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History of Yucatan Peninsula


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and began planning his new foray to Yucat�n.

El Adelantado was appointed governor of Honduras and then of Chiapas. Therefore, he gave his son "El Mozo", the mission to consummate the conquest of Yucat�n. Francisco de Montejo y Le�n "el Mozo" founded the cities of San Francisco de Campeche on October 4, 1540, and M�rida on January 6, 1542 (in honor of M�rida, Extremadura). The city of Merida was founded over the ruins of the Mayan city of Ichkanzih�o (T'h�) and were used for the new buildings, the stones of old Mayan pyramids. Later, government powers were changed from Santa Mar�a de la Victoria, Tabasco, to M�rida on June 11, 1542. The newly founded M�rida was besieged by the Mayan troops of Nachi Cocom (overlord or 'Halach uinik' in Mayan language). It was a definitive battle for the Conquest of Yucat�n. With that victory, the Spaniards consolidated their domain on the west of the peninsula.

Francisco de Montejo "El Adelantado" appointed his nephew, Francisco de Montejo "el Sobrino", the conquest of the eastern Yucat�n, which was achieved after many bloody battles, ending with the foundation of the city of Valladolid on May 28, 1543.

Canek rebellion, during the colonial Yucat�n

Oppressive policies of inequality and prejudice were imposed on the native Mayans by the Spanish colonial government. In November 1761, Jacinto Canek, a Mayan from the town of Cisteil (now located in Yaxcab� Municipality), led an armed uprising against the government, which was quickly put down. Captured insurgents were taken to M�rida, where they were tried and tortured. As a warning to the population against rebellion, Cisteil was burned and covered with salt.

This abortive rebellion was not of great consequence to the colonial regime, but it marked the history of the peninsula and clearly delineated anti-colonial tensions in the region. The uprising was a precursor to the social upheaval that would explode less than a century later, as the Caste
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