Battle of Iñaquito facts for kids

The Battle of Iñaquito was a big fight that happened on January 18, 1546. It took place near Quito, which is now the capital of Ecuador. This battle was part of the larger Spanish conquest of Peru.

It was fought between two groups of Spanish people. One group was led by Gonzalo Pizarro. He wanted to be in charge of the lands his family had helped conquer. The other group was led by Blasco Núñez Vela, who was the official viceroy (a royal governor) sent by the King of Spain. Gonzalo Pizarro's army was much stronger, and they won the battle. Viceroy Núñez Vela was killed during the fight.

Why the Battle Happened

In 1542, the King of Spain created a new position called the Viceroy of Peru. This was a very important job, like being the King's representative in the new lands. The King also created a court called the Royal Audience of Lima.

The first viceroy, Blasco Núñez Vela, arrived in Peru in 1543. He came with new rules called the New Laws. These laws were meant to protect the native people. They said that Spanish settlers, called encomenderos, could no longer force native people to work for free.

Many encomenderos, who had become very rich, did not like these new laws. They protested and started a rebellion. They chose Gonzalo Pizarro to lead them. Gonzalo was a powerful encomendero himself.

Gonzalo went to Cuzco and was welcomed like a hero. He was made the "Attorney General of Peru." This meant he was supposed to speak for the people against the new laws.

In Lima, Viceroy Núñez Vela was not popular. People thought he was unfair and acted without thinking. The judges of the Royal Audience decided to arrest him. On September 18, 1544, they sent him away, planning to send him back to Spain.

Gonzalo Pizarro then entered Lima with 1200 soldiers. He was welcomed as the new Governor of Peru. This was a clear act of rebellion against the Spanish King. Gonzalo had a lot of support from the people.

But Viceroy Núñez Vela managed to escape. He convinced his guard to let him go. He landed in Tumbes, in northern Peru. From there, he went to Quito and started building a new army. He planned to fight Gonzalo Pizarro's rebels.

Getting Ready for the Fight

The Viceroy's army moved south, taking over San Miguel de Piura. Gonzalo Pizarro heard about this. He left Lima and marched north to Trujillo. The Viceroy then decided to retreat, moving quickly back to Quito. Gonzalo Pizarro followed him closely, but there wasn't much fighting.

Meanwhile, another captain named Diego Centeno started a rebellion in Bolivia, supporting the King. Gonzalo Pizarro sent his trusted commander, Francisco de Carvajal, to deal with this new problem. Gonzalo stayed to face the Viceroy.

The Viceroy stayed in Popayán (in present-day Colombia). He got more soldiers, including Sebastián de Benalcázar, who was a governor. The Viceroy also got help from local native leaders. This made Gonzalo Pizarro's men impatient because they weren't fighting.

Gonzalo Pizarro then came up with a clever plan. He left a small group of soldiers in Quito. He pretended to march south with his main army, spreading rumors that he was going to help Carvajal. The Viceroy believed this trick. He left Popayán, thinking he could easily take Quito.

But Gonzalo Pizarro had hidden his army near Quito. The Viceroy's spies didn't find out until it was too late. The Viceroy decided to keep moving forward and fight. He reached the river Guallabamba, where Gonzalo's army was waiting.

When the Viceroy arrived in Quito, people were sad and worried. They knew Gonzalo Pizarro had a stronger army. The head of the Franciscans even offered the Viceroy a safe place in his church. But the Viceroy refused. Gonzalo Pizarro's troops were also heading to Quito. The Viceroy decided it was better to fight outside the city. This was on the evening of January 18, 1546.

The Armies Line Up

The battle happened in the Valley of Iñaquito, which was a flat area about 4 kilometers long.

Gonzalo Pizarro placed his troops on a small hill. He had about 700 men. About 200 of them had muskets (early guns), and 150 were on horses. His main commander was Pedro de Puelles. Gonzalo Pizarro gave a strong speech, telling his men to fight for their freedom, lives, and property.

Viceroy Blasco Núñez Vela had just over 400 men. He had about 140 cavalry (soldiers on horses), similar to Pizarro. The Viceroy also gave a powerful speech. He promised to be the first to attack. He even wore a native cotton shirt called an uncu over his armor. Some people said he did this to avoid being a target, while others said it was to show he was just like his soldiers.

The Battle Begins

The battle started with musket fire from the Viceroy's side. Gonzalo Pizarro's men quickly fired back. As he promised, the Viceroy led his horsemen in a charge. The two groups of cavalry crashed into each other.

But Gonzalo Pizarro's musketeers were key. They moved to the side of the Viceroy's army and started shooting accurately, causing many casualties. In the fight between the foot soldiers, Gonzalo Pizarro's larger numbers gave him the advantage. Benalcázar, one of the Viceroy's commanders, was wounded.

With their leaders falling, the Viceroy's foot soldiers started to break apart. Gonzalo Pizarro's cavalry chased them without mercy, and the musketeers kept firing. The Viceroy fought bravely on the left side of his army. He was hit in the head by a soldier named Hernando de Torres and was badly wounded.

At first, no one recognized the Viceroy because of the native shirt he was wearing. But then a soldier identified him. The news reached Benito Suárez de Carbajal, whose brother had died because of the Viceroy's actions. Benito Suárez wanted to kill the Viceroy himself to get revenge. But Pedro de Puelles stopped him, saying it was wrong to kill a man who had already fallen. So, Benito Suárez sent a servant to finish the job.

The death of the Viceroy made the rest of his soldiers lose hope. Those who were still fighting were captured or killed. Only a few managed to escape. Gonzalo Pizarro's horsemen chased them until night fell. Then, Gonzalo sounded his trumpets, calling his troops back and ending the battle.

About 300 men from the Viceroy's side died. Gonzalo Pizarro's army lost very few, only seven men. Gonzalo Pizarro was not too harsh with his prisoners. Hernández Girón and Benalcázar, who were wounded, were pardoned. Only a few of the Viceroy's most loyal followers were hanged or sent away to Chile.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Iñaquito para niños