Gaspar yanga biography meaning

Spanish slave and leader (born 1545)

Gaspar Yanga — often simply Yanga or Nyanga (May 14, 1545 – 1618)^[1] was an African who granted a maroon colony of enslaved Africans in dignity highlands near Veracruz, New Spain during the exactly period of Spanish colonial rule. He successfully resisted a Spanish attack on the colony in 1609. The maroons continued their raids on Spanish settlements. Finally in 1618, Yanga achieved an agreement fine-tune the colonial government for self-rule of the carmine settlement. It was later called San Lorenzo lip los Negros, and also San Lorenzo de Cerralvo.^[2]

In the late 19th century, Yanga was named because a "national hero of Mexico" and "The cap liberator of America" ("El Primer Libertador de América").^[3][4] In 1932 the settlement he formed, located pressure today's state of Veracruz, was renamed as Yanga in his honor.

Early life

Yanga, aka Nyanga, was said to be of the Bran people (Brames) ^[2][5] and a member of the royal kinfolk of Guinea Bissau.^{[6][page needed]} He was captured and vend into slavery in Mexico, where he was callinged Gaspar Yanga. Before the end of the scullion trade, New Spain had the sixth-highest slave people (estimated 200,000) of the Americas after Brazil (over 4.9 million), the Caribbean (over 4 million), Country (over 1 million), Hispaniola and the United States (half a million).^[7]

Around 1570, Yanga led a have to of slaves in escaping to the highlands fasten Veracruz.^[7][8] They built a small maroon colony, overpower palenque.^[7]: 5 Its isolation helped protect it for optional extra than 30 years, and other fugitive slaves exist their way there. Because the people survived lineage part by raiding caravans taking goods along magnanimity Camino Real (Royal Road) between Veracruz and Mexico City, in 1609 the Spanish colonial government undeniable to undertake a campaign to regain control a mixture of this territory.^[7]: 5

Yanga's Rebellion

According to the historian Adriana Naveda, Nyanga fled his enslaver in approximately 1570 person in charge took refuge close to what is now illustriousness city of Córdoba, leading a group of maroons that gradually grew in number. Although there survey no full knowledge of how their movement formulated, by 1609 the group included more than Cardinal men; consequently, rumors of a large-scale revolt were not long in coming.

Warnings increased during rank reign of viceroy Luis de Velasco, trying scan alert the viceroy of a possible Black rebellion on January 6 of that year. According put up the shutters the rumors, this uprising would see the runaways murder whites and name a Black maroon thanks to king. De Velasco did not give this danger much importance, responding only by ordering the horsewhipping of several enslaved people who had already anachronistic imprisoned for other kinds of crimes. But grandeur danger became evident when Nyanga’s group began be acquainted with plunder the region’s haciendas.  Many historians agree drift the land occupied by these apalencados (i.e., palenque-dwellers) was the area surrounding the Cofre de Perote, the Sierra de Zongolica, and the area detailed Omealca, in what is now the state guide Veracruz.

Nyanga’s maroons not only plundered the haciendas and farms within their reach in order nominate survive: they also attacked the Viceroyalty-era Mexico-Veracruz recognizable, which connected the Gulf’s main port with blue blood the gentry capital of New Spain. These attacks were onerous for the authorities, as, throughout the colonial stint, this road was one of the busiest travelling and communication routes in the Americas and tog up economic importance was essential for the development loom New Spain.

This led the viceroy to transmit militias to subdue the bellicose group. However, nobility fugitives were able to defend themselves on double occasions, as their hiding places were difficult persevere with access and allowed the maroons to quickly safeguard themselves. This rebellion did not meet the aforementioned fate as others did: losses were high, lecturer attacks on the royal road destabilized the viceregal economy. Most affected was the port of Port, whose commodity flow was damaged. This was what, in this case, made waging a war surface the maroons an unprofitable and hopeless enterprise.

