Murder and Martyrdom in Spanish Florida Don Juan and the Guale
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MURDER AND MARTYRDOM IN SPANISH FLORIDA Don Juan and the Guale Uprising of 1597 J. Michael Francis Kathleen M. Kole American Museum of Natural History Anthropological Papers, Number 95 Scientific Publications of the American Museum of Natural History American Museum Novitates Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History Publications Committee Robert S. Voss, Chair Board of Editors Jin Meng, Paleontology Lorenzo Prendini, Invertebrate Zoology Robert S. Voss, Vertebrate Zoology Peter M. Whiteley, Anthropology Managing Editor Mary Knight Submission procedures can be found at http://research.amnh.org/scipubs All issues of Anthropological Papers are available on the web from http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace Order printed copies from http://www.amnhshop.com or via standard mail from: American Museum of Natural History—Scientific Publications Central Park West at 79th Street New York, NY 10024 This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper). 2011 MURDER AND MARTYRDOM IN SPANISH FLORIDA 1 MURDER AND MARTYRDOM IN SPANISH FLORIDA: DON JUAN AND THE GUALE UPRISING OF 1597 J. MICHAEL FRANCIS Research Associate, Division of Anthropology American Museum of Natural History Professor of History, University of North Florida KATHLEEN M. KOLE Department of History University of Notre Dame with a contribution by DAVID HURST THOMAS Curator, Division of Anthropology American Museum of Natural History ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Number 95, 154 pages, 6 figures, 8 tables Issued August 3, 2011 Copyright © American Museum of Natural History 2011 ISSN 0065-9452 2 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 95 2011 MURDER AND MARTYRDOM IN SPANISH FLORIDA 3 CONTENTS Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Timeline ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Foreword. David Hurst Thomas ............................................................................................................ 9 Prologue ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction: Spanish Florida on the Eve of Uprising ......................................................................... 17 The Florida Enterprise Revisited .................................................................................................... 17 Guale Society, Spanish Trade Goods, and the “Rendering of Obedience” .................................... 26 The Spiritual Conquest: Jesuits, Franciscans, and Secular Priests in Early Spanish Florida ............ 30 A New Governor and the Uprising Begins ..................................................................................... 34 Chapter 1. Juanillo’s Revolt? A Brief (Hi)story ................................................................................... 39 Chapter 2. Luís Gerónimo de Oré’s Account of the 1597 Guale Uprising .......................................... 49 Oré’s Account of the 1597 Uprising: A Brief Overview ................................................................ 49 Document 2.1: Excerpt from Luís Gerónimo de Oré. The Martyrs of Florida (Madrid: ca. 1619) .......................................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 3. Francisco de Ávila’s Captivity Narrative ........................................................................... 55 Document 3.1: Excerpt from Luís Gerónimo de Oré. The Martyrs of Florida (Madrid: ca. 1619) .......................................................................................................................... 56 Chapter 4. St. Francis Day, October 4, 1597 ....................................................................................... 63 Document 4.1: “Testimony regarding the murder of the six friars in the Province of Guale,” AGI Santo Domingo 224 R.5 N.31 fols. 160r–187v (October 4, 1597–January 12, 1598) ................................................................................................................. 69 Chapter 5. A New Pretender: The Other Don Juan ............................................................................... 89 Document 5.1: “Letter from don Juan, cacique of San Pedro, to the king,” AGI Santo Domingo 231, fols. 744r–744v (January 16, 1598) ............................................................. 92 Chapter 6. The Investigation Continues and a Friar’s Ransom ........................................................... 95 Document 6.1: “Letter from Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo.” AGI Santo Domingo 224, R.5, N31, fols. 148r–148v, 144v–156r, 159r–159v (February 23, 1598) ................... 96 Document 6.2: “Report concerning the murder of the friars in Guale territory, and the execution of Lucas, an Indian who was present at one of the murders.” AGI Patronato 19, R.28, fols. 1r–10v (July 1598) ......................................................................... 99 Chapter 7. A Bitter Foe and Old Alliances Restored ......................................................................... 115 Document 7.1: Excerpt from a “Letter from Bartolomé de Argüelles.” AGI Santo Domingo 229, fols. 109v–110r (August 3, 1598) ............................................................... 117 Document 7.2: “Letter from Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo to the king.” AGI Santo Domingo 224, R.5, N.33, fols. 211r–211v (August 8, 1598) ....................................................... 119 Document 7.3: Excerpt from a “Letter from Bartolomé de Argüelles.” AGI Santo Domingo 229, fols. 116r–117r (September 24, 1598) .................................................................. 120 Document 7.4: Excerpt from a “Letter from Bartolomé de Argüelles to the Crown.” AGI Santo Domingo 229, fols. 124r–124v, 126r (March 18, 1599) .............................................................. 122 Document 7.5: Excerpt from a “Letter from Bartolomé de Argüelles.” AGI Santo Domingo 229, fols. 134r–135r (February 20, 1600) .......................................................... 123 3 4 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 95 Document 7.6: Excerpts from a “Letter to the king from Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo.” AGI Santo Domingo 224, R.5, N.35 fols. 220r–220v (February 28, 1600; received May 28, 1600) ............ 126 Document 7.7: “Testimony of Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo,” AGI Santo Domingo 231, fols. 812r–813r (May 18, 1600) ........................................................................................... 127 Chapter 8. The Death of Don Juan and Guale’s New Mico Mayor .................................................... 131 Document 8.1: “Letter from Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo.” AGI Santo Domingo 232, fols. 911r–912v (March 12, 1601) ........................................................................................ 132 Document 8.2: “Letter from Bartolomé de Argüelles.” AGI Santo Domingo 232, fols. 65v–66r (April 28, 1601) .............................................................................................. 135 Document 8.3: “Investigation into the death of don Juanillo, Indian from Guale and his vassals,” AGI Santo Domingo 224, R.5, N.41, fols. 644r–647r (November 27, 1601) ................... 136 Epilogue: Don Domingo’s Revolt? .................................................................................................... 145 References .......................................................................................................................................... 147 TABLES Table 1. Franciscan Friars Sent to Florida, July 21, 1587 ................................................................... 33 Table 2. Franciscan Friars Sent to Florida, May, 1590 ........................................................................ 33 Table 3. Franciscan Friars Sent to Florida, June 10, 1595 ................................................................... 34 Table 4. Summary of Goods Issued to Florida’s Indians from the Royal Treasury (June 10, 1597–July 27, 1597) ............................................................................................................... 37 Table 5. Gonzalo Méndez de Canzo’s 1597 Punitive Expedition to Guale ......................................... 68 Table 6. Ransom Items Demanded for Release of Fray Francisco de Ávila (June 19, 1598)...................................................................................................................................... 101 Table 7. 1598 Interrogation of Guale Captives .................................................................................. 103 Table 8. Indian Chiefs Who Contributed Warriors to Don Domingo’s War Party ............................. 138 MAPS Map 1. Approximate locations of the Franciscan missions and important villages between San Pedro (modern Cumberland Island) and the Salchiche village of Tulufina (northwest of modern Ossabaw Island, Georgia)...................................................................................................................... 35 Map 2. Names and approximate locations