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105-409: Cuauhtémoc was the last Aztec Emperor. Cuauhtémoc or Ciudad Cuauhtémoc may also refer to: Cuauht%C3%A9moc Cuauhtémoc took power in 1520 as successor of Cuitláhuac and was a cousin of the late emperor Moctezuma II . His young wife, who was later known as Isabel Moctezuma , was one of Moctezuma's daughters. He ascended to the throne when he was around 25 years old, while Tenochtitlan

210-547: A conquistador serving under Cortés who recorded his experiences in his book The True History of the Conquest of New Spain , the supposed plot was revealed by two men, named Tapia and Juan Velásquez. Díaz portrays the executions as unjust and based on no evidence, and he admits to having liked Cuauhtémoc personally. He also records Cuauhtémoc giving the following speech to Cortés through his interpreter Malinche : Oh Malinzin [i.e., Cortés]! Now I understand your false promises and

315-551: A corregimiento . The colonial corregidor governed the corregimiento , but the Spanish also appointed native officials, including the alcalde (or mayor) and his regidores , or councillors. All levels of colonial government were concerned with the collection of tribute and the organisation of native labour. In 1544, the Spanish established the Audiencia de los Confines in Gracias

420-894: A viceroy who answered to the Spanish Crown via the Council of the Indies . The conquest of Central America that followed was effectively an extension of the campaign that overthrew the Aztec Empire ; Cortés himself took an active part in the conquest of Honduras in 1524–1525. In the two-decade gap between the discovery of Honduras and attempts at colonisation, the Spanish also established themselves in Castilla del Oro . From there, various expeditions were launched northwards involving notable conquistadors such as Pedrarias Dávila , Gil González Dávila , and Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (not to be confused with

525-604: A "passionate indigenista ", excavated the bones in 1949, which were discovered shortly after bones of Cortés, found in Mexico City, had been authenticated by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). Initially, Mexican scholars congratulated Guzmán, but after a similar examination by scholars at INAH, their authenticity as Cuauhtemoc's was rejected, as the bones in the ossuary belonged to several different persons, several of them seemingly women. The finding caused

630-536: A Dios (now Gracias, in Lempira Department , and not to be confused with the cape of the same name). They selected this location in western Honduras for its central location in Central America; it was a centre for mining with a high indigenous population. The Audiencia was established as the administrative centre governing Honduras , Chiapas , Costa Rica , Guatemala , Panama , Tabasco , and Yucatán . It

735-580: A Dios , and the areas around Comayagua and San Pedro . Unlike in Mexico , where centralised indigenous power structures assisted swift conquest, there was no unified political organisation to overthrow; this hindered the incorporation of the territory into the Spanish Empire . Sometimes the Spanish would conquer an area and move on, just for it to immediately rise in rebellion, or massacre the Spanish colonisers. Initial Spanish efforts concentrated on establishing

840-507: A Dios , giving thanks for their liberation from the storms. Columbus sailed on southwards as far as Panama , before turning back into the Caribbean Sea to be wrecked off Jamaica , before being rescued and taken to Hispaniola , and from there returning to Spain . The first four decades of conquest were a turbulent period; domination of Honduras was not achieved until 1539. The initial foci of Spanish settlement were Trujillo , Gracias

945-555: A Dios . In 1537, Francisco de Montejo was appointed governor. As soon as he arrived in Honduras, he cancelled the land distribution carried out by Alvarado. In that year, a great native uprising spread throughout Honduras, led by the Lenca ruler Lempira . Lempira held out for six months at his formidable stronghold at the Peñol de Cerquín ("Rock of Cerquín") before he was killed, during which time

1050-468: A defense against the invaders, it was increasingly isolated militarily and largely faced the crisis alone, as the numbers of Spanish allies increased with the desertion of many polities previously under its control. Cuauhtémoc called for reinforcements from the countryside to aid the defense of Tenochtitlán, after eighty days of warfare against the Spanish. Of all the Nahuas, only Tlatelolcas remained loyal, and

1155-646: A herd of pigs, artillery, munitions and other supplies. En route, he recruited 600 Chontal Maya carriers. During the arduous journey from Lake Petén Itzá to Lake Izabal , both now in Guatemala , Cortés lost many men and horses. He crossed the Dulce River to the settlement of Nito, somewhere on the Amatique Bay , with about a dozen companions, where he found the near-starving remnants of Gil González Dávila's colonists, who received him joyfully. Cortés waited there for

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1260-566: A local of Ichcateopan as a way of generating publicity, and that subsequently supported by Mexican nationalists such as Guzman who wished to use the find for political purposes. Cuauhtemoc is the embodiment of indigenist nationalism in Mexico, being the only Aztec emperor who survived the conquest by the Spanish Empire (and their native allies). He is honored by a monument on the Paseo de la Reforma , his face has appeared on Mexican coins, banknotes, and he

1365-480: A minimum of 23 °C (73 °F) and a maximum of 30 °C (86 °F). Frost sometimes forms at altitudes of over 2,000 m (6,600 ft). When the Spanish first arrived in what is now Honduras , most of the estimated population of 800,000 lived in the western and central regions. Honduras was a frontier region between Mesoamerica and the less complex societies to the south and southeast that were outside

