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Nicaragua’s Lost
Civilization
The Inevitable
Clash
The first Spaniards entered the region of what would become known as
Nicaragua in 1523. Gil González Dávila with a small force reached
its western portion after a trek through Costa Rica, following a
near disaster while exploring the western coast of Central America.
He proceeded to explore the fertile western valleys and was
impressed with the Indian civilization he found there. He and his
small army gathered gold and baptized Indians along the way.
Eventually, they so imposed upon the Indians that they were attacked
and nearly annihilated. González Dávila returned to his expedition's
starting point in Panama and reported on his find, naming the area
Nicaragua. However, Governor Pedrarias Dávila attempted to arrest
him and confiscate his treasure. He was forced to flee to Santo
Domingo to outfit another expedition.
Within a few months, Nicaragua was invaded by several Spanish
forces, each led by a conquistador. González Dávila was authorized
by royal decree, and came in from the Caribbean coast of Honduras.
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba at the command of the governor of
Panama approached from Costa Rica. Pedro de Alvarado and Cristóbal
de Olid at the command of Hernán Cortés, came from Guatemala through
San Salvador and Honduras.
Córdoba apparently came with the intention of colonization. In 1524,
he established permanent settlements in the region, including two of
Nicaragua's principal towns: Granada on Lake Nicaragua and Leon east
of Lake Managua. But he soon found it necessary to prepare defenses
for the cities and go on the offensive against incursions by the
other conquistadores.
The inevitable clash between the Spanish forces did not impede their
devastation of the indigenous population. The Indian civilization
was destroyed. The series of battles came to be known as “The War of
the Captains”. By 1529, the conquest of Nicaragua was complete.
Several conquistadores came out winners, and some were executed or
murdered. Pedrarias Dávila was a winner. Although he had lost
control of Panama, he had moved to Nicaragua and established his
base in León. Through adroit diplomatic machinations, he became the
first governor of the colony.
The land was parceled out to the conquistadores. The area of most
interest was the western portion. It included a wide, fertile valley
with huge, freshwater lakes, a series of volcanoes, and volcanic
lagoons. Many Indians were soon enslaved to develop and maintain
"estates" there. Others were put to work in mines in northern
Nicaragua, but the great majority was sent as slaves to Panama and
Peru, for significant profit to the new landed aristocracy. Many
Indians died through disease and neglect by the Spaniards, who
controlled everything necessary for their subsistence.
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