Between 1524 and 1525, Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and his brother Gonzalo crossed into El Salvador. They were initially disappointed because the Pipil people didn't have gold or jewels like what was found in Guatemala or Mexico, instead they discovered the lands richness in volcanic soil.
On June 8, 1524, the Spanish crossed the Rio Paz and the Battle of Acajutla ensued between them and the Pipil people. Alvarado had his archer's shower the natives with arrows, but the Pipil would not retreat. Alvarado noticed a spot behind a hillside and pretended that his army had given up and retreated, but in fact, he had his men hiding. Seeing this, the Pipil people quickly rushed towards Alvarado and his army of invaders. The Spanish archer's again sent out a barrage of arrows aimed at the indigenous, this time they took massive loses.
In Alvarado's words “the destruction was so great that in just a short time there were none which were left alive..." However, Alvarado's army also suffered causalities, even Alvarado himself was injured during the battle, which left him with a broken leg and leaving him partially crippled.
The indigenous continued to put up a fight and resisted the Spanish. Although Alvarado did win the first battle, the Pipil people, led by warlord Atlacatl, defeated the Spaniards and forced them back up north to Guatemala. Alvarado would again be injured which led him to be handicapped for the duration of his life. He eventually abandoned the war and his brother Gonzalo would continue the task of conquering El Salvador.
It took two expeditions to finally bring the Pipil people under control of the Spanish. In 1525, the city of San Salvador was established. Still, the Pipil resisted the onslaught of the Spanish and held them back from taking over eastern El Salvador, the area of the Lencas.
For ten years the Lencas prevented the Spaniards from officially settling. Finally, with reinforcements of more soldiers, the Spaniards, led by Alvarado's nephew, Luis de Moscoso, eventually pushed the remaining Lencas into the hills and the Spanish were able finish the conquest.
This was so usful!!!
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