chiefdom · Mesoamerica and the Caribbean
Cacicazgo of Higüey
Origins
Higüey occupied the eastern end of Hispaniola, now the eastern Dominican Republic. It was one of the five principal chiefdoms when Columbus arrived in 1492, and its people had close contacts with Puerto Rico across the Mona Passage.
Rule and society
Higüey was ruled by paramount caciques, Cayacoa and later Cotubanamá, from villages on the coastal plain. Its people were reputed fierce warriors and archers. They farmed cassava and traded across the Mona Passage. Caves such as those of the present-day Cotubanamá National Park hold Taíno rock art.
Decline and legacy
Uprisings against Spanish abuses in 1503-04 were crushed by Juan de Esquivel. Cotubanamá was captured and hanged in Santo Domingo, ending the last independent chiefdom of Hispaniola. Its lands passed to the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo.
Lineage
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- Cacicazgo of Higüey was conquered by Spanish Empire1504 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Cacicazgo of Higüey. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cacicazgo-of-higuey
- MLA
- “Cacicazgo of Higüey.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cacicazgo-of-higuey. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Cacicazgo of Higüey.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cacicazgo-of-higuey.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Cacicazgo of Higüey’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cacicazgo-of-higuey (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