The Battle of Sangarará was fought on November 18, 1780 in Sangarará,

Viceroyalty of Peru The Viceroyalty of Peru (), officially known as the Kingdom of Peru (), was a Monarchy of Spain, Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in ...

, between rebel forces under

Túpac Amaru II Tupac Amaru II (born José Gabriel Condorcanqui Noguera, – 18 May 1781) was an Indigenous ''cacique'' who led a Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II, large Andean rebellion against the Viceroyalty of Peru, Spanish in Peru as Self-proclaimed monarc ...

and

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 countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

colonial forces under Tiburcio Landa. Túpac Amaru II's forces won decisively.

Background

The Battle of Sangarará took place nine days after the execution of

Antonio de Arriaga Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular m ...

, the

corregidor Corregidor (, , ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of Cavite City and thus the province of Cavite. It is located west of Manila, the nation's capi ...

Tinta Grand Noir de la Calmette (; or simply Grand noir) is a red ''teinturier'' grape variety that is a crossing of Petit Bouschet and Aramon noir created in 1855 by French grape breeder Henri Bouschet at his vineyard in Mauguio in the Hérau ...

. Sangarará was the first major conflict between Spanish and rebel forces in the Rebellion of Túpac Amaru. Following the capture of Quiquijana, which had been abandoned by its corregidor, on November 12, 1780, meetings were held in

Cuzco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous province and department. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire unti ...

to establish a war council.Walker, Charles. ''Smoldering Ashes: Cuzco and the Creation of Republican Peru''. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1999, page 36. Forces consisting of 800 from surrounding areas were combined with volunteers and militia from Cuzco and were organized under Tiburcio Landa. They arrived in Sangarará on the night of November 17 and based themselves in the town's church.Walker, page 37. The expectation of the arrival of a snowstorm may have influenced the Spanish decision to fortify the church in addition to strategic reasons.

Battle

In the morning hours of November 18, the rebel forces occupied nearby hills and surrounded the church. Sympathetic historical accounts outline Túpac Amaru II's request that Creoles, women, and children be allowed to leave the church before the attack. The rebels began attacking the Spanish with slingshots until the church caught fire, either through arson by Túpac Amaru II or through the sudden spark of Spanish gunpowder. The Spanish fled the church and were routed by the surrounding forces, who were armed with only spears and slings. Spanish troops had brought cannons with them, but they were rendered ineffective by the walls of the church. Historical casualty estimates for the Spanish ranged from 300 to 576. Estimates for rebel casualties number only 15 killed and 30 wounded.

Aftermath

Túpac Amaru II's decisive victory helped to boost his support among Indians and gained him Spanish arms.Walker, page 38. It also helped to create fear among the Spanish in the area, although Spanish colonial officials used the violent nature of the battle in propaganda against the rebels. The Bishop of Cuzco excommunicated Túpac Amaru II from the church for the destruction of the church in Sangarará. The violent, anti-religious portrayals of the rebel leadership helped to limit support from Creoles and Mestizos. Following the battle, the rebels solidified their hold on the outside areas instead of attacking Cuzco, going against the advice of fellow commander (and Túpac Amaru II's wife)

Micaela Bastidas Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua (born in Tamburco, 1744; died in Cusco, May 18, 1781) was a pioneering indigenous leader against Spanish rule in South America, and a martyr for Peruvian independence. With her husband Túpac Amaru II, she led a rebe ...

.Walker, page 41

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Sangarara Sangarara Colonial Peru Conflicts in 1780