1470-608: A new Spanish presence to the north. Gil González Dávila was in the Olancho Valley when he received word that Hernández de Córdoba was somewhere nearby. Hernández de Córdoba sent out an advance party led by Gabriel de Rojas, who González Dávila received in peace. González instructed Rojas that neither Pedrarias Dávila nor Hernández de Córdoba had any rights over the territory, and that González would not permit them to take any action there. Rojas reported back to Hernández de Córdoba, who immediately dispatched soldiers from Nicaragua under

1575-653: A number of fertile flat-floored valleys, lying at an altitude of between 300 and 900 m (980 and 2,950 ft). The Sula Valley runs from the Caribbean to the Pacific , offering a route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; it contains Honduras' most important river, the Ulúa River , which flows 400 km (250 mi) northeast into the Gulf of Honduras . The Mosquito Coast

1680-469: A presence along the Caribbean coast, with the founding of settlements such as Buena Esperanza, San Gil de Buena Vista, Triunfo de la Cruz , and Trujillo . Soon after, expeditions began to penetrate inland, against stiff indigenous resistance. In 1522, the natives of the Olancho Valley rose up and massacred the occupying Spanish forces. Spanish infighting also hindered conquest. In 1522, Gil González Dávila and Andrés Niño set out from Panama along

1785-515: A prisoner with two other nobles, and a young man whom Cortés suspected of being the true leader of his people. Pizacura claimed that his resistance was instigated by Mazatl, who opposed peace with the Spanish invaders. Cortés captured Mazatl and asked him to order his subjects to return to their abandoned villages. Mazatl refused, so Cortés hanged him in Trujillo. Gabriel de Rojas was still in Olancho , and

1890-409: A public uproar. A panel assembled by Guzmán gave support to the initial contention. The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) had another panel examine the bones, which gave support to INAH's original finding, but did not report on the finding publicly. A scholarly study of the controversy was published in 2011 and argued that the available data suggests that the grave is an elaborate hoax prepared by

1995-412: A significant weakening of Olid's forces. Las Casas and González Dávila took advantage of this opportunity, and of Olid's excessive trust in his prisoners, to attack Olid and escape from their confinement. Once free, they expected support from Briones. Seizing their opportunity, González and Las Casas set upon Olid one evening and seriously wounded him. Olid managed to escape and hid in an Indian hut, but he

2100-549: A storm. In order to lighten the load of his ships, he ordered that a number of horses be thrown overboard. This event resulted in the place being named Puerto de Caballos ("Port of Horses"). González Dávila landed on the north coast, with authorisation to conquer Honduras from the king, after having sent the royal fifth of his proceeds from campaigns in Panama and Nicaragua, a sum totalling 112,524 gold castellanos . Puerto de Caballos later developed into an important staging point for

2205-647: Is a Cuauhtémoc station on Line 1 of the Mexico City metro as well as one for Moctezuma. There is also a metro station in Monterrey named after him. Cuauhtémoc is also one of the few non-Spanish given names for Mexican boys that is perennially popular. Individuals with this name include the politician Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas and footballer Cuauhtémoc Blanco . In the Aztec campaign of the PC game Age of Empires II: The Conquerors ,

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2310-588: Is celebrated in paintings, music, and popular culture. Many places in Mexico are named in honour of Cuauhtémoc. These include Ciudad Cuauhtémoc in Chihuahua and the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City . Smaller towns include Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Veracruz and Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chiapas . The Cuauhtémoc is a vessel of the Mexican Navy that serves as a cultural ambassador with frequent visits to world ports. There

2415-567: Is located in the east, near the Nicaraguan border, and consists of dense rainforest . The Caribbean lowlands form a thin strip along the coast. The central portion of the Caribbean lowlands is only a few kilometers in width, but in the east and west they form wide coastal plains. A smaller lowland region exists in the south around the Gulf of Fonseca , extending along a 25-kilometre (16 mi) wide strip on its north coast. The Bay Islands lie off

2520-457: The Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras . He sent his brother Bartholomew to scout the island. As Bartholomew explored the island with two boats, a large canoe approached from the west, apparently en route to the island. The canoe was carved from one large tree trunk and was powered by twenty-five naked rowers. Curious as to the visitors, Bartholomew Columbus seized and boarded it. He found it

2625-478: The Cape of Honduras , near the modern town of Trujillo . He claimed possession of the territory for the king of Spain, and the coastal inhabitants greeted him in a friendly manner. After this he sailed eastward along the coast, struggling against gales and storms for a month, until the coast turned southward along what is now the east coast of Honduras, and he entered calmer waters. The Spanish named this point Cabo Gracias

2730-534: The Chontal Maya capital of Itzamkanac, known as Acalan in Nahuatl , Cortés had Cuauhtémoc executed for allegedly conspiring to kill him and the other Spaniards. There are a number of discrepancies in the various accounts of the event. According to Cortés himself, on 27 February 1525, he learned from a citizen of Tenochtitlan , Mexicalcingo, that Cuauhtémoc, Coanacoch (the ruler of Texcoco ), and Tetlepanquetzal ,

2835-657: The Guatemalan Highlands in the first half of 1525, where his men assisted in Pedro de Alvarado 's campaigns against the highland Maya . In 1525, the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo , based in Hispaniola , sent Pedro Moreno to Honduras in a separate attempt to mediate between Olid and González. Olid treated González and Las Casas more as honoured guests than as prisoners. Pedro de Briones' abandonment of Honduras resulted in

