Caonabos

Caonabos was a powerful cacique, or chief, of the Taíno people in the island of Hispaniola during the late 15th century. He was the ruler of the region known as Maguana, a fertile and important area of the island. Caonabos gained prominence for his resistance against the Spanish conquistadors who arrived with Christopher Columbus.

Upon their arrival, the Spanish established a settlement called La Navidad in 1492. Caonabos is credited with leading the attack that destroyed this settlement in early 1493, after some of Columbus's men engaged in mistreatment of the indigenous population. This event marked an early and significant instance of Taíno resistance to European colonization.

Later, Caonabos was captured by the Spanish in 1494 through a ruse orchestrated by Alonso de Ojeda. He was subsequently sent to Spain to be tried, but died during the voyage. Caonabos remains a symbol of indigenous defiance against the initial Spanish incursions into the Americas. His actions reflected the Taíno peoples' efforts to protect their lands and way of life from foreign invasion.