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Francisca de Gazmira (? - 1525) was a key Benahoarite woman in the history of the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands. She played a fundamental role in the Castilian conquest of the Canary Islands and the subsequent christianization of the island, defending the rights of the aboriginal Canary Islanders.[1][2][3][4]

Life

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Little is known of her origins, but scholars have postulated that she was of noble descent, considering the influence she later had on the Guanche kings.[5] Francesca was enslaved in some raid on La Palma, probably before 1488 or immediately after that year, by Francisco Maldonado, governor of Gran Canaria, but certainly before 1491, which does not exclude the possibility that it was by Pedro Fernández de Saavedra,[6] son-in-law of Diego de Herrera and Inés Peraza.[7] She became the housekeeper of Diego de Zurita, governor of the island. She learned Spanish and converted to the Christian faith with the name of Francisca de Gazmira. She was also known as Francisca de La Palma or Francisca Palmesa. [8][9][7]

In addition to the local Marian devotion to the Virgin of Candelaria since 1390s,[10] native converts played an important role in the evangelization of the Guanches.[2] She is credited with attracting many Guanches to the new faith with powerful preaching, suggesting to some scholars that the role of women in the old religion was used to advocate Christianity.[11][12]

Her role in the conquest of the Canary Islands is already described in contemporary sources like in the 1506 Reforma del Repartimiento de Tenerife, by the lawyer Ortiz de Zárate.[13]

Role in the conquest of La Palma

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Although the conquest of La Palma ended in 1493, Gazmira played an important role in the previous processes. Her influence among the Guanche leaders facilitated mediation and dialogue with the Castilian conquerors.[5][14][15]

Around 1491 or 1492, the Christianized Francisca arrived in La Palma, sent by the governor of Gran Canaria, Francisco Maldonado, to talk with the island's Guanches lords, in response to a previous request from some of them to become Christians. Francisca fulfilled her mission and took some of them to Gran Canaria where they signed a pact of submission with the governor and were baptized in the Cathedral of Las Palmas. Thus, when Captain Alonso Fernández de Lugo arrived with his conquering troops at the end of 1492, most of the other lords surrendered peacefully.[16]

Her participation in the transfer of Guanches leaders from La Palma to Gran Canaria to be baptized is highlighted, which contributed to the pacification of the island.[17][18]

Activism for the rights of the aborigines

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Gazmira is remembered for her opposition to the enslavement of the Guanches. After the conquest of the island, illegal sales of aborigines as slaves to the Iberian Peninsula took place. Gazmira became the defender of her people, traveling to the court of the Catholic Monarchs to denounce this situation.[19]

Sources indicate that through her mediation that more than 3,000 Canary Islanders were illegally enslaved in the Peninsula. Thanks to his activism, they all returned to the archipelago.[20][21]

Death

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There are different theories about their fate:

Death on La Palma: Some historians suggest that Gazmira died on La Palma, possibly between El Paso and Breña Alta. Return to Tenerife: Another theory proposes that he returned to Tenerife after the conquest of La Palma, where he would have lived until his death. Death in the Peninsula: There is the possibility that he traveled to the Iberian Peninsula and died there. Although some historical accounts mention the possibility that Francisca de Gazmira was poisoned, there is no conclusive evidence to support this theory.

Recognition

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Although her figure has been relegated in some historical accounts, Francisca de Gazmira is increasingly recognized as a key indigenous leader in the history of the Canary Islands. She is considered the first Canary Islander woman to assume a leading role in the political scene of the archipelago.

