Mabila facts for kids

Mabila (also called Mavila or Maubila) was a small, strong town in what is now central Alabama. In 1540, it was known to a powerful Native American leader named Chief Tuskaloosa. For many years, people have wondered exactly where Mabila was located. One idea is that it was southwest of the city of Selma, Alabama.

In 2021, archaeologists found Spanish items at Native American sites in Marengo County. These finds suggest they have discovered the area where Mabila was located, even if not the exact town itself. They believe the town site is very close to their discoveries.

In 1540, Chief Tuskaloosa gathered over 2,500 Native American warriors at Mabila. They were ready to fight a large group of visitors: the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his expedition. This event led to a major conflict known as the Battle of Mabila.

DeSoto's route through parts of what are now Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Mabila is shown in the green circle at the bottom left.

When Hernando de Soto first met Chief Tuskaloosa, he asked for supplies. Tuskaloosa told him to go to Mabila, where supplies would be waiting. A messenger was sent ahead. When Tuskaloosa arrived with the first group of Spaniards, he asked them to leave. A fight started between a Spanish soldier and a Native American. Suddenly, many warriors appeared from hiding places and began shooting arrows at the Spaniards. The Spaniards quickly left the town, leaving their belongings behind.

The battle that followed was fierce. The Spaniards had guns and eventually set the village on fire. Most of the warriors inside were killed.

Mabila: A Strong Walled Town

Mabila was a fortress town, meaning it was built to be defended. The Spanish explorers saw many such walled towns. Mabila had a thick, strong wall that was about 16.5 feet (5 meters) high. This wall was made from large tree trunks placed close together. These trunks were held in place with cross-beams and covered with a mix of mud and straw called stucco. This made the wall look solid and very strong.

The warriors defending the fortress used arrows and threw stones at their enemies.

A writer named Garcilaso de la Vega, who wrote about these events, described Mabila:

...on a very fine plain and had an enclosure three estados (about 16.5 feet or 5-m) high, which was made of logs as thick as oxen. They were driven into the ground so close together that they touched one another. Other beams, longer and not so thick, were placed crosswise on the outside and inside and attached with split canes and strong cords. On top they were daubed with a great deal of mud packed down with long straw, which mixture filled all the cracks and open spaces between the logs and their fastenings in such a manner that it really looked like a wall finished with a mason's trowel. At intervals of fifty paces around this enclosure, were towers capable of holding seven or eight men who could fight in them. The lower part of the enclosure, to 'the height of an estado' (5.55 feet), was full of loopholes for shooting arrows at those on the outside. The pueblo had only two gates, one on the east and the other on the west. In the middle of the pueblo, was a spacious plaza around which were the largest and most important houses. 

An artist's drawing of Mabila. Notice how the walls look solid because of the stucco covering the tree trunks.

The Battle of Mabila: A Fierce Fight

The Battle of Mabila was one of the most difficult fights for the Spanish during the De Soto Expedition. However, the Native Americans suffered even greater losses.

De Soto had asked Chief Tuskaloosa for supplies, people to carry things, and women when they first met. Tuskaloosa then led them to Mabila.

On October 18, 1540, De Soto and his group arrived at Mabila. The village was very well-protected on a flat area. It had a wooden fence, or palisade, all around it. There were also towers where archers could shoot their longbows to protect the town.

When the Spaniards arrived, they felt something was wrong. Almost everyone in the town was a young male warrior or an important man. There were a few women, but no children. The Spaniards also noticed that the palisade had been made stronger recently. All trees, bushes, and weeds had been cleared away from outside the town for a long distance. Outside the walls, they saw an older warrior encouraging younger warriors and leading them in practice fights.

When the Spaniards reached Mabila, Chief Tuskaloosa asked De Soto if he could stay there. De Soto said no. Tuskaloosa then told De Soto to leave the town. He went into another room and refused to talk more. A lesser chief was asked to help, but he would not. One Spanish soldier then grabbed the lesser chief's cloak. This caused a fight to break out. The Native Americans, yelling loudly, came out of the houses and started shooting arrows.

The Spaniards barely managed to escape from the strong town. The Native Americans closed the gates, beat their drums, and raised flags, shouting loudly. De Soto decided to attack the town.

During the battle, a writer named Elvas recorded that "The Indians fought with so great spirit that they, many times, drove our people back out of the town." The fight lasted so long that many Spanish soldiers became tired and thirsty. They went to drink from a nearby pond, which had become red from the blood of those who had died. Then they returned to the fight.

De Soto ordered his men to set the town on fire. According to Elvas, the Spanish soldiers broke into the town. The Native Americans tried to flee, but the Spanish cavalry and foot soldiers pushed them back towards the gates. With no hope of escape, the warriors fought bravely. Many, rushing into the burning houses, were trapped by the smoke and flames. They piled up on top of each other and died in the fire.

About 2,500 Native Americans were killed in the battle. Around 200 Spanish soldiers died. Another 150 Spanish soldiers received many wounds. Elvas also noted that 400 hogs and 12 horses died in the fire. Other writers gave different numbers for horses that died.

The exact number of Native American deaths is not fully known. Spanish accounts at the time estimated that between 2,500 and 3,000 Native Americans died in the fires within the city walls. The number of Spanish soldiers killed in action varies in different historical accounts, from 18 to 82. Another 48 or more Spaniards died from their wounds in the days after the battle. According to Garcilaso, many of the dead were women who had followed their husbands and loved ones to witness what they hoped would be a victory.

Chief Tuskaloosa was never found, nor was his body. If he died in the burning city, his body would have been impossible to recognize. The Battle of Mabila was one of the most significant and tragic battles fought on the North American continent between Native Americans and Europeans.