Zaque

The zaque was the title of the ruler of the southern division of the Muisca Confederation, a pre-Columbian polity in the central Andean highlands of present-day Colombia. The Muisca Confederation comprised two main polities: the zaque in the south and the zipa in the north, each with its own capital and sphere of influence.

The zaque’s seat was Hunza, modern-day Tunja in Boyacá Department. From Hunza, the zaque exercised political, military, and religious authority over a broad central highland region, coordinating with a network of subordinate caciques who administered towns, collected tribute, and maintained ceremonial life. The ruler was advised by noble families and a court of officials, and played a central role in ritual calendars, resource distribution, and the defense of territory.

Etymology and status: The term zaque derives from the Muysccubun language, the tongue of the Muisca, and signified a sovereign or ruler of the southern Muisca domain. The institution reflected the hierarchical social structure and the integration of political and religious authority in Muisca governance.

Spanish contact and legacy: The Spanish conquest in the 1530s disrupted the Muisca political system and led to the incorporation of the territory into colonial New Granada. The office of zaque ceased to function as an independent political authority, though the historical role is remembered in chronicles, toponyms, and museums. The legacy of the zaque contributes to understandings of the Muisca civilization and its complex highland polity.