Agueybana (died 1510), was the principal "Cacique" (Chief) of the Tainos and the most powerful governing Taino in "Borinken" (Puerto Rico) when the Spaniards first arrived. Events Conquest of Pskov by Grand Prince Vasili III of Muscovy. ... The Taíno are the pre-Hispanic Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ... The Taíno are the pre-Hispanic Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ...

Agueybana - whose name means "Great Sun" lived with his tribe in "Guaynia" (Guayanilla) located by the river of the same name, on the southern part of the island. All the other Caciques were subject to and had to obey Agueybana, even though they governed their own tribes. Guaynia was the territory that stretched along the southern coast of Puerto Rico in pre-Columbian times. ... Guayanilla is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... A cacique is a tribal chief in Latin America, particularly of the Spanish West Indies from the 16th century. ...

Agueybana, believing that the Spaniards were Gods, received the Spanish Conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon with open arms upon his arrival in 1508. According to an old Taino tradition, Agueybana became "guaitiao" (friends) with Ponce de Leon, and their wives exchanged names. Ponce de Leon baptized the Caciques' mother into the Christian religion and renamed her Inés. The hospitality and friendly treatment that the Spaniards received from Agueybana made it easy for them to conquer the island. The term God (capitalized in English language as a proper noun) is often used to refer to a Supreme Being. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who achieved the Conquista (this Spanish term is generally accepted by historians), i. ... See also Agueybana Hayuya Jumacao Discoverer of the Americas Categories: People stubs | 1460 births | 1521 deaths | History of Puerto Rico | Conquistadores ... Events February - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor attacks Venice June 6 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three year truce and cede several territories to Venice December 10 - League of Cambrai formed as an alliance against Venice between... Testes A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. ...

The Cacique joined Ponce de Leon in the exploration of the island. After this had been accomplished, Agueybana accompanied the Conquistador to the island of "Española" (This is what today comprises the nations of the Dominican Republic and Haiti); there he was well received by the Governor Nicolas de Ovando. 15th century map of Hispaniola Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying east of Cuba. ...

Agueybana's actions helped to maintain the peace between the Tainos and the Spaniards. This, however, was only a short lived peace because the Spaniards soon took advantage of the Tainos' good faith and enslaved them: forcing them to work in the mines and in the construction of forts. Many Tainos died as a result.

Agueybana's brother, "Agueybana II" had his doubts about the "Godly" status of the Spaniards and he came up with a plan to test these doubts; he and Urayoan (Cacique of Añasco) sent some of their tribe members, to lure a spaniard, by the name of Diego Salcedo, into a river and drown him. They watched over Salcedo's body to make sure that he would not resucite. Salcedo's death was enough to convince him and the rest of the Tainos that the Spaniards were not Gods. Añasco is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... There are two Diego Salcedo entries: Diego Salcedo (died in February, 1511) was a Spanish soldier who unwillingly became part of Puerto Ricos history with his death. ...

Agueybana, upon receiving this shocking news, organized a revolt and under his leadership the Tainos raided many of the Spanish settlements. However, Agueybana's people, who were only armed with spears and bows and arrows, were no match for superiorly armed Spanish forces. When Agueybana faced the forces of his former "friend" Ponce de Leon in 1510, he was shot dead.

The revolt failed and many Tainos either committed suicide or left the island. Those who stayed soon died of either the cruel treatment that they had received or of the smallpox disease epidemic which had attacked the island. The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David, 1787 Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life; it is sometimes a noun for one who has committed or attempted the act. ... Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a highly contagious disease unique to humans. ...

Agueybana is admired in Puerto Rico for his duty to his people. Puerto Rico has named many public buildings and streets after him:

• The City of Bayamón has named a High School after him.
• There is a street in Caguas and
• An avenue in the area of Hato Rey, in San Juan, named after Agueybana.

Puerto Rico's equivalent to the Oscars is called the Agueybana de Oro, in honour of the great Cacique and it is awarded annually. Many songs and poems, by poets such as Juan Antonio Corretjer among others, have been written about Agueybana, which also honour his memory. Bayamón (not to be confused with Bayamo, Cuba) is a city in northern Puerto Rico. ... Caguas (founded in 1775) is a municipality located in the eastern central area of Puerto Rico. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Juan Antonio Corretjer (March 3, 1908-January 19, 1985) was born in Ciales, Puerto Rico and was a well known poet, journalist and independence political activist. ...

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• List of Tainos
• Arasibo
• Hayuya
• Jumacao
• Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center