The Bayano Wars were

armed conflicts War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organize ...

in the

Isthmus of Panama The Isthmus of Panama, historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North America, North and South America. The country of Panama is located on the i ...

that occurred between the

Bayano Bayano, also known as Ballano or Vaino, was an African enslaved by Portuguese who led the biggest slave revolts of the 16th century Panama. Captured from the Yoruba community in West Africa, it has been argued that his name means ''idol''. Di ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

and the Spanish crown. The First War of the Bayano took place from 1548 to 1558, while the Second War took place from 1579 and 1582.

Slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

, practiced since the early sixteenth century in Panama, brought many

enslaved people Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Spanish America Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' Spanish Empire, imperial era between 15th and 19th centur ...

. This brought successive slave uprisings against the rulers of the time, which was the origin for the Bayano Wars.

Background

Upon the prompt introduction of African slaves by the Spanish into the New World, a swift emergence of open revolts ensued among these captives. Illustrative of this resistance were the

Cimarrones Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas and islands of the Indian Ocean who escaped from slavery, through flight or manumission, and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with Indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into ...

, exemplifying a trend that proliferated across the Caribbean and

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

during the 16th Century. Enslaved Africans transported to Spanish colonies sought refuge in the wilderness, forming cohesive communities that occasionally abstained from interaction with their erstwhile captors. However, more frequently, these fugitives armed themselves and engaged in guerrilla campaigns against their former masters.

Revolt

, entire populations of slaves sought liberation from captivity by establishing autonomous colonies in the jungles. Notably, their struggles against the Spanish garnered support from local indigenous tribes and even found alignment with Spain's European adversaries, such as the English privateer

Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( 1540 – 28 January 1596) was an English Exploration, explorer and privateer best known for making the Francis Drake's circumnavigation, second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580 (bein ...

. King Bayano emerged as a prominent figure among the

. In 1552, leading a force of up to 1,200 fugitives, Bayano established a palenque, or slave sanctuary, instigating a protracted war against the Spaniards spanning five years.

Aftermath

Historical accounts attest to the democratic nature of the palenque named Ronconcholon. Remarkably, it accommodated a mosque for the

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

slaves within the community. Some members of the group were purportedly

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

, having undergone conversion by their masters. Subsequently, the Spanish forces overwhelmed Ronconcholon, recapturing numerous slaves, including

himself. Transferred to South America, Bayano endured captivity until his demise. In contemporary Panama, King Bayano is reverently regarded as a hero, with a river named in his honor, perpetuating his legacy.

References

History of Panama Conflicts in 1548 Conflicts in 1579 16th-century rebellions Rebellions against the Spanish Empire Slavery in the Spanish Empire Slave rebellions in South America 1540s in South America 1550s in South America 1570s in South America 1580s in South America {{Panama-stub