Princess Erendira
Encyclopedia
Princess Eréndira of the P'urhépecha was the princess of the P'urhépecha
or Tarascan people from about 1503-1519. She was 16-17 when the Spanish came to Mexico
. The Purepecha Kingdom
's leader, Tangaxuan II
, had given up his kingdom and people to the Spanish
after he saw the downfall of the Aztec Empire to the Spanish.
The story of princess Eréndira's subsequent role as a heroine is based on tradition and may or may not reflect actual events. According to the tradition she led a war on the Spanish.
Setting up base on a hill she attacked the arriving Spaniards. She is said to have killed a Spanish horseman and stolen his horse later training others to use horses. During one of the battles some Spanish warriors found and murdered Eréndira's father in his sleep. Eréndira got wind of this and went to see him. According to the tradition this was when the P'urhépecha began to lose the war. There are many theories of what happened to her. Some of which include her suicide by drowning, her leaving to train others for war and that she killed herself for falling in love with a Spanish monk
. One legend even claims that she was kidnapped by her own people and put into a temple so that the Spaniards may not find and kill her.
P'urhépecha
The P'urhépecha, normally spelled Purépecha in Spanish and in English and traditionally referred to as Tarascans, are an indigenous people centered in the northwestern region of the Mexican state of Michoacán, principally in the area of the cities of Uruapan and Pátzcuaro...
or Tarascan people from about 1503-1519. She was 16-17 when the Spanish came to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The Purepecha Kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
's leader, Tangaxuan II
Tangaxuan II
Tzimtzincha-Tangaxuan II was the last monarch of the Tarascan state, the kingdom of the P'urhépecha from 1520–1530. He was baptized Francisco when his realm made a peace treaty with Hernán Cortés. He was executed by burning by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán....
, had given up his kingdom and people to the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
after he saw the downfall of the Aztec Empire to the Spanish.
The story of princess Eréndira's subsequent role as a heroine is based on tradition and may or may not reflect actual events. According to the tradition she led a war on the Spanish.
Setting up base on a hill she attacked the arriving Spaniards. She is said to have killed a Spanish horseman and stolen his horse later training others to use horses. During one of the battles some Spanish warriors found and murdered Eréndira's father in his sleep. Eréndira got wind of this and went to see him. According to the tradition this was when the P'urhépecha began to lose the war. There are many theories of what happened to her. Some of which include her suicide by drowning, her leaving to train others for war and that she killed herself for falling in love with a Spanish monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. One legend even claims that she was kidnapped by her own people and put into a temple so that the Spaniards may not find and kill her.