Spanish conquest Zaculeu







although hostilities existed between mam , k iche of q umarkaj after rebellion of kaqchikel people against k iche allies, arrival of spanish conquistadors shifted political landscape. conquistador pedro de alvarado described how mam king kayb il b alam received great honour in q umarkaj.


at time of spanish conquest, main mam population situated in xinabahul (also spelled chinabjul), city of huehuetenango. retreated zaculeu refuge during spanish attacks because of fortifications. refuge attacked gonzalo de alvarado y contreras, brother of conquistador pedro de alvarado, in 1525, 120 soldiers, , 2,000 mexican , k iche allies. city defended kayb il b alam commanding 5,000 people (the chronicles not clear if number of soldiers or total population of zaculeu).


after siege lasting several months, mam reduced starvation. kayb il b alam surrendered city spanish in october 1525. when spanish entered city, found 1,800 dead indians, survivors eating corpses of dead. spanish forced abandonment of zaculeu after built new city of huehuetenango 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away.








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