Michuá or Michica (died
Chocontá, 1490) was the second ''
zaque
When the Spanish arrived in the central Colombian highlands, the region was organized into the Muisca Confederation, which had two rulers; the ''Zipa'' was the ruler of the southern part and based in Muyquytá. The ''Zaque'' was the ruler of the ...
'' of
Hunza, currently known as Tunja, as of 1470. His contemporary enemy ''
zipa
When the Spain, Spanish arrived in the central Colombian highlands, the region was organized into the Muisca Confederation, which had two rulers; the ''Zipa'' was the ruler of the southern part and based in Funza, Muyquytá. The ''Zaque'' was the ...
'' of the southern Muisca was
Saguamanchica
Saguamanchica (died Chocontá, 1490) was the second ruler (''zipa'') of Muyquytá, as of 1470. His '' zaque'' enemy ruling over the northern area of the Muisca territory was Michuá.
Alternative spellings of his name are Sacuan Machica, Sagua ...
.
Biography
Little is known about the history of Michuá, who accessed the throne of the northern Muisca in 1470. He broke the political peace established under his predecessor
Hunzahúa
Hunzahúa was the first ''zaque''; ruler of the northern Muisca people, Muisca with capital Tunja, Hunza, named after him. His contemporary ''zipa'' of the southern Muisca was Meicuchuca.
Biography
Hunzahúa, heir of Idacansás, was a ''cacique' ...
and fought a 16-year war with the southern enemies led by Saguamanchica. The latter, supported by his
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
Pasca
Pasca is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca Department, Cundinamarca department of Colombia located in the Andes. It belongs to the Sumapaz Province. Pasca is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at a distance of from the capital B ...
conquered
Fusagasugá
Fusagasugá (; ) or Fusa is a city and municipality in the department of Cundinamarca, in central Colombia. It is located in the warm valley between the rivers Cuja and Panches, a central region of the Andes Mountains in South America. The mun ...
and
Tibacuy. Saguamanchica attempted to submit the ''
cacique
A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...
'' of
Guatavita who asked Michúa for assistance. Michuá sent a messenger to Bacatá to negotiate the ''zipa'' would listen to the complaints of the ''cacique''. Saguamanchica was not amused by undermining his authority and abused the messenger.
When Michuá found out about the mistreatment of his messenger he sent an army of forty thousand
guecha warriors to the ''zipa''. Realising the strength of the army Saguamanchica redirected his army against the independent ''cacique'' of
Ubaque who attacked Pasca and
Usme and defended his reign against Guatavita and the
Panche.
Around 1490 Saguamanchica decided to attack the ''zaque'' with an army of 50,000 warriors marching through Guatavita to
Chocontá, in the
Chibcha language
Chibcha, Mosca, Muisca, Muysca (*/ˈmɨska/ * �mʷɨska, or Muysca de Bogotá is a language spoken by the Muisca people, one of the many indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Muisca inhabit the Altiplano Cundiboyacense of what today is th ...
meaning "Garden of the neighbour". In the three hour
Battle of Chocontá
The Battle of Chocontá was one of a series of battles in the ongoing conflict between the northern and southern Muisca of pre-Columbian central Colombia. The battle was fought 1490 in the vicinity of Chocontá. An army of 50,000 southern Muisc ...
the stronger army of Michuá lost against the ''zipa'' and both rulers Saguamanchica and Michuá died.
Quemuenchatocha took over the ''zaque'' rule for the northern Muisca and
Nemequene
Nemequene or Nemeguene (died 1514) was the third ruler (''zipa'') of Bacatá as of 1490. His '' zaque'' counterpart ruling over the northern area of the Muisca territory was Quemuenchatocha.
Etymology
Nemequene in the Chibcha language of t ...
, nephew of Saguamanchica, became the new ''zipa'' of
Bacatá.
History of the Muisca
- Banco de la República
Michuá in Muisca history
See also
*Muisca rulers
When the Spanish arrived in the central Colombian highlands, the region was organized into the Muisca Confederation, which had two rulers; the ''Zipa'' was the ruler of the southern part and based in Muyquytá. The ''Zaque'' was the ruler of th ...
, history of Colombia
References
{{Muisca navbox, Caciques and neighbours, state=expanded
Muisca rulers
15th-century births
1490 deaths
15th-century South American people
15th century in Colombia
Indigenous warriors of the Americas
People from Tunja