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Diego Salcedo (died 1511) was a semi-legendary
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, ...
who is said to have lived during the
colonization of the Americas During the Age of Discovery, a large scale European colonization of the Americas took place between about 1492 and 1800. Although the Norse had explored and colonized areas of the North Atlantic, colonizing Greenland and creating a short t ...
. According to legend, his death at the hands of the indigenous
Taíno people The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the pri ...
ignited the Taíno rebellion of 1511.


Salcedo's death

According to the story, Salcedo died in 1511, during a trip to Puerto Rico, when Taínos, under the command of
Agüeybaná II Agüeybaná II (c. 14701511), born Güeybaná and also known as Agüeybaná El Bravo (English: ''Agüeybaná The Brave''), was one of the two principal and most powerful ''caciques'' of the Taíno people in " Borikén" when the Spaniards first arr ...
(brother of the great Taino Cacique Agüeybaná) and the Cacique of Añasco, Urayoán, drowned him in the Río Grande de Añasco. Historically, two versions about how Salcedo was lured to his death have collided. Many books assert that the soldier had been told he'd be taken to a lake filled with Taíno women that he could have
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, ...
with, and, once there, he found not women, but men who then proceeded to drown him. The other version has Salcedo being offered a ride across a river by Taínos who carried him on their arms, and then drowned him and kept him for days, afraid he'd still be alive and waiting until they were certain he was dead. A third, and most accepted version of Salcedo's death says that the Tainos, fearing that the Spaniards might be gods, refrained from harming them. After suffering under the Spaniards for so long, the Tainos, by order of Agüeybaná, ambushed Salcedo as he was drinking water at the edge of a river. Fearing that Salcedo might resurrect after three days—based on their understanding of the Christian teachings wielded by Catholic priests—they sat around for three days waiting for Salcedo to come back from the dead, but all they saw was Salcedo's body rotting due to the heat just as they would. At that moment the Tainos realized that these were no gods. It was with Salcedo's death that the Taínos were encouraged to declare war on the
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ...
in Puerto Rico. This led to the Taino rebellion of 1511. However, the Tainos were quickly defeated due to the Spaniards' better weaponry and war expertise. After the death of Agüeybaná II, the native warriors retracted and became disorganized. Agüeybaná II's followers opted for engaging the Spaniards via guerilla tactics. Such guerilla warfare lasted for the next eight years, until 1519. A second round of raids erupted in 1513 when Ponce de Leon departed the island to explore Florida. The settlement of Caparra, the seat of the island government at that time, was sacked and burned by an alliance between Taínos and natives from the northeastern Antilles. By 1520 the Taíno presence on the island had almost disappeared. A government census in 1530 reports the existence of only 1,148 Taínos remaining in Puerto Rico. However, oppressive conditions for the surviving Taíno continued. Many of those who stayed on the island soon died either due to cruel treatment or the
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
epidemic, which attacked the island in 1519.


Legend

A local legend tells of a ghostly Taino woman, supposedly Salcedo's lover, that still haunts the site of his drowning at Añasco. This belief is exemplified by a verse in the town's anthem:


Salcedo in popular culture

Salcedo is referenced in a song of Puerto Rican
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band Fiel a la Vega. The song is titled "El Asunto: Salcedo Sigue Siendo Mortal" (The Issue: Salcedo is still a Mortal) and it makes a comparison between the
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ...
' rule in the island and the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
' invasion of 1898.


See also

* Agüeybaná *
Agüeybaná II Agüeybaná II (c. 14701511), born Güeybaná and also known as Agüeybaná El Bravo (English: ''Agüeybaná The Brave''), was one of the two principal and most powerful ''caciques'' of the Taíno people in " Borikén" when the Spaniards first arr ...
*
Arasibo Aracibo (born c. 1480s) was a Taíno '' Cacique'' in Puerto Rico who governed the area which is now named after him (now spelled Arecibo). Pre-Columbian era Aracibo governed a tribe whose village was located by the shore of the river "Abacoa" ...
*
Hayuya Hayuya (born c. 1470s) was the Taíno Cacique (Chief) who governed the area in Puerto Rico which now bears his name (which is now spelled " Jayuya"). Arrival of the Conquistadors When the Spaniards arrived in "Borikén" (the Taíno name for Puert ...
*
Jumacao Jumacao a.k.a. Jumaca (born ''c''. 1480s) was the Taíno Cacique (Chief) of the area in Puerto Rico named after him (now spelled Humacao). Before and after the arrival of the Conquistadors The Taínos, who lived in Puerto Rico long before the ar ...
* Orocobix *
History of Puerto Rico The history of Puerto Rico began with the settlement of the Ortoiroid people between 430 BC and AD 1000. At the time of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1493, the dominant indigenous culture was that of the Taínos. The Taín ...


References


External links


Salcedo's Legend
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salcedo, Diego 15th-century births 1511 deaths Deaths by drowning People of colonial Puerto Rico 16th-century Spanish people Spanish conquistadors