Menceyato of Taoro

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Tenerife prior to the Castilian conquest. Tenerife preconquista.png
Tenerife prior to the Castilian conquest.
Statue of Bencomo at Candelaria, Tenerife. Bencomo.jpg
Statue of Bencomo at Candelaria, Tenerife.

Taoro was one of nine Guanche menceyatos (native kingdoms) in which the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands) was divided at the time of the arrival of the conquering Spaniards.

Taoro was considered the most powerful aboriginal kingdom on the island. It spanned the existing municipalities of Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, La Victoria de Acentejo, La Matanza de Acentejo, Los Realejos and Santa Úrsula. Its mencey (King) at the time of the Spanish arrival was Bencomo and the final mencey was Bentor, who ruled the kingdom from November 1495 until his suicide in February 1496. [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bentor</span>

Bentor, sometimes also called Ventor, Bentore, Benytomo, or Bentorey, was the last mencey or king of Taoro from November 1494 until his suicide in February 1495. A native Guanche prince in the Canary Islands during the second half of the 15th century, Bentor was the eldest grandson of Bencomo, the penultimate mencey of Taoro. Taoro was one of nine menceyatos, or kingdoms, on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands before the Spanish conquest of the islands. Bentor's mother was probably named Hañagua, although this is unclear. He succeeded his grandfather as mencey upon his father's death in November 1494, and led the kingdom until his own death by suicide four months later, in February 1495. Bentor had five siblings: one sister (Dácil) and four brothers.

References

  1. Conquista y antiguedades de las islas de la Gran Canaria y su descripción, con muchas advertencias de sus privilegios, conquistadores, pobladores, y otras particularidades en la muy poderosa isla de Tenerife (Trad.Spa :"La conquista e i reperti delle isole Gran Canaria con la loro descrizione, sui privilegi, i conquistatori, i coloni, e altre caratteristiche della potente isola di Tenerife")