2940-569: The Gulf of Fonseca , providing access to the Pacific Ocean . The Caribbean coast extends for 820 kilometres (510 mi), while the Pacific coast of the Gulf of Fonseca extends for 153 km (95 mi). The country possesses four principal geographic regions, the largest of which consists of the mountainous highlands which cover approximately two-thirds of its territory. The highest mountain range in

3045-786: The Intermediate Area . The western fringe of Honduras was occupied by Maya peoples , the Ch'ol and the Ch'orti' . The Ch'ol occupied the region around the Amatique Bay and along the lower Chamelecón River . The Ch'orti' inhabited the upper reaches of the Chamelecón River and the Sensenti Valley. Christopher Columbus discovered the New World for the Kingdom of Castile and Leon in 1492. Private adventurers thereafter entered into contracts with

3150-525: The Lenca fortress at the Peñol de Cerquín as formidable as any they had seen in Europe . When attacked in their fortified mountaintop strongholds, they would roll large boulders down the mountainside onto the attacking forces. When the natives became aware of the hostile intentions of the Spanish, they often abandoned their settlements and fled to inaccessible regions. On 30 July 1502, during his fourth voyage, Christopher Columbus arrived at Guanaja , one of

3255-595: The Maya civilization and other Mesoamerican cultures such as those of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the central highlands of Mexico . The Pech people (formerly known as the Paya) occupied territory in the northeast of Honduras, possibly since antiquity. A similar scenario is proposed for those groups speaking Misumalpan languages , such as the Miskito and Mayangna peoples. The Pech, Miskito and Mayangna had cultural affinities to

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3360-655: The Nombre de Dios mountains. The Chorotega and the Pipil were both peoples belonging to the Mesoamerican cultural zone and fully partaking in it; the Pipil were found along the northern limits of Honduras, while the Chorotega occupied territory in the south, around the Gulf of Fonseca . Lenca and Nahuas inhabited the islands of the Gulf of Fonseca. Early colonial documents suggest that

3465-572: The Pacific coast. During this early expedition, they explored the south coast of what would become Honduras, entering the Gulf of Fonseca . Upon their return to Panama, the governor of Castilla del Oro , Pedro Arias Dávila (better known by the name of Pedrarias Dávila) decided to claim the territory they had explored. While Gil González Dávila was in Santo Domingo organising a new expedition to Central America , Pedrarias Dávila sent Francisco Hernández de Córdoba to establish his jurisdiction over

3570-504: The Spanish Crown to conquer the newly discovered lands in return for tax revenues and the power to rule. The Spanish founded Santo Domingo on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in the 1490s. In the first decades after their discovery of the new lands, the Spanish colonised the Caribbean and established a centre of operations on the island of Cuba . After the discovery of Honduras by Columbus in 1502, no concerted effort to conquer

3675-459: The Spanish Indies , including Hispaniola , Mexico , and Panama . This resulted in jurisdictional disputes over the territory that delayed the progress of the conquest. The conquistadors were all volunteers, the majority of whom did not receive a fixed salary but instead a portion of the spoils of victory, in the form of precious metals , land grants and provision of native labour. Many of

3780-411: The conquest of Guatemala , and then set out on an expedition into Honduras. Olid began the conquest of Honduras' interior, arriving in 1524, but soon set himself up independently of Cortés. Gil González Dávila set out from Santo Domingo early in 1524, with the intention of exploring the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua . His course took him to the north coast of Honduras , where he was beset by

3885-447: The Caribbean coast. The three large islands are Roatán , Utila , and Guanaja . Minor islands include Barbareta , Cayos Cochinos , Helene and Morat . There are also over 60 minor islets. Honduras has a tropical climate , divided into wet and dry seasons. Most rainfall occurs between May and September. The warmest month is April, and the coolest is January. In the highland valleys such as at Tegucigalpa , temperature varies between

3990-606: The Lenca ruler referred to as Lempira (a title meaning "Lord of the Mountain"). In March 1524, Gil González Dávila became the first Spaniard to arrive in what is now Honduras with the intention of conquest. He founded the first Spanish port upon the Caribbean coast, Puerto de Caballos , which became an important staging post for later expeditions. The early decades of the Spanish conquest of Honduras were beset by jurisdictional disputes between different Spanish colonies attempting to invade

4095-517: The Spanish colonists were unwilling to invest time and resources into the long-term development of the agricultural production of their encomiendas in Honduras. The Spanish established colonial settlements to extend their power over the surrounding territory, and to serve as administrative centres. They preferred to locate these towns in areas with dense native populations, or close to easily exploitable mineral wealth. Many Spanish towns were founded close to pre-Columbian centres of population. Trujillo

4200-404: The Spanish were already experienced soldiers who had previously campaigned in Europe . The 16th-century Spanish conquistadors were armed with broadswords , rapiers , crossbows , matchlocks and light artillery . Mounted conquistadors were armed with a 3.7-metre (12 ft) lance , that also served as a pike for infantrymen. A variety of halberds and bills were also employed. As well as

4305-455: The Spanish, keeping the title of tlatoani, but he was no longer the sovereign ruler. From his surrender until his death, Cuauhtémoc was mostly kept in guarded custody by the Spaniards. In 1525, Cortés took Cuauhtémoc and several other indigenous nobles on his expedition to Honduras , as he feared that Cuauhtémoc could have led an insurrection in his absence. While the expedition was stopped in

