Muisca Confederations (political units)
Muisca complex society | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 800–1540 | |||||||||
Flag of the Muisca | |||||||||
Map of the Muisca territory according to Falchetti and Plazas in the 1970s. This map has received criticism, however, as it mainly uses the late 17th century chronicler Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita, considered unreliable. According to colonial documents, the confederations of Sogamoso and Duitama were independent of Tunja and had great importance. | |||||||||
| Capital | Bacatá (Bogotá), Hunza, and Suamox, Tundama (800–1540) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Muysccubun dialects | ||||||||
| Religion | Muisca religion | ||||||||
| Government | Independent confederations of chiefdoms | ||||||||
| Various titles | |||||||||
• ~1450–1470 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) | zaque Hunzahúa zipa Meicuchuca | ||||||||
• 1470–1490 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) | zaque Saguamanchica zipa Michuá | ||||||||
• 1490–1537 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) 1490–1514 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) | zaque Quemuenchatocha zipa Nemequene | ||||||||
• 1514–1537 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) | zipa Tisquesusa | ||||||||
• 1537–1540 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) 1537–1539 (colonial chronicler Piedrahíta) | zaque Aquiminzaque zipa Sagipa | ||||||||
| Historical era | Pre-Columbian | ||||||||
• Established | c. 800 | ||||||||
| March 1537 | |||||||||
| 20 April 1537 | |||||||||
• Conquest of Hunza | 20 August 1537 | ||||||||
• Destruction of the Sun Temple | September 1537 | ||||||||
| 6 August 1538 20 August 1538 | |||||||||
| 6 August 1539 December 1539 | |||||||||
• Execution of Aquiminzaque | 1540 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 22.000 km2 (8.494 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• Early 16th century | 2 million | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Colombia - Cundinamarca - Boyacá - Santander | ||||||||
Muisca Confederations were loose confederations of different Muisca chiefdoms in the Eastern Andean highlands of what is today Colombia before the Spanish conquest of northern South America. These unions, centred around main chiefdoms recognised by smaller ones, were not a single, even loose, muisca confederation of chiefdoms, but multiple, independent regional entities. The area, presently called Altiplano Cundiboyacense, comprised the current departments of Boyacá, Cundinamarca and minor parts of Santander.
Usually, Muisca chiefdoms were composed of various basic matrilineal units (uta, minor, or sibyn, major) called capitanías by the Spaniards. However, power was based on individual alliances of Muisca rulers with households or basic units. Often, sibyn were villages and uta groups of houses. Four confederations of chiefdoms formed in Muisca territory: Bogotá, Tunja, Duitama and Sogamoso. Additionally, the Chibcha-speaking Guane and Lache were also ruled by the confederation of Guanentá and the confederation of El Cocuy respectively. Different models exist to explain the nature of power among Muisca elites.