Battle of Aguere
The group enlisted the aid of Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who contributed 600 soldiers and 30 horsemen, veterans of the conquest of Granada.Five hundred Castilian soldiers were added to this force, a group that included survivors of the First Battle of Acentejo and a small contingent sent by Doña Inés Peraza, a noblewoman of Lanzarote.The Castilian force embarked from Gran Canaria on 6 November in caravels and about a dozen smaller ships, and headed towards the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.The expedition, which Lugo had also funded with the sale of all of his properties, had landed at Santa Cruz, where he built two towers on the spot where he had constructed his first fort before his prior defeat.However, having garrisoned Santa Cruz, Fernández de Lugo decided to take a risk in advancing this way, while Bencomo did not have sufficient forces to cover a possible retreat or defeat.[1][3] The next day the Guanche forces were surprised that the Castilians had ascended La Cuesta and were dominating the rising grounds in the midst of the plain of Aguere.The laurisilva-covered area called Aguere by the natives included Las Mercedes, parts of present-day San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Ortigal, and other bordering regions.The Castilian army extended from the present-day hermitage of Gracia, which was selected by Fernández de Lugo due to its height, dominating the plain, to the positions on the field taken by Bencomo's contingent of troops.At the end of the day, Bencomo ordered a retreat towards the peak of San Roque, a move that would prevent cavalry attacks and where his men could defend themselves more effectively.In one last and final stand, the reduced Guanche forces, led by an injured Bencomo, tried to reach the heights of La Laguna, but they were cut to pieces by the Castilian cavalry.[3] Some historians doubt that the death of Bencomo occurred at this time, but most historians base the fact that he died at this time on the testimony of witnesses such as Margarita Guanarteme, who declared in 1526 that in the battle, "they killed the Great King who was called King Venitomo [sic] of Taoro..."[7] In terms of Guanche casualties, Marín y Cubas cites 2,600, while Viana has a lower figure: 1,700 casualties.
San Cristóbal de La LagunaTenerifeAlonso Fernández de LugoBencomoAcaymoTinguaroBeneharoCrown of CastileAdelantadoGuanchesFirst Battle of AcentejoSecond Battle of AcentejoGran CanariaJuan Alfonso Pérez de GuzmánDuke of Medina SidoniaGranadaLanzaroteFerdinand and IsabellaslavescaravelsSanta Cruz de TenerifeknightsartilleryCandelaria, TenerifeCanarian pineheatherpalm treesdragosmenceylaurisilvaTacorontehermitageFernando GuanartemeManinidraGomeransPalmerosGüímarharquebusierscrossbowmenpikemenMiguel de UnamunoHernán CortésMexicoGuanche languagetranslatedGuajararodelerosbucklersswordsside-swordepidemicWayback MachineCultural domainCanary IslandsBimbachePre-colonial timesConquestTreaty of AlcáçovasLordship of the Canary IslandsBattle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1657)Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1797)Spanish transitionAutonomous communityCanarian ParliamentGuancheCanarianSpanishGomeran WhistleAchamánAchuguayoAchuhucanacChaxiraxiChijorajiGuayotaMaxiosTibicenaBienes de Interés Cultural (Las Palmas)Bienes de Interés Cultural (Tenerife)Castillo de San JoséCaves of ValeronFour Doors caveGuayadeque ravineLas Palmas CathedralEl Maipés NecropolisMuseo CanarioPainted Cave, GaldarChurch of San Juan BautistaArchaeological Museum of Puerto de la CruzAtlantic Center of Modern ArtCastle of San Cristóbal (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)Centro de Fotografía Isla de TenerifeElder Museum of Science and TechnologyMuseum of the History of TenerifeMuseo de la Naturaleza y ArqueologíaMuseo Municipal de Bellas Artes de Santa Cruz de TenerifeMuseum of Science and the CosmosTenerife Espacio de las ArtesCuisineAlmogroteCanarian arepaCanarian wrinkly potatoesMalvasiaMajoreroMiel de palmaPastelesRopa viejaSancochoSangriaMusical instrumentsChácarasTimpleCarnival of Santa Cruz de TenerifeCarnival of Las PalmasBajada (festival)Cavalcade of MagiHoly WeekVirgin of CandelariaCristo de La LagunaAkelarreCanarian wrestlingJuego del PaloSalto del pastorOpen Lanzarote IslandOpen Costa AdejeAuditorio de TenerifeGarajonay