THE INEXISTENCE OF QUITO’S KINGDOM
Have you ever heard about Quito’s Kingdom? What do you think it’s true or false?
The history keeps in many fragments of time and space, for this reason too much mysteries have been hidden perfectly by circunstances and why not by people.
This question has inspired me to develop this essay which pretends only give you some reasons to demystify the legend of Quito’s Kingdom. In order to demonstrate my thesis I’ll analyze and describe three main points.
Firstly, It`s a legend. During XVII century didn’t exist scientific investigations about history in our territory, therefore a little group of priests[1], exactly the priest Juan de Velasco tried to give a particular vision about that, his interpretation was romantic and unreal. Velasco baptized the antique civilization with the name of Quito’s Kingdom.
Second, Quito’s Kingdom was a discourse based on a murmur. Not only the priest Juan de Velasco started the legend, but also the indigenous people. Supposedly, that people referred to their ancestors with terms for example: kings, leaders; it only as a mechanism to recuperate their position in a hostile society.
Third, the legend was an exaggeration with a politic objective. The called Quito’s Kingdom in fact, not was a real kingdom; the idealistic versions interpreted the success of some tribes like a kingdom. It’s true that the zone called Quito’s Kingdom was a powerful region and with its own pro-state organization, but it isn’t heavy sign to think that it could be a kingdom. Additionally, when Ecuador was born as a Republic many historians and politic leaders tried to give a concept and an identity to this new nation, but especially they tried to get a sense to this new population.
So ¿what was the Quito’s Kingdom? Really, it was a tribal confederation, it become a powerful region leaded by Shyris। It capital was located on the actual Quito. That confederation at the beginning didn’t decide to conformate the Inca Imperious; however with Huayna Cápac this confederation become to be part of Tahuantinsuyo.
As you could read, the Quito’s Kingdom was only a legend and a romantic interpretation about a tribal confederation which lives in a part of our history। Even today there aren’t proves that can demonstrate its existence. Although, this legend don’t let to be surprised and exciting to study and debate.
[1] I f we remember in that time the unique people to be able to learn were the priests and persons which are directly related with the church।
RESOURCES
Ayala Mora, Enrique. Resumen de Historia del Ecuador. Quito. Corporación Editora
Nacional. 2003.
“Reino de Quito”. Wikipedia. Internet. www.wikipedia.com. Access: 20 april 2007.
Salazar, Richard. “El majestuoso Reino de Quito”. Terra incógnita. Internet.
www.terraincognita.com. Access: 20 april 2007.
The history keeps in many fragments of time and space, for this reason too much mysteries have been hidden perfectly by circunstances and why not by people.
This question has inspired me to develop this essay which pretends only give you some reasons to demystify the legend of Quito’s Kingdom. In order to demonstrate my thesis I’ll analyze and describe three main points.
Firstly, It`s a legend. During XVII century didn’t exist scientific investigations about history in our territory, therefore a little group of priests[1], exactly the priest Juan de Velasco tried to give a particular vision about that, his interpretation was romantic and unreal. Velasco baptized the antique civilization with the name of Quito’s Kingdom.
Second, Quito’s Kingdom was a discourse based on a murmur. Not only the priest Juan de Velasco started the legend, but also the indigenous people. Supposedly, that people referred to their ancestors with terms for example: kings, leaders; it only as a mechanism to recuperate their position in a hostile society.
Third, the legend was an exaggeration with a politic objective. The called Quito’s Kingdom in fact, not was a real kingdom; the idealistic versions interpreted the success of some tribes like a kingdom. It’s true that the zone called Quito’s Kingdom was a powerful region and with its own pro-state organization, but it isn’t heavy sign to think that it could be a kingdom. Additionally, when Ecuador was born as a Republic many historians and politic leaders tried to give a concept and an identity to this new nation, but especially they tried to get a sense to this new population.
So ¿what was the Quito’s Kingdom? Really, it was a tribal confederation, it become a powerful region leaded by Shyris। It capital was located on the actual Quito. That confederation at the beginning didn’t decide to conformate the Inca Imperious; however with Huayna Cápac this confederation become to be part of Tahuantinsuyo.
As you could read, the Quito’s Kingdom was only a legend and a romantic interpretation about a tribal confederation which lives in a part of our history। Even today there aren’t proves that can demonstrate its existence. Although, this legend don’t let to be surprised and exciting to study and debate.
[1] I f we remember in that time the unique people to be able to learn were the priests and persons which are directly related with the church।
RESOURCES
Ayala Mora, Enrique. Resumen de Historia del Ecuador. Quito. Corporación Editora
Nacional. 2003.
“Reino de Quito”. Wikipedia. Internet. www.wikipedia.com. Access: 20 april 2007.
Salazar, Richard. “El majestuoso Reino de Quito”. Terra incógnita. Internet.
www.terraincognita.com. Access: 20 april 2007.