Saguamanchica (died
Chocontá, 1490) was the second ruler (''
zipa
When the Spain, 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 Funza, Muyquytá. The ''Zaque'' was the ...
'') 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
A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...
'' 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 system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
Pasca defeated his enemies led by general Uzatama with ease and annexed
Fusagasugá and
Tibacuy.
[
The expansion policies of the southern Muisca upset the ''cacique'' of Guatavita and he sought help with the ''zaque'' in Hunza, Michuá. The northern ruler sent a messenger to the court of Saguamanchica in Bacatá but he was mistreated there. Saguamanchica and Michuá confronted each other with armies of 40,000 respectively 30,000 warriors but there was no battle fought and a truce settled. In the meantime however the ''cacique'' of Ubaque, ally of the northern Muisca, had conquered Usme and Pasca on Saguamanchica's rule. The ''zipa'' sent his army to the taken areas and defeated the ''cacique'', banishing him.][
Saguamanchica also submitted the towns of Zipaquirá, Ubaté, Simijaca and Susa.
The times of war were continuing as Saguamanchica attacked the Panche, who had taken Zipacón and Tena, and the ''cacicazgo'' of Guatavita having conquered Chía and Cajicá upon the ''zipa''.][
Around 1490 Saguamanchica decided to attack the ''hoa'' with an army of 50,000 warriors marching through Guatavita to Chocontá facing 60,000 troops led by Michuá. In the three hour Battle of Chocontá both rulers Saguamanchica and Michuá died, while the former has won. Eucaneme took over the ''hoa'' rule for the northern Muisca and Nemequene, as nephew of Saguamanchica legal heir for the throne in Muyquytá, succeeded his uncle, eventually becoming a brutal ruler.][History of the Muisca]
- Banco de la RepúblicaBiografía Saguamanchica
- Pueblos Originarios
Saguamanchica in Muisca history
Trivia
* The moth species '' Cibyra saguanmachica'', endemic to Colombia, is named after Saguamanchica
See also
* Muisca warfare
* Muisca rulers, history of Bogotá
References
Bibliography
*
{{Muisca navbox, Caciques and neighbours, state=expanded
Muisca rulers
15th-century births
1490 deaths
15th-century South American people
Indigenous warriors of the Americas