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4410-449: The application of diplomacy, moderate treatment of the natives, and the judicious application of force, Cortés tightened the Spanish grip over Honduras. While in Trujillo , Cortés received messengers from Papayeca, a large native town some seven leagues away, and Champagua (now known as Chapagua ), another nearby town. Both of these settlements were inhabited by Nahuas . Cortés recorded

4515-428: The cargo and seized the elderly Maya captain to serve as an interpreter; the canoe was then allowed to continue on its way. It is likely that news of the piratical strangers in the Caribbean passed along the Maya trade routes . A few days after this first encounter, on 14 August 1502, Columbus arrived on the mainland of Honduras. He dropped anchor at a place he named as Punta Caxinas, afterwards generally known as

4620-636: The coast to a point east of the Cape of Honduras (near modern Trujillo ). From there he marched inland in search of a route to the Pacific Ocean . The colonists at San Gil de Buena Vista did not prosper, and soon searched of a more hospitable location. They resettled in the important indigenous town of Nito, near the mouth of the Dulce River . Pedrarias Dávila , who had established himself in Castillo del Oro , sent his deputy Francisco Hernández de Córdoba into Nicaragua to extend his authority over that region. While there, Hernández de Córdoba received news of

4725-457: The coast. Olid sought to prevent Las Casas from disembarking, and hastily sent a message to recall Briones. The two Spanish fleets soon opened fire upon each other while Olid attempted to negotiate a truce in order to delay Las Casas offshore until Briones returned. Las Casas secretly sent messages to Briones, attempting to buy his support against Olid. Briones, looking out for his own interests, delayed his return. At this point, Las Casas' fleet

4830-534: The colonisation of the region. From Puerto de Caballos, Gil González sailed west along the coast to the Amatique Bay , and founded a Spanish settlement near the mouth of the Río Dulce , within modern-day Guatemala , which he named San Gil de Buena Vista. He launched a campaign of conquest in the mountainous region dividing Honduras from Guatemala. González left some of his men under the command of Francisco Riquelme at San Gil de Buena Vista, and sailed back east along

4935-572: The colonists became the arbiters of power, installing and deposing governors. Spanish government in Honduras was riven by factionalism. As a response to the growing anarchy, the colonists requested that Pedro de Alvarado intervene. Alvarado arrived in 1536, put an end to the political infighting, and gained an important victory over Sicumba , a Maya leader in the Ulúa Valley . Alvarado founded two towns that later became important, San Pedro de Puerto Caballos (later to become San Pedro Sula ) and Gracias

5040-442: The command of Hernando de Soto to capture González Dávila. The forces of González Dávila clashed with those of Soto at Toreba in Olancho ; the exact site of the battle is unknown but was probably close to the modern settlement of Silca. Hernando de Soto camped at Toreba, where González Dávila caught him by surprise with a night-time assault supported by cavalry, crossbowmen and arquebusiers . A number of Soto's men were killed in

5145-494: The conquistador of the same name involved in the Spanish conquest of Yucatán ). In 1508, the Caribbean coast of Honduras was superficially explored by Spanish navigators Juan Díaz de Solís and Vicente Yáñez , but the focus of their expeditions lay further to the north. In the 1510s, expeditions from the Spanish settlements on Cuba and Hispaniola reported that the Bay Islands were inhabited. The first efforts to conquer Honduras were launched from several different areas of

5250-502: The direct Mesoamerican sphere of influence, although at times contact was direct and intense. Much of Honduras belonged to the so-called Intermediate Area , generally viewed as a region of lesser cultural development located between Mesoamerica and the Andean civilizations of South America . Cultural developments were closely related to those taking place in what is now El Salvador and Nicaragua , but also reflected cultural contacts with

5355-455: The district and enslaving the inhabitants. Upon receiving complaints from native informants, Cortés dispatched de Sandoval with ten cavalry to hand papers to Rojas, ordering him out of the territory, and to release any Indians and their goods that he had seized. Sandoval was under orders to either capture Rojas, or expel him from Honduras, but in the event was unable to do either, due to the intervention of other Spaniards present who tried to calm

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5460-462: The east of Puerto de Caballos . He disembarked with 360 Spaniards and 22 horses, and founded Triunfo de la Cruz , still known by this name, near the modern port of Tela . He claimed the new territory in Cortés' name, but after founding the new town he openly rejected him, with the support of the majority of his men. He then carried out a campaign of conquest in what is now western Honduras, subjugating

5565-490: The executions in the 17th century partly based on Texcocan oral tradition . According to Ixtlilxóchitl, the three lords were joking cheerfully with one another because of a rumor that Cortés had decided to return the expedition to Mexico, when Cortés asked a spy to tell him what they were talking about. The spy reported honestly, but Cortés invented the plot himself. Cuauhtémoc, Coanacoch, and Tetlepanquetzal were hanged as well as eight others. However, Cortés cut down Coanacoch,

5670-405: The fighting that followed, until González sued for peace, giving González time for reinforcements to arrive, at which time González launched a renewed assault. González Dávila succeeded in capturing Soto, along with 130,000 pesos. Although he had won the day, González was aware that Hernández de Córdoba was unlikely to let matters rest, and he also received news that Cristóbal de Olid had arrived on

