Tecún Umán was the last king of the Quiché people, in the highlands of what is now Guatemala. A monarch is a type of ruler or head of state. ... This page is about the Native American people; for the dish, see quiche. ...

Tecún Umán was killed in combat by Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado at Quetzaltenango. Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas and Asia Pacific under Spanish rule between the 15th and 17th centuries. ... Pedro de Alvarado (Badajoz, c. ... Quetzaltenango is the second most populous city of Guatemala, after Guatemala City, and is the capital of Quetzaltenango Department. ...

Tecún Umán remains a folk-hero in modern Guatemala. One story says that the quetzal bird got the red spot on its belly by being splattered by the blood of Tecún Umán when Alvardo killed him, and that the quetzal was so distraught that it has never sang since. Species Ref: ITIS 553589 The Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is a colorful bird of the trogon family found in tropical areas of southern Mexico and of Central America. ...