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Jeronimo AguilarSpanish cleric
Date of Birth: 01.01.1489
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Spanish Clergyman and Conquistador: The Life of Jerónimo de Aguilar
- Shipwreck and Enslavement
- Escape and Enslavement
- Integration into Mayan Society
- Translator for Cortés
Spanish Clergyman and Conquistador: The Life of Jerónimo de Aguilar
Early Life and VoyageLittle is known about the early life of Jerónimo de Aguilar, a Spanish clergyman who participated in the conquest of Mexico. Various sources refer to him as a deacon or monk. In 1511, he embarked on a voyage from Panama to Haiti (Hispaniola) across the Gulf of Mexico, but their ship was wrecked on the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Shipwreck and Enslavement
Out of approximately 20 survivors, including Captain Pedro de Valdivia, Aguilar, and sailor Gonzalo Guerrero, they drifted at sea for nearly two weeks without sails or provisions. Starvation claimed some of their lives before the remaining castaways were washed ashore on the Yucatán coast. They were captured by the cacique (ruler) of Cancun and slated for sacrifice to their gods. Five were chosen, including Valdivia, and their bodies were consumed in a feast. The remaining captives were spared to be fattened for future sacrifice.
Escape and Enslavement
Aguilar, Guerrero, and five or six others made a desperate escape attempt. They reached the territory of the ruler of Tulum but were again captured and enslaved. Over the next few years, only Aguilar and Guerrero remained alive. Aguilar remained a slave, while Guerrero escaped to the Mayan region of Chetumal and became a servant to the ruler, Na Chan Can.
Integration into Mayan Society
Guerrero's military prowess earned him freedom and a position of influence as a Mayan cacique and warlord. He married a local noblewoman and fathered three children. After the arrival of Hernán Cortés in 1519, Spanish slaves were liberated (according to Cogolludo). However, Bernal Díaz reports that only Aguilar joined the Spaniards, while Guerrero became an integral part of the Mayan elite and fought against the conquest.
Translator for Cortés
Aguilar served as a translator and interpreter for Cortés and is believed to have taught La Malinche. His ultimate fate remains unclear. Records indicate that he died in 1531 in Panuco, but his burial site is unknown.
