Battle of Tacuzcalco

The Battle of Tacuzcalco was a battle on 13 June 1524 fought between a Spanish army under the command of conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and Cuzcatlan fighters under Atlácatl.

Battle of Tacuzcalco
Part of the Spanish conquest of El Salvador
Date 13 June 1524 Location Tacuzcalco in modern El Salvador Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spanish Empire Mexican and Kaqchikel auxiliaries	Cuzcatlan
Commanders and leaders
Pedro de Alvarado Jorge de Alvarado Gómez de Alvarado	Atlácatl
Strength
200 Spaniards 5,000–6,000 auxiliaries	Thousands
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Background

In June 1524, Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado embarked on an expedition into modern day El Salvador with the intention of conquering the land for the Spanish Empire. On 8 June 1524, Alvarado fought and defeated Cuzcatlan fighters under Atlácatl at the Battle of Acajutla.

Battle

On 13 June 1524, Alvarado engaged Atlácatl in a second battle at Tacuzcalco. Atlácatl's army was larger than the army he commanded at Acajutla and Alvarado stated that seeing the size of Atlácatl's was "terrifying." Following the battle, Alvarado described the outcome as a "great massacre" and "punishment" of the Pipil warriors.

Aftermath

After the defeat at the hands of the Spanish, the Pipil refused to engage the Spanish in open battle, instead resorting to guerrilla tactics to fight the Spanish. After further campaigning, Alvarado and his men returned to Guatemala in July 1524.

Bibliography

• Arce, Escalante; Antonio, Pedro (2001). "Los Barrios de los Mexicanos en El Salvador" [The Mexican Neighborhoods in El Salvador]. Los Tlaxcaltecas en Centro América [The Tlaxcaltecas in Central America] (in Spanish) (1 ed.). San Salvador: Dirección de Publicaciones e Impresos and the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y el Arte. pp. 115–137. OCLC 1036658730.
• Fowler Jr., William R. (1993). "Chapter 11 – The Living Pay for the Dead – Trade, Exploitation, and Social Change in Early Colonization Izalco, El Salvador". In Rogers, J. Daniel; Wilson, Samual M. (eds.). Ethnohistory and Archaeology: Approaches to Postcontact Change in the Americas. New York: Plenum Press. pp. 181–188. ISBN 0-306-44176-4. Retrieved 15 February 2021.