The Spanish Conquest
The conquest of the Canary Islands by the Spaniards was a brutal process that lasted almost a century (1402–1496). Gran Canaria was one of the last islands to fall — and put up fierce resistance.
First Contacts
European sailors — Genoese, Portuguese, and Castilians — reached the Canary Islands as early as the 14th century. The indigenous Canarians were surprised by these contacts: They had been isolated from the outside world for over a millennium and were unfamiliar with ships or metal. The first European reports describe them as tall, strong, and fair-skinned — and as brave warriors.
The Conquest of Gran Canaria (1478–1483)
On June 24, 1478, the Castilian captain Juan Rejón landed at the site where Vegueta (Las Palmas) stands today. The conquest lasted five bloody years:
- 1478: Foundation of Real de Las Palmas (today Vegueta). The indigenous Canarians immediately resisted.
- 1479–82: War of attrition. The Spaniards had horses, crossbows, and metal weapons, while the indigenous Canarians fought with stones, wooden spears, and guerrilla tactics in the mountains. Several Spanish expeditions were repelled.
- 1483: The decisive Battle of Ansite: The last Guanarteme Tenesor Semidán surrendered (reports say he jumped off a cliff but survived). Allegedly, hundreds of indigenous Canarian warriors preferred to leap from the cliffs rather than surrender — the Atis Tirma (death vow). By April 29, 1483, the conquest was complete.
The consequences were devastating: War, introduced diseases, and enslavement decimated the indigenous Canarian population. Many survivors were sold as slaves or forcibly converted to Christianity. Their language was lost, and their culture largely obliterated. Yet their genes live on: DNA studies show that up to 20–30% of the Canary Islands' population today has indigenous Canarian ancestry.
