INDIGENOUS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS DURING THE VICEROYALTY - HISTORY - 2024

The indigenous rebellions during the viceroyalty of New Spain were constant, especially in Mexican territory. Almost immediately after the Conquest, large-scale resistance to colonialism began.

In those early days, most Indians still longed for the time before the arrival of the Spanish. Many of these uprisings posed serious threats to Spanish rule in Mexico.

Canvas of Tlaxcala, Battle of Xochipilla during the Miztón War.

In general, indigenous rebellions played a key role in the colonial history of the Americas. These shaped the relationships between indigenous communities and the Spanish. In some way, they helped structure the main characteristics of colonial society.

Particularly in New Spain, the patterns of indigenous rebellions during the viceroyalty varied widely in time and space. The nucleus of the viceroyalty was located in central and southern Mexico.

There, the revolts were local, small-scale, and relatively brief. In the peripheral areas, outside the central areas of the Indian settlements, several large-scale rebellions broke out during the colonial period.

On the other hand, the causes of these revolts were varied. Many were the product of exploitation, oppression and violence on the part of the Spanish encomenderos.

This was intensified by epidemic diseases, drought, and widespread hunger. There were also rebellions organized by religious leaders who wanted to regain their old ways.

Main indigenous rebellions in Mexican territory during the viceroyalty

The Mixtón War

One of the first great indigenous rebellions during the viceroyalty occurred in Nueva Galicia. In 1531, the territories of what is now Jalisco, Nayarit, and southern Zacatecas were controlled for the first time by Nuño de Guzmán. The indigenous people of the region - the Cazcans, Teul, Tecuexe, Tonalá and others - suffered great abuse until 1540.

Then, the rebellion began in a context of economic extortion and forced labor. The Caxcanes joined the Zacatecos and other nomadic Indians from the north, and left the encomiendas in rebellion.

An encomendero and two Catholic priests were killed. 1600 Spanish and Indian allies had joined an expedition to explore the north. There was not enough manpower then to quell an uprising.

Many Indians who had fled from the haciendas and the mines regrouped mainly on the Cerro del Mixtón. There, the native rebels planned their guerrilla war against the Spanish.

A peace delegation was sent to the mountains, but its members were killed. They then defeated a contingent of soldiers sent to storm Mixtón.

In the spring of 1541, Viceroy Mendoza sent reinforcements to quell the rebellion. The first round failed. The leader of the Tenamaxtli revolt defeated an army of 400 Spanish and several hundred Indian allies. In early July 1541, the Spanish feared that the rebellion would spread from Nueva Galicia to the heart of the ancient Aztec heartland.

In September of that same year, Tenamaxtli tried unsuccessfully to take Guadalajara. His armies withdrew to Caxcan's homeland and to the mountains. Two months later, Viceroy Mendoza led an army in the territory of Caxcan to take charge of the situation. In the spring of 1542 the Spanish took Mixtón, ending the insurrection.

Great rebellion of the Maya in 1546

The conquest of Yucatán was the longest and most difficult campaign of the Spanish. The first unsuccessful attempt was led by Francisco Montejo. In 1540, after 13 years of failure, Montejo entrusted the conquest of Yucatán to his son, Francisco Montejo.

Several more years of difficult campaign followed. Finally, in 1546, most of the northern part of the peninsula came under Spanish control. That year, the Spanish had to face one of the bloodiest indigenous rebellions during the viceroyalty.

The Maya of eastern Yucatán retained varying degrees of independence and continued to harass the Spanish. The provinces of Cupul, Cochua, Sotuta and Chetumal, after twenty years of resistance, surrendered when the Mayan groups in central Yucatan became Spanish allies. However, they still remembered their successful past and resented the economic burdens of colonialism.

In 1546, during the first full moon in November, the Maya from the east and some from the central region rebelled. Those of Capul were the most aggressive, torturing and killing their Spanish captives and hundreds of Indians.

Some of these Indians refused to abandon Christianity. They also destroyed everything in their path, including animals and plants.

Then, the conflict moved to Valladolid, the second city of colonial Yucatán. Throughout its history, this city had been a high point in the confrontation between the Mayans and the Spanish.

Before the conquest it was Zaci, the capital of the Mayan Cupul. This city was founded in 1543. The Eastern Mayan coalition besieged the city for four months. In the end, they fell to the Spanish troops in Mérida.

The Acaxee Rebellion

Another of the important indigenous rebellions during the viceroyalty occurred in the current state of Durango. In December 1601, the Acaxee rebelled against mistreatment by the Spanish authorities. Those who had converted to Christianity and those who did not come together to drive the colonizers from their lands. These were divided into squads.

In the weeks that followed, they attacked the Spanish in mining camps and on mountain roads. They also besieged farms. In all, 50 people were murdered.

The bishop of Guadalajara tried to mediate, but the negotiations failed. After a while, they were defeated by a Spanish militia and their allies. Many rebel leaders were executed, while others were sold as slaves.

Revolt of Tepehuanes

In November 1616, an uprising of the Tepehuanes surprised the colonial authorities. In a few weeks, the rebels had killed more than four hundred Spaniards, including 6 resident Jesuits, a Franciscan, and a Dominican.

They also burned churches, and destroyed all Christian religious symbols. The Tepehuanes conquered most of western and central Durango. To the north, some Tarahumara joined the revolt and raided Spanish settlements in Chihuahua.

For their part, the Spanish reacted strongly. The revolt lasted more than two years, until the Tepehuan rebels were defeated. More than a thousand Indians died in the process and hundreds more were sold as slaves.

References

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