conflict was the one that ended the war between Peru and Spain, guaranteeing the freedom of the Latin American country.
This battle was extremely violent. 6000 Peruvian soldiers faced a much larger force of Spanish troops and won.
Due to the large number of deaths there, the following year the leader Simón Bolívar changed the name of the city to the one it currently has.
Due to the Battle of Ayacucho, not only Peru managed to permanently separate from Spain, but several Latin American countries also achieved their independence.
Modern era
In more recent times the history of the region continues to be quite bloody. During the last decades of the 20th century, the city of Ayacucho suffered from the control of a pro-independence band, the Shining Path.
From the early 1970s to 1992, a large number of murders and attacks took place in the region due to this revolutionary movement.
However, today the city lives in relative peace. Despite being one of the poorest areas of the country, in recent times a very important effort has been made to revitalize the economy of this city.
References
- "Ayacucho" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: December 12, 2017 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
- "History of Ayacucho" in: In Peru Blog. Retrieved on: December 12, 2017 from In Peru Blog: enperublog.com
- "Ayacucho" in: Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on: December 12, 2017 from Encyclopedia Britannica: britannica.com
- "History of Ayacucho" in: Lonely Planet. Retrieved on: December 12, 2017 from Lonely Planet: lonelyplanet.com
- "Ayacucho History Facts and Timeline" in: World Guides. Retrieved on: December 12, 2017 from World Guides: world-guides.com