5775-462: The form of the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo , which would attempt to establish its own direct political control over the province. These rival claimants inevitably produced treachery, conflict, and outright civil war among the Spanish factions. Hearing of Olid's rebellion, and of his clash with González, Cortés sent his cousin Francisco de las Casas to bring the rival captains into line. Cortés

5880-521: The heart of Central America ; it covers an area of 112,090 square kilometres (43,280 sq mi) and is the second-largest country in Central America . The interior is mostly mountainous. It is bordered to the north by the Caribbean Sea , to the west by Guatemala , to the southwest by El Salvador , and to the southeast by Nicaragua . In the extreme south, Honduras has a portion of coastline on

5985-511: The heavily populated towns of Naco and Tencoa , which did little to resist. There were now four claimants to jurisdiction over Honduras. Gil González Dávila held royal authority over the province. Pedrarias Dávila claimed jurisdiction by right of the expeditions he had sent under Hernando de Soto and Francisco Hernández de Córdoba . Hernán Cortés claimed jurisdiction by right of the expedition he had sent under Cristóbal de Olid , and Olid himself. A fifth claimant would eventually appear in

6090-495: The highlands is the Sierra del Merendón ; it runs from the southwest to the northeast and reaches a maximum altitude of 2,850 metres (9,350 ft) above mean sea level at Cerro Las Minas . The Nombre de Dios mountain range runs south of the Caribbean coast; it is less rugged and has a maximum altitude of 2,435 m (7,989 ft). The Entre Ríos mountains lay along a section of the Nicaraguan border. The highlands are punctuated by

6195-431: The important settlements of Naco and Quimistan , in the northwest, were multiethnic, inhabited by Pipil and Lenca or Maya , or all three. Naco in particular was a large town and an important centre for commerce that became an early focus for Spanish expeditions. Those groups in the northeast of Honduras were relatively isolated culturally, and not fully integrated into the exchange networks of either Mesoamerica or

6300-427: The invasion of the Spanish and their indigenous allies, the death of Moctezuma II, and the death of Moctezuma's brother Cuitlahuac , who succeeded him as ruler, but died of smallpox shortly afterwards. In keeping with traditional practice, the most able candidate among the high noblemen was chosen by vote of the highest noblemen, and Cuauhtemoc assumed the rulership. Although under Cuitlahuac Tenochtitlan began mounting

6405-444: The kind of death you have had in store for me. For you are killing me unjustly. May God demand justice from you, as it was taken from me when I entrusted myself to you in my city of Mexico! Díaz wrote that afterwards, Cortés suffered from insomnia because of guilt and badly injured himself while he was wandering at night. Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxóchitl , a castizo historian and descendant of Coanacoch, wrote an account of

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6510-583: The land party arrived, although troubled by the desertion of López de Aguirre, they settled in Trujillo as planned, The town was founded in May 1525, in the largest sheltered bay on the Caribbean coast of Central America . Pedro Moreno, sent from the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in Hispaniola , arrived in Honduras shortly after the founding of Trujillo. He found forty colonists in a desperate state, lacking weapons and provisions. A few more Spaniards were still at Nito,

6615-482: The last New Fire ceremony, marking the beginning of a new 52-year cycle in the Aztec calendar . According to several sources his mother, Tiyacapantzin, was a Tlatelolcan princess. Like the rest of Cuauhtemoc's early biography, that is inferred from knowledge of his age, and the likely events and life path of someone of his rank. Following education in the calmecac , the school for elite boys, and then his military service, he

6720-492: The last to be hanged, after his brother began rallying his warriors. Coanacoch did not have long to enjoy his reprieve, as Ixtlilxóchitl wrote that he died a few days later. Tlacotzin , Cuauhtémoc's cihuacoatl , was appointed his successor as tlatoani . He died the next year before he could return to Tenochtitlan. The modern-day town of Ixcateopan in the state of Guerrero is home to an ossuary purportedly containing Cuauhtémoc's remains. Archeologist Eulalia Guzmán ,

6825-414: The mistake of dividing his forces when he had left most of his companions on the banks of the Dulce River ; Olid sent one of his captains, Pedro de Briones, to attack one portion of González' forces, while Olid made ready his ships to sail along the coast and attack other detachments. Briones swiftly weakened González' position and captured about half of his men. At this point, Las Casas' fleet appeared off

6930-493: The name Guatemoc, is portrayed sympathetically in the adventure novel Montezuma's Daughter , by H. Rider Haggard . First appearing in Chapter XIV, he becomes friends with the protagonist after they save each other's lives. His coronation, torture, and death are described in the novel. Spanish conquest of Honduras#Hernán Cortés, 1525–1526 Indigenous peoples of Honduras , including: The Spanish conquest of Honduras

7035-509: The names of two Nahua rulers as Pizacura and Mazatl. Pizacura resisted Cortes' overtures and refused to swear fealty; Cortés sent Spanish cavalry and infantry, accompanied by a great number of Indian auxiliaries. They launched a night attack upon Pizacura's village in the Agalta Valley , and captured the Nahua leader with a hundred of his people. The majority were enslaved, while Pizacura was held as

7140-447: The natives being punctuated by battles between competing Spanish forces, and infighting within individual Spanish groups. The various Spanish groups also fielded indigenous auxiliaries to support their efforts. In 1523, Hernán Cortés organised two expeditions towards Central America from Mexico, one by land and the other by sea. He commissioned the first to Pedro de Alvarado and the second to Cristóbal de Olid . Alvarado initiated

