Tiguex War
Encyclopedia
The Tiguex War was the first war between European
s and Native Americans in what is now the American West. It was fought in the winter of 1540-41 by the army of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
against the twelve to twenty now disappeared pueblo
s of Tiwa
Indians along both sides of the Rio Grande
, north and south of present-day Bernalillo, New Mexico
in what will be called the Tiguex complex of pueblos. The Coronado expedition, with the primary motivation of finding gold and silver, spent two winters utilizing the area as headquarters for different regional explorations.
After Coronado had conquered the pueblo of Hawikuh
, also known as Cevola or Cibola, he sent messages to other pueblos that the Hispanic Christians desired friendly relations with them. In response, an eastern delegation arrived and extended an invitation to visit their land. One of the tall chieftans of this delegation, after exchanging gifts, offered to guide the expedition to his homeland. He had an unusually long mustache for a Native American, and so was called Bigotes (Whiskers) by the Spaniards. Coronado accepted the proposition and appointed Hernando de Alvarado as commander of the journey.
Alvarado was one of the two volunteer soldiers who had thrown their bodies over the fallen Coronado at the siege of Hawikuh and saved him from being bludgeoned to death by stones hurled by the defending Pueblo defenders. Bigotes led the small band of little more than twenty individuals east, past Acoma
and into the Rio Grande valley, where they visited a cluster of pueblos they called the province of Tiguex, and then north into the upper valley. They possibly traveled as far as Taos
, stopping at several pueblos. After a total month of travel they arrived at Bigotes' community of Pecos Pueblo
(Cicuyé), in the area of the present town of Pecos, New Mexico
. This was the easternmost of the pueblos with a location conducive to the well-developed commerce between pueblo and plains Indians and designed to resist attack. Alvarado journeyed another five days easterly, and viewed the plains buffalo that Bigotes had earlier described to Coronado, before returning to Tiguex.
The Tiguex complex was described as the most prosperous of the pueblos they had seen, with the river flowing through a wide, level, fertile land, planted with cornfields. Coronado was convinced by the messages he received about the area, to arrange for establishing a headquarters there. From this base, he would later lead a force back through Pecos and further east, eventually into Kansas, in search of the riches of Quivira
. Spanish forces would also lay siege against Pecos Pueblo before Coronado's return to Tiguex, since factions within the Pueblo had decided that a true alliance with the Spanish was not in their best interest.
The expedition purchased much of the needed food and winter clothing for their stay in Tiguex, from the Tiguex pueblos, but under difficult conditions, commandeered the rest. At least one of the pueblo women was assaulted, and the expedition's livestock had consumed much of the post-harvest cornstalks normally used by the pueblos for cooking and heating fuel. These incidents were piled upon the insult that expedition forces had taken over an entire pueblo for living quarters, forcing its inhabitant to move to neighboring pueblos with only the clothes on their backs. Some of the people retaliated by killing 40 of the expedition's free-roaming horses and mules. As a result, the Spanish forces waged war, capturing one of the pueblos and punishing many of the people. All but two of the Tiguex pueblos were abandoned by their people in the face of such overwhelming forces. The Spanish laid siege to the strongest of all of the Tiquex pueblos through two mid-winter months. Finally, the inhabitants were forced out in an attempt fight their way to freedom in pre-morning darkness, with the men enclosing the women (they previously negotiated the release of children and some women) within a protected core. The Tiguex War ended in a slaughter, those Native Americans who escaped death or injury in this last incident were few. The Tiguex Pueblo people abandoned the area until the expedition left.
By the time of the Spanish colonization led by Juan de Oñate
in 1598, the pueblo people in the Tiguex complex had reestablished themselves. But during the period of colonization, pueblo peoples were ravaged by disease, and the number of pueblos in the Tiguex area was reduced to five. Then, following the Pueblo Revolt
all of these pueblos were abandoned. The Sandia Pueblo
land grant was created in 1748 for mixed group of refugees from several areas and various pueblos, and is now the only pueblo existing within the site of original Tiguex complex.
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s and Native Americans in what is now the American West. It was fought in the winter of 1540-41 by the army of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
against the twelve to twenty now disappeared pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
s of Tiwa
Tiwa people
The Tiwa are group of related Tanoan pueblo peoples in New Mexico and Texas. They traditionally spoke a Tiwa language , and are divided into the two Northern Tiwa groups, in Taos and Picuris, and the Southern Tiwa in Isleta and Sandia, around what is now Albuquerque, and near El Paso.-Name:Tiwa is...
Indians along both sides of the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, north and south of present-day Bernalillo, New Mexico
Bernalillo, New Mexico
Bernalillo is a town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 6,611. It is the county seat of Sandoval County.Bernalillo is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in what will be called the Tiguex complex of pueblos. The Coronado expedition, with the primary motivation of finding gold and silver, spent two winters utilizing the area as headquarters for different regional explorations.
After Coronado had conquered the pueblo of Hawikuh
Hawikuh Ruins
Hawikuh Ruins, or Hawikuh is a National Historic Landmark located 12 miles southwest of Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, on the Zuni Indian Reservation...
