Tundama

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Tundama († after December 15, 1539 ) was a Kazike and ruler of the area around Duitama . He ruled when the Spanish conquistadors arrived and, unlike the other Muisca caziks, fought them with all his might.

First he attacked Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who was close to death, in Bonza when he was returning from Sogamoso . One year after the battle with Quesada, on December 15, 1539, he fought a battle in the moorland of Duitamas against Baltasar Maldonado , who had about 2,000 allied Yanaconas on his side alongside his own soldiers . He entrenched himself with around 10,000 soldiers on small islands surrounded by lagoons, which negated the advantage of the Spanish cavalry . So he resisted the Spaniards for a few days, but lost over 4,000 men. In an initial peace talks, Tundama was not intimidated by the conquistadors. He rejected the peace treaty submitted a few days later, citing the fate of Zipa and Zaques . After 15 days the Spaniards managed to breach and take Duitama; Tundama was slain with a hammer by Maldonado.