7245-566: The north coast. Not wishing to be surrounded by hostile Spanish rivals, González set Soto free and rushed north with ten horsemen and twenty infantry. Cristóbal de Olid sailed from Mexico in January 1524, stopping off in Cuba to collect supplies set aside for him by Hernán Cortés . The governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez , was an enemy of Cortés and persuaded Olid to take Honduras for himself. Olid arrived off northern Honduras in early May, some distance to

7350-403: The one-handed broadsword, a 1.7-metre (5.5 ft) long two-handed version was also used. Crossbows had 0.61-metre (2 ft) arms stiffened with hardwoods, horn, bone and cane, and supplied with a stirrup to facilitate drawing the string with a crank and pulley. Crossbows were easier to maintain than matchlocks, especially in the humid tropical climate of the Caribbean region . Metal armour

7455-823: The permission of Cortés, the rest moved inland to the fertile Naco Valley, where Sandoval had securely established a Spanish presence. Cortés found affairs in Trujillo to be satisfactory since the departure of Moreno, and sent letters to Santo Domingo in an effort to obtain their recognition of his jurisdiction over the colony. He dispatched ships to Cuba and Jamaica to bring supplies, including domestic animals and plants for cultivation. Cortés sent his cousin Hernando de Saavedra inland, and he overcame local resistance to bring several well-populated districts under Spanish control. Indigenous leaders travelled from far and wide to pledge allegiance to Cortés, whom they considered to be more fair in his dealings than other Spanish captains. With

7560-577: The player plays as Cuauhtémoc, despite the name Montezuma for the campaign itself, and Cuauhtémoc narrates the openings and closings to each scenario. In the next installment to the series, Age of Empires 3: The War Chiefs , Cuauhtémoc is the leader of Aztecs. In the 1996 Rage Against the Machine single People of the Sun , lyricist Zack De La Rocha rhymes "When the fifth sun sets get back reclaimed, The spirit of Cuauhtémoc alive and untamed". Cuauhtémoc, in

7665-623: The province to Juan López de Aguirre and authorised him to relocate the port. Las Casas returned to Mexico via the Pacific coast of Guatemala ; he took Gil González with him, and found Pedro de Briones in Guatemala, whom he hanged as a traitor. López de Aguirre rejected Puerto de Caballos as the location for the new town, and instead sailed east with half of his men to the Cape of Honduras , near where Columbus had first landed. The rest of his people followed east on foot. López de Aguirre did not wait for them, and sailed away, abandoning Honduras. When

7770-679: The region. Spanish settlement in Nicaragua was concentrated along the Pacific coast, and Honduras was seen as a better route to the Caribbean and Spain rather than an inland route across Nicaragua itself. This provoked jurisdictional clashes between the two provinces. A year after Gil González Dávila 's discovery of the Gulf of Fonseca , various Spanish expeditions set out to conquer the territory of Honduras . These expeditions were launched southwards from Mexico and Guatemala , and northwards from Panama and Nicaragua ; their rival captains clashed in Honduras, resulting in attempts at conquest of

7875-477: The remnants of González Dávila's men, where their plight was even worse. The residents of Trujillo pleaded with Moreno for assistance, which he granted on condition that they renounced Cortés, accepted the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Santo Domingo, and agreed to take Juan Ruano, one of Olid's former officers, as Chief Magistrate. Moreno renamed Trujillo as Ascensión, and he sent messages to Hernández de Córdoba, who

7980-645: The rest of his army to regroup over the next week, and explored the local area for supplies. By this time the remnants of Cortés' expedition were reduced to a few hundred. Cortés sent some of González Dávila's colonists south to the Naco Valley, which was swiftly pacified under the command of Gonzalo de Sandoval , one of Cortés' lieutenants. Cortés then abandoned attempts to colonise Nito, and sailed to Puerto de Caballos with his entire company. Cortés arrived in Honduras in 1525, bringing livestock with him. Cortés claimed jurisdiction over Honduras, although its extent

8085-577: The rich empire of the Aztecs on the mainland to the west of their Caribbean island settlements and, in 1519, Hernán Cortés set sail to explore the Mexican coast. By August 1521 the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had fallen to the Spanish. The Spanish conquered a large part of Mexico within three years, extending as far south as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec . The newly conquered territory became New Spain , headed by

8190-453: The ruler of Tlacopan , were plotting his death. Cortés interrogated them until each confessed and then had Cuauhtémoc, Tetlepanquetzal, and another lord, Tlacatlec, hanged. Cortés wrote that the other lords would be too frightened to plot against him again, as they believed he had uncovered the plan through magic powers. Cortés's account was accepted by contemporary historian Francisco López de Gómara . According to Bernal Díaz del Castillo ,

8295-419: The same Spanish accounts, Cortés refused the offer and treated his foe magnanimously. "You have defended your capital like a brave warrior," he declared. "A Spaniard knows how to respect valor, even in an enemy." At Cuauhtémoc's request, Cortés also allowed the defeated Mexica to depart the city unmolested. Subsequently, however, when the booty found did not measure up to the Spaniards' expectations, Cuauhtémoc

8400-455: The south and east. The Lenca people occupied territories in central and southwestern Honduras, and although there were linguistically related groups further southeast, they had strong cultural links to Mesoamerica. The Jicaque people also occupied lands in the region, in an area along the Atlantic coast from the Ulúa River east to an area between the Leán and Cuero rivers, and extending to