, also known as Cevola or Cibola, he sent messages to other pueblos that the Hispanic Christians desired friendly relations with them. In response, an eastern delegation arrived and extended an invitation to visit their land. One of the tall chieftans of this delegation, after exchanging gifts, offered to guide the expedition to his homeland. He had an unusually long mustache for a Native American, and so was called Bigotes (Whiskers) by the Spaniards. Coronado accepted the proposition and appointed Hernando de Alvarado as commander of the journey.
Alvarado was one of the two volunteer soldiers who had thrown their bodies over the fallen Coronado at the siege of Hawikuh and saved him from being bludgeoned to death by stones hurled by the defending Pueblo defenders. Bigotes led the small band of little more than twenty individuals east, past Acoma
Acoma Pueblo
Acoma Pueblo is a Native American pueblo approximately 60 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the United States. Three reservations make up Acoma Pueblo: Sky City , Acomita, and McCartys. The Acoma Pueblo tribe is a federally recognized tribal entity...
and into the Rio Grande valley, where they visited a cluster of pueblos they called the province of Tiguex, and then north into the upper valley. They possibly traveled as far as Taos
Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Taos speaking Native American tribe of Pueblo people. It is approximately 1000 years old and lies about north of the modern city of Taos, New Mexico, USA...
, stopping at several pueblos. After a total month of travel they arrived at Bigotes' community of Pecos Pueblo
Pecos National Historical Park
Pecos National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is located about east of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The site was originally designated Pecos National Monument on June 28, 1965. In 1990 new lands were added to the park and the official designation was...
(Cicuyé), in the area of the present town of Pecos, New Mexico
Pecos, New Mexico
Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2000 census, growing much faster than in other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village is built along the Pecos River which flows from...
. This was the easternmost of the pueblos with a location conducive to the well-developed commerce between pueblo and plains Indians and designed to resist attack. Alvarado journeyed another five days easterly, and viewed the plains buffalo that Bigotes had earlier described to Coronado, before returning to Tiguex.
The Tiguex complex was described as the most prosperous of the pueblos they had seen, with the river flowing through a wide, level, fertile land, planted with cornfields. Coronado was convinced by the messages he received about the area, to arrange for establishing a headquarters there. From this base, he would later lead a force back through Pecos and further east, eventually into Kansas, in search of the riches of Quivira
Quivira
Quivira may refer to:*Quivira, a place first visited by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado while in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold*Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, a salt marsh located in south central Kansas...
. Spanish forces would also lay siege against Pecos Pueblo before Coronado's return to Tiguex, since factions within the Pueblo had decided that a true alliance with the Spanish was not in their best interest.
The expedition purchased much of the needed food and winter clothing for their stay in Tiguex, from the Tiguex pueblos, but under difficult conditions, commandeered the rest. At least one of the pueblo women was assaulted, and the expedition's livestock had consumed much of the post-harvest cornstalks normally used by the pueblos for cooking and heating fuel. These incidents were piled upon the insult that expedition forces had taken over an entire pueblo for living quarters, forcing its inhabitant to move to neighboring pueblos with only the clothes on their backs. Some of the people retaliated by killing 40 of the expedition's free-roaming horses and mules. As a result, the Spanish forces waged war, capturing one of the pueblos and punishing many of the people. All but two of the Tiguex pueblos were abandoned by their people in the face of such overwhelming forces. The Spanish laid siege to the strongest of all of the Tiquex pueblos through two mid-winter months. Finally, the inhabitants were forced out in an attempt fight their way to freedom in pre-morning darkness, with the men enclosing the women (they previously negotiated the release of children and some women) within a protected core. The Tiguex War ended in a slaughter, those Native Americans who escaped death or injury in this last incident were few. The Tiguex Pueblo people abandoned the area until the expedition left.
By the time of the Spanish colonization led by Juan de Oñate
Juan de Oñate
Don Juan de Oñate y Salazar was a Spanish explorer, colonial governor of the New Spain province of New Mexico, and founder of various settlements in the present day Southwest of the United States.-Biography:...
in 1598, the pueblo people in the Tiguex complex had reestablished themselves. But during the period of colonization, pueblo peoples were ravaged by disease, and the number of pueblos in the Tiguex area was reduced to five. Then, following the Pueblo Revolt
Pueblo Revolt
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, or Popé's Rebellion, was an uprising of several pueblos of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonization of the Americas in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.-Background:...
all of these pueblos were abandoned. The Sandia Pueblo
Sandia Pueblo
Sandia Pueblo is a tribe of Native American Pueblo people inhabiting a 101.114 km² reservation of the same name in the eastern Rio Grande Valley of central New Mexico, located three miles south of Bernalillo off Highway 85 in southern Sandoval County and northern Bernalillo County, at...
land grant was created in 1748 for mixed group of refugees from several areas and various pueblos, and is now the only pueblo existing within the site of original Tiguex complex.