Battle of Guiniguada

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Historic sites · Year: 1478

This name is given to the first significant confrontation that took place in the summer of 1478 between the newly landed Castilian conquerors and the aborigines of Gran Canaria. 

The invading Castilian troops commanded by Captain Juan Rejón advanced from the Real de Las Palmas along the course of the Guiniguada ravine, “ by the side of the mountain of San Francisco ”,  where the island's natives appeared, led by the guanarteme (king) of Telde, Doramas, and the guayre Adargoma, lieutenant of the one from Gáldar, Tenesor Semidán.

Rejón, faced with the situation, sent an interpreter to communicate to the natives “.. that they had come on behalf of the Catholic Monarchs their lords… to receive them under their protection and safeguard if they became Christians, and that no one should disturb them and that they should be peaceful and quiet in their land, with their wives and children, livestock and property; but if they did not do what was commanded to be said to them, they would be pursued until they were killed, or embarked and removed from the island ”. The Canarians responded to this warning that they were withdrawing to discuss it in their assembly. After spending the night, at dawn, they attacked the European invaders who were warned and prepared for battle. 

The fight was fierce, with the aborigines suffering heavy losses (according to Abréu, more than three hundred Canarians died compared to seven “Christians”), with Adargoma being captured after being wounded in a leg. 

From this point on, this warrior, whose name means "broad shoulders", was deported to the Peninsula, baptised and later, back in the Archipelago, participated on the Castilian side in the conquest of La Palma and Tenerife, alongside his former king, who had also been captured in another episode of the conquest of Gran Canaria and was now known by the Christian name Fernando Guanarteme.

The Battle of Guiniguada was the first Castilian victory over the Gran Canarian aborigines in their struggle to take control of the island, a struggle that lasted nearly six long years.

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