Spanish conquest of the Maya

The Spanish conquest of the Maya was a prolonged campaign against Maya polities in Mesoamerica, beginning in the early 16th century and ending with the fall of Nojpetén in 1697.

Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire: The Spanish-led overthrow of the Mexica Empire from 1519 to 1521, aided by Indigenous allies. Its rapid central victory contrasts with the Maya region’s decentralized, centuries-long resistance.
Spanish colonization of the Americas: Spain’s establishment of political control and colonies across the Americas from the late 15th century onward. The Maya campaigns formed part of Spain’s wider imperial expansion.
Tecún Umán: A Kʼicheʼ military leader remembered in Guatemalan tradition for resisting Pedro de Alvarado’s invasion. His story represents Kʼicheʼ resistance during the conquest of the highlands.
Spanish missions in the Americas: Catholic institutions established by Spain to convert Indigenous peoples and extend colonial authority in the Americas. Missionary work accompanied military conquest and sought to reshape Maya religious life.
Spanish conquest of Yucatán: The campaigns by Spain to conquer Maya states in the Yucatán Peninsula, beginning in the 16th century. Yucatán’s protracted campaigns formed one major regional strand of the wider conquest.
Kaqchikel–Spanish alliance: The military alliance between the Kaqchikel kingdom and Spanish forces during the early conquest of Guatemala. Kaqchikel support helped Spanish forces fight rival Maya polities.
Hernán Cortés: The Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that toppled the Mexica Empire. Cortés’s invasion opened routes and political precedents for Spanish expansion into neighboring regions.
Kaqchikel people: A Maya people of the Guatemalan highlands with a distinct language and political history. Kaqchikel leaders initially allied with Spain against the Kʼicheʼ, then resisted Spanish demands.
Encomienda: A Spanish colonial system granting settlers claims to Indigenous tribute and labor under a stated duty of protection and instruction. Encomienda imposed colonial extraction on Maya communities after military submission.
Spanish conquest of Petén: The Spanish campaigns to subdue Maya polities in the Petén region of present-day Guatemala. Petén’s independent kingdoms endured long after Spain established rule elsewhere.

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