1599 Acoma massacre

Acoma Massacre
Part of the Acoma War, Conquest of New Mexico

A lithograph of Ácoma Pueblo made in 1848
DateJanuary 22–24, 1599
Location34°53′46″N 107°34′55″W / 34.896°N 107.582°W / 34.896; -107.582
Result Spanish victory in battle, civilians massacred.
Belligerents
 Crown of Castile Acoma
Commanders and leaders
Vicente de Zaldívar Zutacapan
Strength
~70 conquistadors
~Indian auxiliaries
~1 artillery piece
~2,000 warriors
Casualties and losses
Unknown ~500 killed
~500 captured
Civilian casualties ≈300 killed

The Acoma Massacre was a punitive expedition by Spanish conquistadors at the Acoma Pueblo in January, 1599. Around 500 Acoma men and 300 women and children were killed during the three-day onslaught. Of the Acoma who survived the attack, many were sentenced to 20-year terms of bondage, and 24 suffered amputations.

The massacre was the result of a battle between Spanish colonizers and Native Americans from the Keres Acoma Nation in what is now New Mexico in retaliation for the killing of 12 Spanish soldiers by the Acoma in the previous year.