The Guanches were the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean some 100 kilometres (60 mi) west of the North African coast. They spoke the Guanche language, which went extinct in the 17th century and is believed to have been related to Berber languages.
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 42.9% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of 2,034.38 square kilometres (785.48 sq mi) and a population of 948,815 inhabitants as of January 2023, it is also the most populous island of Spain and of Macaronesia.
The First Battle of Acentejo took place on the island of Tenerife between the Guanches and an alliance of Spaniards, other Europeans, and associated natives, on 31 May 1494, during the Spanish conquest of this island. It resulted in a victory for the Guanches of Tenerife.
The Second Battle of Acentejo took place on 25 December 1494 between the invading Spanish forces and the natives of the island of Tenerife, known as Guanches. The battle had been preceded by the Battle of Aguere, fought on 14-15 November that year, which had been a Castilian victory.
Adeje is a town and municipality in the southwestern part of the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, and part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The town Adeje is located 4 km from the coast, 8 km north of the resort town Los Cristianos, 60 km southwest of the island capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife and about 17 km northwest of Tenerife South Airport.
Alonso Fernández de Lugo was a Spanish military man, conquistador, city founder, and administrator. He conquered the islands of La Palma (1492–1493) and Tenerife (1494–1496) for the Castilian Crown; they were the last of the Canary Islands to be conquered by Europeans. He was also the founder of the towns of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de La Palma. One biographer has written that his personality was a “terrible mixture of cruelty and ambition or greed, on one part, and on the other a great capacity and sense for imposing order and government on conquered lands,” a trait found in the conquistadors of the New World.
Bencomo was the penultimate mencey or king of Taoro, a Guanche menceyato on the island of Tenerife. He fought in the First Battle of Acentejo, a victory for the Guanches against the invading Castilians, after having refused the terms of Alonso Fernández de Lugo. He may have perished on the heights of San Roque during the Battle of Aguere alongside his brother Tinguaro.
Beneharo was a Guanche king of Menceyato de Anaga on the island of Tenerife.
Acaimo or Acaymo was a Guanche mencey of Tacoronte, on the island of Tenerife at the time of the Spanish conquest in the 15th century. He formed an alliance against the Spaniards with the mencey Beneharo and the mencey Bencomo.
Adeje was one of the 9 menceyatos guanches that had divided the island of Tenerife before the arrival of the conquering Spaniards and occupied the present day towns of Guía de Isora, Adeje, Santiago del Teide, as well as possibly also part of Arona, in the southwest of Tenerife.
Tinerfe "the Great", legendary hero who was a guanche mencey of the island of Tenerife. It is estimated that he lived at the end of the 14th century.
The Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias is a large square in Candelaria, Tenerife. It is next to the Basilica of Candelaria, a meeting place of pilgrims and festivities celebrating the most important of the municipality. In this square there are also various bars and cafes.
Adjona, also written Adxoña or Atxoña was the Guanche mencey (king) of the Menceyato de Abona at the time of the conquest of Tenerife in the fifteenth century.
Añaterve was the Guanche Mencey (king) of Menceyato de Güímar at the time of the conquest of Tenerife in the 15th century.
Pelicar, also written Pellicar or Belicar was a Guanche mencey king of Menceyato of Icode in times of the conquest of Tenerife in the fifteenth century.
Romen was a Guanche mencey king of Menceyato de Daute in times of the conquest of Tenerife in the fifteenth century.
Tegueste or Tegueste II was a Guanche King (mencey) of Menceyato de Tegueste, reigning during the conquest of Tenerife in the fifteenth century.
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.
Guañameñe or Guadameñe was the name of a Guanche fortune-teller who had prophesied the arrival of the Castilian conquerors to the island of Tenerife at the end of the fifteenth century. Subsequently, the word Guañameñe was extended to denominate the highest priestly rank of the Guanche society.
Ichasagua was a Guanche leader of the island of Tenerife. He was a member of the Guanche nobility of Adeje.