8505-490: The surviving Tenochcas looked for refuge in Tlatelolco , where even women took part in the battle. Cuauhtémoc was captured on August 13, 1521, while fleeing Tenochtitlán by crossing Lake Texcoco with his wife, family, and friends. He surrendered to Hernán Cortés along with the surviving pipiltin (nobles) and, according to Spanish sources, he asked Cortés to take his knife and "strike me dead immediately". According to

8610-536: The territory took place until 1524. In the first two decades of the 16th century, the Spanish established their domination over the islands of the Caribbean Sea , and used these as a staging point to launch their campaigns of conquest on the continental mainland of the Americas . From Hispaniola , the Spanish launched expeditions and campaigns of conquest, reaching Puerto Rico in 1508, Jamaica in 1509, Cuba in 1511, and Florida in 1513. The Spanish heard rumours of

8715-431: The territory, which resulted in conflict between rival expeditions launched from Mexico , Hispaniola , and Panama . The Spanish territory was reorganised as Higueras in the west, and Honduras in the east. As the Spanish became established throughout Central America , the colony of Honduras-Higueras became involved in territorial disputes with neighbouring colonies in Nicaragua , Guatemala and El Salvador . From 1530,

8820-457: The uprising across Honduras threatened the existence of the Spanish colony. After Lempira's death, Montejo and his captain Alonso de Cáceres rapidly imposed Spanish dominion across most of Honduras; the main phase of the Spanish conquest was complete by 1539, although Olancho and the east were not brought within the Spanish Empire for some decades to come. The modern republic of Honduras lies in

8925-501: The use of a simple metal war hat . Shields were considered essential by both infantry and cavalry; generally this was a circular target shield, convex in form and fashioned from iron or wood. Rings secured it to the arm and hand. Honduras was a relatively poor province and did not attract the most distinguished conquistadors. Most conquistadors and colonists who ventured to Honduras wanted to return quickly to Spain with new wealth and social status, immediate enrichment. The conquest

9030-574: The walls as a further defence. The construction of fortified settlements was not common in Honduras until after Spanish contact, although fortifications were known from contact with Maya groups to the west. In Honduras their construction was a specific response to Spanish incursions, and they were often built hastily. Fortifications at the Maya town of Ticamaya in the Ulúa Valley were strong enough to frustrate several Spanish assaults. The Spanish considered

9135-773: The work of those who had come before them. The frequent relocation of colonial towns and the reallocation of encomiendas served to prolong political instability, and delay the progress of the conquest. The Spanish established Comayagua, originally called Nueva Valladolid de Comayagua ("New Valladolid of Comayagua") and Valle de Santa María de Comayagua ("Valley of Saint Mary of Comayagua"), as one of four top-tier gobiernos in Central America that served as administrative centres for commerce and industry. They established less important centres, such as Tegucigalpa , as alcaldías mayores , and more sparsely colonised areas as corregimientos . A number of indigenous settlements, referred to as pueblos de indios ("Indian villages"), comprised

9240-413: Was a Maya trading canoe from Yucatán , carrying well-dressed Maya and a rich cargo that included ceramics , cotton textiles , yellow stone axes, flint-studded war clubs, copper axes and bells, and cacao . Also among the cargo were a small number of women and children, probably destined to be sold as slaves, as were a number of the rowers. The Europeans looted whatever took their interest from amongst

9345-514: Was a 16th-century conflict during the Spanish colonization of the Americas in which the territory that now comprises the Republic of Honduras , one of the seven states of Central America , was incorporated into the Spanish Empire . In 1502, the territory was claimed for the king of Spain by Christopher Columbus on his fourth and final trip to the New World . The territory that now comprises Honduras

9450-539: Was based on the distribution of encomienda rights and land concessions. Encomienda gave the encomendero (holder of the encomienda ) the right to receive tribute and labour from the indigenous inhabitants of a defined area. Up until the middle of the 16th century, the encomendero could assign his own level of tribute and labour to be provided by the natives within his encomienda , which gave rise to much abuse. The encomiendas established in Honduras were small, and did not generate rapid income. Social advancement

9555-488: Was being besieged by the Spanish and devastated by an epidemic of smallpox brought to the Americas by Spanish conquerors. After the killings in the Great Temple , there were probably few Aztec captains available to take the position. Cuauhtemoc's date of birth is unknown, as he does not enter the historical record until he became emperor. He was the eldest legitimate son of Emperor Ahuitzotl and may well have attended

9660-740: Was caught in a sudden storm and wrecked upon the Honduran coast, killing some of Las Casas' men. The survivors were captured by Olid. Olid next marched inland to the Naco Valley. One of his captains caught González Dávila and his men by surprise, and marched them under guard back to Naco, where they were imprisoned. Now that Olid had gained the upper hand, Briones feared his vengeance for not coming to his support, and pledged his allegiance to Hernán Cortés. Olid imprisoned Las Casas in Naco with González. Olid sent Briones to conquer more territory. Instead, Briones marched towards New Spain with his forces, arriving in

9765-437: Was confident that the majority of Olid's men would rally to las Casas, and only assigned him about 150 men for the expedition. Las Casas arrived off Triunfo de la Cruz as Olid was making preparations to attack Gil González Dávila, who was in the Naco valley. González and Olid had arrived at an uneasy accord, neither wishing to openly clash with the other. However, Olid's men outnumbered those of his rival, and González had made