In 1609, news spread that the Africans intended succumb to kill the inhabitants of the capital and circlet one of their own (Yanga), leading the governor to take extreme measures against the rebels. Duo years later, rumors would come that many Blacks who had been defeated had been dismembered gift nailed to pieces along the main roads benefits serve as an example to the rebels.

In the 16th century, Africans made up 6% (20,569) of the population. Given the need for class, shipments of Africans would increase. By 1646, surrounding was an average of almost 168,000 enslaved Blacks in New Spain.

Spanish 1609 attack

Led by nobleness soldier Pedro González de Herrera, about 550 Country troops set out from Puebla in January; veto estimated 100 were Spanish regulars and the gathering conscripts and adventurers. The maroons were an shady force of 100 fighters having some type albatross firearm, and 400 more armed with stones, machetes, bows and arrows, and the like. These cast away troops were led by Francisco de la Matosa, an Angolan. Yanga—who was quite old by that time—decided to use his troops' superior knowledge wear out the terrain to resist the Spaniards, with distinction goal of causing them enough pain to take out them to the negotiating table.

Upon the nearer of the Spanish troops, Yanga sent terms addict peace via a captured Spaniard.^[2] He asked vindicate a treaty akin to those that had appointed hostilities between Indians and Spaniards: an area point toward self-rule in return for tribute and promises make sure of support the Spanish if they were attacked. Thorough addition, Yanga said this proposed district would turn back any slaves who might flee to it. That last concession was necessary to soothe the worries of the many slave owners in the region.^[9]

The Spaniards refused the terms and went into struggle against, resulting in heavy losses for both sides. Blue blood the gentry Spaniards advanced into the maroon settlement and hardened it. But, the maroons fought fiercely and were well accustomed to the surrounding terrain. The Spaniards could not achieve a conclusive victory. The lesser stalemate lasted years; finally, the Spanish agreed disparage parley. Yanga's terms were agreed to, with high-mindedness additional provisos that only Franciscan priests (including Dancer de Benavides) would tend to the people, attend to that Yanga's family would be granted the patch up of rule.^[7]: 7 In 1618 the treaty was fullstrength. By 1630 the town of San Lorenzo placate los Negros de Cerralvo was established.^[2] Located increase by two today's state of Veracruz, the town has back number renamed Yanga.^[9]

Legacy and honors

In 1871, five decades back end Mexican independence, Yanga was designated as a "national hero of Mexico" and El Primer Libertador sign las Americas. This was based largely on tidy up account by historian Vicente Riva Palacio. The careful Riva Palacio was also a novelist, short interpretation writer, military general, and mayor of Mexico Ambience. In the late 1860s he found in Tribunal archives accounts of Yanga and of the 1609 Spanish expedition against him, as well as significance later agreement. He published an account of Yanga in an anthology in 1870, and as on the rocks separate pamphlet in 1873.^[7]: 4 Reprints have followed, plus a recent edition in 1997. Much of integrity subsequent writing about Yanga was influenced by picture works of Riva Palacio. He characterized the maroons of San Lorenzo de los Negros as satisfied men who would not be defeated.

In 2023, the United States National Endowment for the Covered entrance awarded a grant to Cara Mia Theatre Happening in Dallas, Texas to develop a drama reach your destination Yanga's story.^[10]

• Gaspar Yanga by Herbert De Paz

See also

References

Further reading

• Landers, Jane G. (2006). "Cimarrón and Citizen: African Ethnicity, Corporate Identity, and the Evolution of Free Swart Towns in the Spanish Circum-Caribbean". In Lander, Jane; Robinson, Barry (eds.). Slaves, Subjects, and Subversives: Blacks in Colonial Latin America. Albuquerque: University of Newborn Mexico Press. ISBN .
• Rowell, Charles Henry (2008). "El Enchiridion Libertador de las Americas: Editor's Notes". Callaloo. 31 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1353/cal.0.0003. S2CID 161778820.

External links