|
Muisca Rulers
When the Spanish arrived in the central Colombian highlands, the region was organized into the Muisca Confederation, which had two rulers; the ''Zipa'' was the ruler of the southern part and based in Muyquytá. The ''Zaque'' was the ruler of the northern area and based in Hunza, known today as Tunja. Organization ''Zipa (Psihipqua)'' and ''Zaque (Hoa)'' were the titles given to these rulers of the ancient confederation. Neither exercised absolute power, not rigid or strict control over those to whom they owed their power, so that they can be considered kings. However, these positions of power were of great honor and were surrounded by a rather elaborate ceremony. The position of the ''Zipa'' was such that not even the members of the nobility dared to look him in the face, and it is said if the ''Zipa'' needed to spit, someone would hold out a piece of rich cloth for him to spit on, because it would be sacrilegious for anything so precious as his saliva to touch the ground. W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Chocontá
The Battle of Chocontá was one of a series of battles in the ongoing conflict between the northern and southern Muisca of pre-Columbian central Colombia. The battle was fought 1490 in the vicinity of Chocontá. An army of 50,000 southern Muisca guecha warriors, led by their ruler, or ''zipa'', Saguamanchica, attacked 60,000 northern Muisca troops commanded by Zaque Michuá, who was supported by the Cacique of Guatavita. Background In the decades before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the central highlands of Colombia in 1537, the area was ruled by two main groups: the ''zacazgo'' of the northern Muisca and the ''zipazgo'' of the southern Muisca. While the two factions were joined in a confederation, they fought numerous wars to conquer terrain and to gain access to the resources of the area, mainly gold, copper, and emeralds. The northern Muisca inhabited the area of the current department of Boyacá while the southern Muisca lived in the present-day Cundinamar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tisquesusa
Tisquesusa, also spelled Thisquesuza, Thysquesuca or Thisquesusha (referred to in the earliest sources as Bogotá, the Elder) (died Facatativá, 1537) was the fourth and last independent ruler ('' psihipqua'') of Muyquytá, main settlement of the southern Muisca between 1514 and his death in 1537. The Spanish pronunciation of his name brought about the Colombian capital Bogotá. Tisquesusa was the ruler of the southern Muisca Confederation at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Muisca, when the troops led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and his brother entered the central Andean highlands. Biography Tisquesusa was ''cacique'' of Chía and following the Muisca heritage rules, he, as nephew of the previous ruler Nemequene, succeeded his uncle in 1514. At the start of his reign, Tisquesusa fought against the Panche in the west of the Muisca Confederation. The brother of Tisquesusa and later -according to Muisca heritage rule illegal- successor Sagipa was the general in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nemequene
Nemequene or Nemeguene (died 1514) was the third ruler (''zipa'') of Bacatá as of 1490. His '' zaque'' counterpart ruling over the northern area of the Muisca territory was Quemuenchatocha. Etymology Nemequene in the Chibcha language of the Muisca has two possible meanings, derived from the words ''nymy'', " jaguar" and ''quyne'', meaning either "bone" or "force". Biography Nemequene succeeded to the throne of the southern Muisca in 1490 after the death of his predecessor Saguamanchica in the Battle of Chocontá where the ''zaque'' of the northern Muisca Michuá had also died. While Nemequene wanted to continue the attacks against the northern Muisca, he had to face the dangers of the Panche to the west of his territory. Nemequene installed his nephew and legal successor Tisquesusa as army general to fight off the Panche with success. Looking to expand the territory of the southern Muisca, Nemequene succeeded in the conquest of other areas in the central highlands o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saguamanchica
Saguamanchica (died Chocontá, 1490) was the second ruler (''zipa'') of Muyquytá, as of 1470. His '' zaque'' enemy ruling over the northern area of the Muisca territory was Michuá. Alternative spellings of his name are Sacuan Machica, Saguanmachica and Saguanmanchica. Biography As former ''cacique'' of Chía, Saguamanchica accessed the throne of the southern Muisca around 1470. His predecessor, the first ''zipa'' of Muyquytá Meicuchuca, left him a rich kingdom with many guecha warriors. This led Saguamanchica to seek expansion of his ''zipazgo''. The first campaign of warfare he planned was to submit the eternal enemies of the Muisca, the Panche and the Sutagao to the west of the Muisca territories. The Carib-speaking peoples formed an alliance against their common and far outnumbered enemy. Saguamanchica together with his vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal sy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meicuchuca
Meicuchuca (died 1470) was the first ruler (''zipa'') of Bacatá, as of around 1450. His '' zaque'' counterpart ruling over the northern area of the Muisca territory was Hunzahúa. Biography Little is known about Meicuchuca and many stories about his reign are more mythical than historical. He ruled the southern Muisca territory from around 1450 to 1470 and was succeeded according to Muisca heritage laws by his nephew Saguamanchica. Meicuchuca and the snake The legend of Meicuchuca and the snake tells the story of the ''zipa'' who already had many wives. Polygamy was common practice with the Muisca and the higher the rank, the more wives could be held. The highest position of ''zipa'' could allow to have and sustain 300 wives, while the lower rank ''cacique'' "only" made 100 wives possible. Meicuchuca allegedly fell in love with a woman outside of the Muisca community. He only had eye for her and spent day and night with the beautiful stranger, forgetting all his other wiv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bogotá
Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city of Colombia, and one of the List of largest cities, largest cities in the world. The city is administered as the Capital District, as well as the capital of, though not politically part of, the surrounding department of Cundinamarca Department, Cundinamarca. Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the main political, economic, administrative, industrial, cultural, aeronautical, technological, scientific, medical and educational center of the country and northern South America. Bogotá was founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada on 6 August 1538 by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada after a harsh Spanish conquest of the Muisca, e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