The character of Francisca also appears in two works of contemporary literary fiction. She is the protagonist of the historical drama by Tomás Monterrey "Francisca de Gazmira (Un drama histórico en tres actos)"[22] and in Carolina-Dafne Alonso-Cortés's novel "El glauco mar de las tinieblas: la conquista de la Islas Canarias", finalist for the Nadal Prize.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pérez, Marcos Sarmiento (2011-01-01). "The role of interpreters in the conquest and acculturation of the Canary Archipelago". Interpreting. 13 (2): 155–175. doi:10.1075/intp.13.2.01sar. ISSN 1384-6647.
  2. ^ a b Stevens-Arroyo, Anthony M. (1993). "The Inter-Atlantic Paradigm: The Failure of Spanish Medieval Colonization of the Canary and Caribbean Islands". Comparative Studies in Society and History. 35 (3): 515–543. doi:10.1017/S0010417500018569. ISSN 1475-2999.
  3. ^ Bühner, Julia (2024). "The Conquest of the Canary Islands (1402–1409). An Alternative History of International Law". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4769272. ISSN 1556-5068.
  4. ^ Gambín García, Mariano (2014). "Los procesos judiciales de liberación de esclavos palmeses y guanches en Sevilla (1496-1512). Nuevos datos para su estudio" [The judicial processes of liberation of slaves palmeses and guanches in Seville (1496-1512). New data for their study]. Coloquios de Historia Canario Americana (in Spanish). ISSN 2386-6837.
  5. ^ a b Herrero Martín, Rosana (2022). "Mujeres-lengua de la Conquista del Caribe y las Islas Canarias: una mirada holística a su estela narrativa" [Tongue-Women in the Conquest of the Caribbean and the Canary Islands: A Holistic Approach to their Narrative Trail]. XXV Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana, 2022. 25 (25). Casa de Colón: 71.
  6. ^ Real Academia de la Historia. "Pedro Fernández de Saavedra". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  7. ^ a b Caballero Mujica, Francisco (1997). "La Palma: Noticias históricas de interés pastoral" (PDF). Almogaren: Revista del Centro Teológico de las Palmas (21): 195–234. ISSN 1695-2669.
  8. ^ Vallejo, Eduardo Aznar (2016). "Religión y poder. Conflictos entre clérigos y laicos en la formación de la sociedad canaria" [Religion and Power. Conflicts between clergy and laity in the conformation of the Canarian Society]. Anuario de Estudios Atlánticos (in Spanish) (62). ISSN 2386-5571.
  9. ^ Wölfel, Dominik Josef; Fidelis, A.; Thomacellis, C.; de Valencia, R. (1930). "La Curia Romana y la Corona de España en la defensa de los aborígenes Canarios. Documentos inéditos y hechos desconocidos acerca de las primicias de las misiones y conquistas ultramarinas españolas". Anthropos. 25 (5/6): 1011–1083. ISSN 0257-9774. JSTOR 40446389.
  10. ^ Aznar Vallejo, Eduardo (1986). "Religiosidad popular en los orígenes del obispado en Canarias". VII Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana. 2: 217–245. ISBN 978-84-85628-77-3.
  11. ^ Fernández-Armesto, Felipe (1987). Before Columbus: exploration and colonisation from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, 1229-1492. New studies in medieval history. Macmillan Education. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-333-40383-9.
  12. ^ Tejera Gaspar, Antonio; González Antón, Rafael (1987). Las Culturas aborígenes canarias. Tenerife: Ediciones Canarias. pp. 116–118. ISBN 978-84-86733-03-2.
  13. ^ Ortiz de Zárate (1953) [1506]. Reformación del repartimiento de Tenerife en 1506 y colección de documentos sobre el Adelantado y su gobierno. Fontes Rerum Canarium (in Spanish). Vol. 6. pp. 93–94 – via HDIECan.
  14. ^ Hernández Pérez, Mauro S. (1972). "Contribución a la Carta Arqueológica de la isla de la Palma (Canarias)". Anuario de Estudios Atlánticos. 1 (18). Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Patronato de la Casa de Colón: 537–641. ISSN 0570-4065.
  15. ^ Wölfel, Dominik Josef (1931). "Un episodio desconocido de la conquista de la isla de La Palma". Investigación y Progreso. V: 101–103.
  16. ^ de Armas, Antonio Rumeu (1969). La política indigenista de Isabel la Católica (in Spanish). Instituto "Isabel la Católica" de Historia Eclesiástica. pp. 83–84. hdl:20.500.12285/mdcte/2297.
  17. ^ TuylaPalma (2022-07-29). "La historia de Francisca de Gazmira". TuylaPalma.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  18. ^ de Viera y Clavijo, José (1950) [1772]. Serra Rafols, Elías (ed.). Noticias de la historia general de las Islas Canarias. Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Goya Ediciones. hdl:20.500.12285/mdcte/2782.
  19. ^ Gambín García, Mariano (2003). "Un rey guanche en la corte de los Reyes Católicos: tras los pasos de don Enrique Canario, el último mencey de Icod" (PDF). Revista de Historia Canaria (185): 125–158. ISSN 0213-9472.
  20. ^ "La olvidada primera mujer líder de Canarias en 1494" [The forgotten first woman leader of the Canary Islands in 1494]. Diario ABC (in Spanish). 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  21. ^ Serra Ràfols, Elías (1959). "Los últimos canarios". Revista de Historia Canaria (125): 5–23. hdl:20.500.12285/revhiscan/56. ISSN 0213-9472.
  22. ^ Monterrey, Tomás (1993). Francisca de Gazmira: (un drama histórico en 3 actos). Nuevas escrituras canarias (in Spanish). Vol. 23. Viceconsejería de Cultura y Deportes del Gobierno de Canarias. ISBN 978-84-7947-090-6.
  23. ^ Alonso-Cortés, Carolina-Dafne (2012). El glauco mar de las tinieblas: La conquista de las Islas Canarias (in Spanish). Knossos. ISBN 9788494004537.
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