Enriquillo

Enriquillos statue in Santo Domingo

Enriquillo was a famous chief of the Taíno Indians in Hispaniola in the early 16th century . The son of a Taino chief was adopted by the Franciscans after the father's murder by Spanish conquerors , who changed the original name Guarocuya to Enriquillo after his conversion to the Catholic faith .

A dispute over the question of whether the “owner” of the villagers, who practically lived like serfs, had abused Enriquillo's wife Mencia, escalated and prompted Enriquillo to rebel against the Spanish occupiers around 1520. In the rugged mountains of Bahoruco , where the rebels had withdrawn, they successfully defended themselves against the Spaniards, whose leader Francisco de Valanzuela was even captured and only survived thanks to the intercession of Enriquillo. Under the leadership of Enriquillo, the rebels were able to repel all attacks by the Spaniards and thus also reject unfavorable peace offers from the occupiers, which were also transmitted by one of his former teachers to the Franciscans.

In 1532 200 heavily armed men were sent against the Taino under the command of Francisco de Barrionuevo . In 1533 the Barrionuevo delegations met with 30 soldiers, two priests and 30 Taino (among whom was Enriquillo) to negotiate peace. This meeting took place at what is now called Lago Enriquillo the salt water lake . The parties agreed on a peace treaty with the key points: Abolition of de facto slavery and freedom and land ownership for the Taino. The Spanish royal family accepted and respected the treaty, approved the resettlement of the Taino and offered them cattle and seeds. Enriquillo died peacefully a year after the contract was signed. His wife Mencia organized the construction of a church where his remains would be buried.

However, the 4,000 Taino that remained at that time died due to epidemics and diseases - at the end of the 16th century the tribe had died out.