Editing Pedro de Alvarado (section)

===Kaqchikel alliance and conquest of the Tz'utujil===
On 14 April 1524, soon after the defeat of the K'iche', the Spanish were invited into Iximche and were well received by the lords Belehe Qat and Cahi Imox.<ref>Schele & Mathews 1999, p. 297. Guillemín 1965, p. 9.</ref><ref group="nb">Recinos places all these dates two days earlier (e.g. the Spanish arrival at Iximche on 12 April rather than 14 April) based on vague dating in Spanish primary records. Schele and Fahsen calculated all dates on the more securely dated Kaqchikel annals, where equivalent dates are often given in both the Kaqchikel and Spanish calendars. The Schele and Fahsen dates are used in this section. Schele & Mathews 1999, p. 386. n. 15.</ref> The Kaqchikel kings provided native soldiers to assist the conquistadors against continuing K'iche' resistance and to help with the defeat of the neighbouring Tz'utuhil kingdom.<ref name="ScheleMathews99p297">Schele and Mathews 1999, p. 297.</ref> The Spanish only stayed briefly in Iximche before continuing through Atitlán, [[Escuintla]] and [[Cuscatlán Department|Cuscatlán]]. The Spanish returned to the Kaqchikel capital on 23 July 1524 and on 27 July, Pedro de Alvarado declared Iximche as the first capital of Guatemala, Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala ("St. James of the Knights of Guatemala").<ref name="autogenerated297">Schele & Mathews 1999, p. 297. Recinos 1998, p. 101. Guillemín 1965, p. 10.</ref>

[[File:Lago de Atitlán 2009.JPG|thumb|300px|The Tz'utujil kingdom had its capital on the shore of [[Lake Atitlán]].|alt=View across hills to a broad lake bathed in a light mist. The mountainous lake shore curves from the left foreground backwards and to the right, with several volcanoes rising from the far shore, framed by a clear blue sky above.]]
The Kaqchikel appear to have entered into an alliance with the Spanish to defeat their enemies, the Tz'utujil, whose capital was Tecpan Atitlan.<ref name="SharerTraxler06p765" /> Pedro de Alvarado sent two Kaqchikel messengers to Tecpan Atitlan at the request of the Kaqchikel lords, both of whom were killed by the Tz'utujil.<ref>Sharer and Traxler 2006, p. 765. Recinos 1986, p. 82.</ref> When news of the killing of the messengers reached the Spanish at Iximche, the conquistadors marched against the Tz'utujil with their Kaqchikel allies.<ref name="SharerTraxler06p765" />

Pedro de Alvarado left Iximche just 5 days after he had arrived there, with 60 cavalry, 150 Spanish infantry and an unspecified number of Kaqchikel warriors. The Spanish and their allies arrived at the lakeshore after a day's hard march, without encountering any opposition. Seeing the lack of resistance, Alvarado rode ahead with 30 cavalry along the lake shore. Opposite a populated island the Spanish at last encountered hostile Tz'utujil warriors and charged among them, scattering and pursuing them to a narrow causeway across which the surviving Tz'utujil fled.<ref name="Recinos86p82">Recinos 1986, p. 82.</ref> The rest of Alvarado's army soon reinforced his party and they successfully stormed the island. This battle took place on 18 April.<ref name="Recinos86p83">Recinos 1986, p. 83.</ref>

The following day the Spanish entered Tecpan Atitlan but found it deserted. Pedro de Alvarado camped in the centre of the city and sent out scouts to find the enemy. They managed to catch some locals and used them to send messages to the Tz'utujil lords, ordering them to submit to the king of Spain. The Tz'utujil leaders responded by surrendering to Pedro de Alvarado and swearing loyalty to Spain, at which point Alvarado considered them pacified and returned to Iximche.<ref name="Recinos86p83" /> Three days after Pedro de Alvarado returned to Iximche, the lords of the Tz'utujil arrived there to pledge their loyalty and offer tribute to the conquistadors.<ref>Sharer and Traxler 2006, pp. 765–766. Recinos 1986, p. 84.</ref> A short time afterwards a number of lords arrived from the Pacific lowlands to swear allegiance to the king of Spain.<ref name="Recinos86p84">Recinos 1986, p. 84.</ref>