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The Mixtón War: Indigenous Revolt in Nueva Galicia
Season 2
Episode 69
Published 2 weeks, 2 days ago
Description
In 1540, just two decades after the fall of Tenochtitlan, a massive indigenous uprising erupted in western Mexico. The Mixtón War pitted Spanish forces and their Tlaxcalan allies against the Caxcan people and other Chichimeca groups. This episode examines the causes: the brutality of the encomienda system under Nuño de Guzmán, the role of the Mixtón rebellion leader Tenamaztle, the siege of Nochistlán, and the eventual Spanish victory led by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza. We also discuss the aftermath—the forced resettlement of survivors and the long-term effects on the region's native population. A little-known but pivotal conflict that shaped colonial Mexico.