A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Anacoana
ANACOANA, Queen of Maguana, and Wife of Carnabo, the most powerful King in the Island of St. Domingo,
Was a princess of great understanding, and highly favourable to the Spaniards, whose superior intelligence and knowledge she unfortunately too highly appreciated. On the death of her husband, she retired into the dominions of her brother, the king of Xiragua. Bartholomew Columbus, brother of the celebrated Christopher, profited of the partiality of this princess, to conciliate her brother, hitherto unfavourable, till he consented to receive them as friends, and pay a tribute of cotton and provisions, the produce of the country.
On the death of her brother, in 1503, without children, Anacoana was called to the throne. Her opinion of the Spaniards was entirely changed. She had seen their ingratitude and selfishness; and, becoming mistrustful of her, they resolved, by any means, to get her into their power. For this purpose, they accused her to Ovando, the governor-general, as meditating treason; and not to lose any time, he went directly from the town of St. Domingo to Xiragua, with a formidable suite. Anacoana suspected no evil; and, in order to do him more honour, assembled her vassals, and marched at their head, to meet him. These poor people danced, in the fashion of their country, and shouted for joy at the arrival of the Spanish general. He was conducted to the palace, in the midst of acclamations, and feasted there many days.
During this time, an act of the most atrocious perfidy was meditated. Ovando invited the queen to a feast after the European manner; and, accompanied by all her nobility, she came to it on the following Sunday. They were introduced into a hall, where it was to be celebrated, and waited there some time before the Spaniards arrived, who at length made their appearance in battle array. The infantry invested all the avenues of the place; Ovando, at the head of his cavalry, surrounded the house in which the queen was; and a multitude of Indians, whom curiosity had induced to follow their queen, were slain by the foot soldiers. After this massacre, the cavaliers dismounted, and entered the hall with drawn swords. The caciques and principal men were tied to posts, the house set fire to, and all consumed in the flames. Anacoana was loaded with chains, and carried to St. Domingo; her process was soon made out, and she was hung publicly as a rebel.
F.C.