Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Chignavitcelut, Oxiquieb

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
566575Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography — Chignavitcelut, Oxiquieb

CHIGNAVITCELUT, Oxiqnieb (chig-nah-beet-sa-loot'), king of Cumarcaah, Central America, flourished early in the 16th century. After the Quiché army, under their king, Tecúm-Umán, had been routed by the forces of Alvarado, who killed Tecúm-Umán himself in battle between Totonicapán and Utatlán (1524), the Indians intended to rid themselves of the invaders by treason. They feigned to be peaceful, and called Alvarado into the city of Utatlán. But when he saw that the women and children were not there, and that the fortifications were prepared for immediate service, he was suspicious, discovered the plot, and left the city. He ordered Chignavitcelut and another king, Belegetzi, to be put to death, and subsequently defeated the Quichés again, when Utatlán was destroyed by fire.