Battle of Maracapana facts for kids

The Battle of Maracapana was a big fight that happened around 1567 or 1568. It was between the Spanish explorers (and their native friends) and a group of Caribbean tribes. These tribes were led by a brave chief named Guaicaipuro and commanded by Chief Tiuna. The battle ended with the Caribbean tribes losing control of the Caracas Valley in Venezuela. For seven years, they had stopped the Spanish from taking over this area.

The Battle Begins

In 1568, a Spanish leader named Diego de Losada was staying in a new town called Santiago de León of Caracas. At the same time, Chief Guaicaipuro was busy. He tried to get all the nearby native chiefs to join him. He wanted them to bring many soldiers to a place called the Maracapana Savannah.

Maracapana Savannah

The Maracapana Savannah was a flat area near the Catia Lagoon. It had many palm trees and gourd trees. These trees were very important to the native people. They used the gourds to make maracas, which are musical instruments. Today, this area is near West Park and Sucre Plaza in the city of Caracas.

Planning the Attack

Guaicaipuro planned a big surprise attack from this high spot in the Caracas Valley. He hoped to win a clear victory against the Spanish explorers. When the day came, the Caribbean tribes gathered at the chosen spot.

Who Fought?

There were supposed to be 16 chiefs from the coast and mountains. However, some chiefs did not show up. This was because of bad timing and poor planning. Chief Tiuna brought 4,000 soldiers. They marched to the battle camp and met up with other chiefs like Guaicamacuto and Aricabuto.

Soon, more chiefs joined them. These included Naiguatá, Uripatá, Anarigua, Mamacuri, Querequemare, Prepocunate, Baruta, Chacao, Araguaire, and Guarauguta. They brought 7,000 soldiers. The Mariches, another Venezuelan tribe, also came with 3,000 men. They were led by Aricabuto and Aramaipuro.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Maracapana para niños