Editing Pedro de Alvarado (section)

===Pacific lowlands of Guatemala===
[[File:Lienzo de Tlaxcala Escuintla.gif|thumb|300px|A page from the ''[[Lienzo de Tlaxcala]]'' depicting the conquest of Izcuintepeque]]
On 8 May 1524, Pedro de Alvarado continued southwards to the Pacific coastal plain with an army numbering approximately 6000,<ref group="nb">Most of these were native allies.</ref> where he defeated the Pipil of Panacal or Panacaltepeque near Izcuintepeque on 9 May.<ref>Fowler 1985, p. 41. Recinos 1998, p. 29. Matthew 2012, p. 81.</ref> Alvarado described the terrain approaching the town as very difficult, covered with dense vegetation and swampland that made the use of cavalry impossible; instead he sent men with crossbows ahead. The Pipil withdrew their scouts because of the heavy rain, believing that the Spanish and their allies would not be able to reach the town that day.<ref name="PoloSifontes81p117" />

Pedro de Alvarado pressed ahead and when the Spanish entered the town the defenders were completely unprepared, with the Pipil warriors indoors sheltering from the torrential rain. In the battle that ensued, the Spanish and their indigenous allies suffered minor losses but the Pipil were able to flee into the forest, sheltered from Spanish pursuit by the weather and the vegetation. Pedro de Alvarado ordered the town to be burnt and sent messengers to the Pipil lords demanding their surrender, otherwise he would lay waste to their lands.<ref name="PoloSifontes81p117" />

According to Alvarado's letter to Cortés, the Pipil came back to the town and submitted to him, accepting the king of Spain as their overlord.<ref>Batres 2009, p. 65.</ref> The Spanish force camped in the captured town for eight days.<ref name="PoloSifontes81p117">Polo Sifontes 1981, p. 117.</ref> A few years later, in 1529, Pedro de Alvarado was accused of using excessive brutality in his conquest of Izcuintepeque, amongst other atrocities.<ref>Batres 2009, p. 66.</ref>

[[File:Moyuta.jpg|thumb|300px|The Pacific slope of [[Jutiapa]] was the scene of a number of battles with the [[Xinca people|Xinca]].]]
In [[Guazacapán]], Pedro de Alvarado described his encounter with people who were neither Maya nor Pipil, speaking a different language altogether; these people were probably Xinca.<ref name="Letona5">Letona Zuleta et al., p. 5.</ref> At this point Alvarado's force consisted of 250 Spanish infantry accompanied by 6,000 indigenous allies, mostly Kaqchikel and Cholutec.<ref name="Letona6">Letona Zuleta et al., p. 6.</ref> Alvarado and his army defeated and occupied the most important Xinca city, named as Atiquipaque. The defending warriors were described by Alvarado as engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat using spears, stakes and poisoned arrows. The battle took place on 26 May 1524 and resulted in a significant reduction of the Xinca population.<ref name="Letona5" />

Alvarado's army continued eastwards from Atiquipaque, seizing several more Xinca cities. Because Alvarado and his allies could not understand the Xinca language, Alvarado took extra precautions on the march eastward by strengthening his vanguard and rearguard with ten cavalry apiece. In spite of these precautions the baggage train was ambushed by a Xinca army soon after leaving Taxisco. Many indigenous allies were killed and most of the baggage was lost, including all the crossbows and ironwork for the horses.<ref>Recinos 1986, p. 87.</ref>

This was a serious setback and Alvarado camped his army in Nancintla for eight days, during which time he sent two expeditions against the attacking army.<ref>Recinos 1986, pp. 87–88.</ref> Alvarado sent out Xinca messengers to make contact with the enemy but they failed to return. Messengers from the city of [[Pasaco|Pazaco]], in the modern department of Jutiapa,<ref>Mendoza Asencio 2011, pp. 34–35.</ref> offered peace to the conquistadors but when Alvarado arrived there the next day the inhabitants were preparing for war. Alvarado's troops encountered a sizeable quantity of gathered warriors and quickly routed them through the city's streets. From Pazaco, Alvarado crossed the [[Paz River|Río Paz]] and entered what is now El Salvador.<ref>Recinos 1986, p. 88.</ref>