María de la Candelaria facts for kids

María López, known as María de La Candelaria (born around 1698, died 1716), was a brave Tzeltal Maya woman. She became one of the main leaders of the Tzeltal Rebellion. Her father, Agustín López, worked as a sacristan in Cancuc, a town in the Chiapas region.

Who Was María de La Candelaria?

María was born into the Tzeltal Maya community. Her father, Agustín López, was an important person in their local church. Before the rebellion, the Chiapas region was going through a difficult time. People faced challenges like bad harvests and disagreements among the Spanish rulers. There was also a system where local people had to pay heavy taxes, which made life very hard for them.

The Vision and the Uprising

In June 1712, María shared an important message. She told the people of Tzeltal that the Virgin Mary had appeared to her. María said the Virgin Mary asked for a special chapel to be built in her honor.

The local Spanish friar tried to punish María and her father for this announcement. He also tried to punish those who believed her story. But the people of Tzeltal stood with María. They forced the friar to leave and began building the chapel.

A Call to Action

In the months that followed, María López began calling herself María de la Candelaria. News of the Virgin Mary's appearance spread quickly throughout the Maya region. Many people came to see the new chapel.

On August 8, María de la Candelaria stood before a large crowd at the chapel. She announced that the Virgin Mary had given a new order. This order was to remove the Spanish rulers and all their rules. This included taxes, Spanish priests, and the Spanish mayor.

Leading the Rebellion

People from 32 different communities joined together. These included Tzeltal, Tzotzil, and Ch'ol groups. They started a rebellion against the Spanish that lasted about three and a half months.

María de la Candelaria helped lead this rebel army. She worked alongside Sebastian Gomez de la Gloria, a Tzotzil man from Chenalhó. Sebastian also claimed to have had a special experience, saying he had risen to Heaven. Together, María and Sebastian appointed new leaders for the churches in rebel towns. These new leaders replaced the Spanish clergy and preached about María's vision.

Her Final Years

On November 21, Spanish forces took back Cancuc. María de la Candelaria escaped with her father and other family members. They hid in several Tzotzil towns. Eventually, they found a safe place in the Chihuisbalam forest, between the Valley of Huitiupán and Yajalón.

About three years later, in February 1716, María de la Candelaria died while giving birth. Soon after her death, Spanish soldiers found and captured her family. During their trial, María's father admitted something important. He said that the story of the Virgin Mary's appearance had been a plan. It was a way to start the rebellion and remove the Spanish from Chiapas.