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1534 - The Quitan campaign The Quitan campaign  The
first major confrontation was between Benalcázar's and
Rumiñavi's men on a mountain pass some 4,250 metres high.
The wide, open battlefield favoured the mounted Spaniards who
"attacked fiercely, trampling the Indians under their
horses and causing great bloodshed with their lances... terrible
bravery and fury were shown by either side. The Indians rallied
to a cry that this was the moment to preserve or lose their liberty...". The battle was indecisive, with heavy losses on both sides, and Benalcázar's forces pushed on towards Quito, battling almost continuously with the natives.Despite the fierce and spirited attacks from Rumiñavi's armies, Benalcázar's forces reached Quito on 22 June 1534. They were disappointed to find that Quito had been systematically evacuated and burnt, and that Rumiñavi has escaped with the city's treasure. Pizarro's partner, Diego de Almagro, now arrived in Quito from Cuzco and, despite being relieved to find that Benalcázar was still loyal to Pizarro and himself, reprimanded him for having left Quito without express orders. Alvarado's alternative invasion, marching inwards from the Ecuadorian coast, had encountered great hardships en route, losing 85 men, most of its horses and many of its supporting 4,000 Guatemalan Indians. They were dismayed to find, on arrival at Quito, that Almagro and Benalcázar had already passed through in pursuit of Rumiñavi and the city's treasure. Alvarado's expedition soon caught up with and confronted Almagro and Benalcázar 's forces. Alvarado's forces had superior numbers and, having just survived great hardships on their expedition, were desperate for plunder and rewards. Both forces began preparing for a battle that would have been evenly matched and left the significantly weakened survivors to face a native counterattack. In the end, the battle was avoided and an agreement was reached whereby Almagro agreed to buy Alvarado's ships and equipment and Alvarado was to return to Guatemala. Almagro and Alvarado began to march back towards Peru whilst Benalcázar remained in Quito with some 500 men. Quisquis and Rumiñavi  Meanwhile, Quisquis and his army of some 16,000 natives had retreated northwards through Peru and were entering southern Ecuador. News of their approach reached Almagro and Alvarado, who immediately launched a surprise attack. Despite not expecting to encounter such a large Spanish force in their homeland, Quisquis's army fought fiercely with the Spanish and used the steep hillsides to avoid the slaughter of a cavalry charge. The Spanish suffered very heavy losses and Quisquis's forces were able to escape.It now became apparent to Quisquis and his commanders that the Spanish already occupied their homeland and that they had nowhere left to retreat to. The commanders "told Quisquis to ask the Spaniards for peace since they were invincible". Quisquis refused and rebuked them for their cowardice, ordering them to continue the defence of their country. Quisquis's leading commander, Huaypalcon, then "struck him on the chest with his lance. Many others immediately ran up with clubs and battleaxes and killed him. Thus ended Quisquis and his battles, he who had been so celebrated a commander among the orejones..." Meanwhile, Rumiñavi's forces had been battling unsuccessfully against the Spanish and Rumiñavi was forced to flee into hiding. A native Indian betrayed his hiding place to Benalcázar who sent some horsemen to capture him. Rumiñavi evaded them and escaped over a snow-covered mountain but, once again, was betrayed by a native spy. This time, the Spanish were successful in capturing him and, after the customary and futile tortures in search for mythical treasure, executed him in the city square of Quito. Rumiñavi was the last of Atahualpa's generals and the most determined resistance leader against the Spanish. With his death, any chance of resistance from Atahualpa's faction was finally extinguished. |
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