HISTORY OF THE. SITE. 27. 
Six years later, in 1530, the country having been thrown into disorder 
by the actions of the Visitador Orduna, the natives of Chiquimula, following 
the example of many other tribes, seized the opportunity to throw off the 
Spanish yoke. When this news reached the capital, an expedition under 
the leadership of Hernando de Chaves and Pedro Amalin was hastily organ- 
ized and dispatched to the revolted province. After several preliminary 
battles, notably at Jalpatagua and Muitlan, in which the natives were 
defeated, the Spanish troops laid siege to Esquipulas, the Indian capital 
of the region. This was a strongly fortified place belonging to a powerful 
Indian lord and was defended by a large number of his people. Hernando 
de Chaves called upon them to surrender, offering peace to the inhabitants 
should they comply, as had been commanded by order of the King in such 
cases. After four days’ deliberation the Indians decided to surrender, 
saying that they did so“ more out of respect to the ‘public tranquillity than 
from fear of the Spanish arms.’ Some of the chief men were given as hos- 
tages, the Spaniards took possession of the town, and the whole province of 
Chiquimula was subdued in the month of April 1530." 
One of the chief instigators of this revolt had been the lord of a neighbor- 
ing town, which Fuentes y Guzman calls Copan, one of the largest and richest 
places in the vicinity;’ and as soon as the region about Esquipulas had been 
pacified, Hernando de Chaves set about its subjugation also. The lord of 
Copan, one Copan Calel, had a powerful army of more than 30,000 warriors, 
drawn not only from his own tribe but also from the neighboring towns of 
Zacapa, Sensenti, Guixar, and Ustua. The town was surrounded by a moat, 
and when the Spaniards under Chaves advanced to the attack they were 
resolutely beaten off, losing many men. Indeed, had it not been for the 
treachery of a native chief, who had a grievance against Copan Calel, the 
attack would probably have failed altogether. This traitor, having escaped 
to the Spanish camp, betrayed a way across the moat. The Spaniards forced 
this passage, and after further hard fighting entered the town. Copan 
Calel bravely resisted their advance, but was finally obliged to give way 
before superior equipment and military training. He fled to the extremity 
of his domains, where he organized another force and again took the field, 
but the back of the revolt was broken and shortly after he sent ambassadors 
to Chaves to sue for peace. Later he was received by the Spanish commander 
at Copan with great distinction and kindness. 
Fuentes y Guzman narrates these events at some length in his Historia 
de Guatemala, where he attempts to identify this town of Copan with the 
site whose inscriptions form the subject of the present investigation.’ 
1Both Fuentes y Guzman (1689, pp. 169-186) and Juarros (1808, tom. 11, pp. 151-156) give the details of 
this expedition. The latter would appear to have derived at least part of his information, that dealing with the 
subjugation of the Province of Chiquimula, directly from the archives of the Cabildo of Guatemala City, since 
he cites as his reference for these events, lib. 1 de Cabildo, fol. 162. 
2Fuentes y Guzman, ibid., p. 200. 
8[bid., pp. 200-210. Juarros (1808, tom. 11, pp. 151-156) gives the same account, doubtless copied from the 
former. 