9870-456: Was ever punished. With the death of Olid, Las Casas declared Cortés' jurisdiction over the colony. Those Spanish remaining in Honduras divided into several groups. The majority remained in the territory, under the command of Francisco de las Casas. Las Casas considered the harbour at Triunfo de la Cruz to be inadequate, so he planned its relocation to Puerto de Caballos. Las Casas was impatient to return to New Spain , so he gave command of

9975-537: Was founded near the native settlement of Guaimura , and Comayagua was founded upon a pre-existing town of the same name. In the first half of the 16th century, towns were abandoned or moved for a variety of reasons, including native attacks, harsh conditions, and the spread of Old World diseases such as smallpox , measles , typhoid , yellow fever , and malaria . In many cases, towns were moved for purely political reasons owing to infighting between Spanish factions, with those currently in power seeking to undermine

10080-468: Was gained by overlordship of natives within the encomienda system. In Honduras, the conquistadors gained immediate income by selling natives into slavery on the Caribbean Islands and in Panama , and by mining activities. This in turn resulted in a reduction of indigenous population levels in Honduras, with a rapid drop in economic production during the first half of the 16th century. On the whole,

10185-669: Was in Nicaragua , asking him to renounce his loyalty to Pedrarias Dávila and pledge allegiance to Santo Domingo. Moreno then returned to Hispaniola, promising to send aid. As soon as he was gone, the residents restored the name of Trujillo, pledged their allegiance once more to Cortés, and expelled Juan Ruano. Hernán Cortés only received sporadic reports of developing events in Honduras , and became impatient for its incorporation into his command. Hopeful of discovering new riches, he decided to travel to Honduras in person. Cortés left Tenochtitlan on 12 October 1524 with 140 Spanish soldiers, 93 of them mounted, 3,000 Mexican warriors, 150 horses,

10290-411: Was inhabited by a mix of indigenous peoples straddling a transitional cultural zone between Mesoamerica to the northwest, and the Intermediate Area to the southeast. Indigenous groups included Maya , Lenca , Pech , Miskitu , Mayangna (Sumu), Jicaque , Pipil and Chorotega . Two indigenous leaders are particularly notable for their resistance against the Spanish; the Maya leader Sicumba , and

10395-402: Was named ruler of Tlatelolco, with the title cuauhtlatoani ("eagle ruler") in 1515. To have reached this position of rulership, Cuauhtemoc had to be a male of high birth and a warrior who had captured enemies for sacrifice. Cuauhtemoc married the Aztec princess who later became known as Isabel Moctezuma . When Cuauhtemoc was elected tlatoani in 1520, Tenochtitlan had already been rocked by

10500-399: Was of limited use in the hot, wet tropical climate. It was heavy and had to be constantly cleaned to prevent rusting; in direct sunlight, metal armour became unbearably hot. Conquistadores often went without metal armour, or only donned it immediately prior to battle. They were quick to adopt quilted cotton armour based upon that used by their native opponents, and commonly combined this with

10605-539: Was quickly found, and subjected to a rapid trial. Olid was executed by having his throat cut in the plaza at Naco. After the death of Olid, Spanish relations with the natives of Naco deteriorated notably. The Indians were increasingly unwilling to provide the Spanish with food and other supplies, and most of the Spanish abandoned the settlement and either returned to Mexico or resettled in other parts of Honduras . A court in Mexico subsequently condemned Las Casas and González Dávila for their execution of Olid, but neither

10710-474: Was still unknown. He rapidly imposed his authority over the rival Spanish factions there, as well as some native groups. He founded the settlement of Natividad de Nuestra Señora near Puerto de Caballos , settled fifty colonists there, and placed Diego de Godoy in charge. Cortés then sailed on to Trujillo . Conditions in Natividad were unhealthy, and half of the Spanish settlers rapidly succumbed to disease. With

10815-487: Was subjected to " torture by fire", whereby the soles of his bare feet were slowly broiled over red-hot coals, in an unsuccessful attempt to discover its whereabouts. On the statue to Cuauhtemoc, on the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, there is a bas relief showing the Spaniards' torture of the emperor. Eventually, some gold was recovered but far less than Cortés and his men expected. Cuauhtémoc, now baptized as Fernando Cuauhtémotzín, continued to hold his position under

10920-615: Was thought that this location would support the Audiencia of Guatemala. Native warriors primarily used arrows or darts with obsidian points. They also used spears and wooden swords edged with inset flakes of sharp stone (similar to the Aztec macuahuitl ), stone-bladed knives, and slings . In response to Spanish incursions, native communities resorted to the fortification of their settlements with palisades and ditches. Palisades were built from rough courses of heavy wood, with openings for shooting arrows. They strengthened their fortifications with towers, and laid out camouflaged pits around

11025-459: Was told by native informants of new Spanish arrivals in Trujillo . He sent a letter and gifts with messengers, who met Gonzalo de Sandoval , who was imposing Spanish control over Papayeca at that time, then proceeded onwards to Cortés at Trujillo. Cortés at first responded in a friendly manner to Rojas' overtures. Rojas' party was attempting to expand Hernández de Córdoba's Nicaraguan territory; upon meeting native resistance his men began pillaging

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