Revolt: An Archaeological History of Pueblo Resistance and Revitalization in 17th Century New Mexico

Epilogue: The Pueblo Revolt of 1696

215 Epilogue The Pueblo Revolt of 1696 Following the Battle at Astialakwa, the Jemez returned to their homes at Patokwa and Boletsakwa. In late September 1694, Vargas visited Patokwa and installed Fray Francisco de Jesús María Casañas as the new missionary there. The Jemez had constructed a mission complex in the northwest corner of Patokwa (figure E.1), with an associated convento complex located south of the church. A low wall enclosed the claustro (church yard) to the east of the convento rooms. Vargas christened the church San Diego del Monte y Nuestra Señora de Remedios (Elliott 2002). His journal entry notes that the living quarters for Fray Francisco were large enough “that four religious could have lived in it with everything they needed.” During this visit Vargas also issued the canes of office to the new officials of both Patokwa and Boletsakwa . Although he did not visit Boletsakwa during this trip (nor did he station a priest there), Vargas reported that a group of Jemez people and their Keres allies from Kewa once again inhabited San Juan Mesa at that time.1 In January 1695 Vargas prepared a puzzling report indicating the status of the Jemez Province, noting, “Half the mesa of San Juan is occupied by the Keres nation from the pueblo of Santo Domingo and the other half by the Jemez nation, which has its pueblo on the mesa of San Diego with its minister. Its parish is made up of 405 people.”2 Sometime in 1695 the mission at Walatowa was reestablished. This church was dubbed San Juan de los Jemez,3 possibly because it was built to minister to the Jemez people who had recently been living on San Juan Mesa (at Boletsakwa) and had returned to resettle Walatowa by this time. Thus by late 1695 there were two missions in the Jemez Province: San Diego del Monte at Patokwa and San Juan de los Jemez at Walatowa. Not long after the founding of the new mission at Walatowa, rumors of another unified Pueblo revolt began to circulate in New Mexico, first planned for Christmas Eve 1695, Epilogue 216 and later during the full moon in March 1696. Again the Natives used a knotted cord to communicate the date of the battle from one village to the next.4 Neither of these predicted uprisings materialized, however, partially because the Franciscans discovered the plans beforehand. Over the following months the Friars noted an increase in impudence and insolence by Pueblo neophytes, and they petitioned Vargas for soldiers to be stationed at the missions for the priests’ protection. “To place myself at the mouth of the wolf, so that he may swallow me and drink my blood, my mother did not bear me . . . for that purpose,” complained Fray Francisco, writing from the mission at Patokwa. “For I did not come to seek death but rather the lives of these miserable ones.”5 Figure E.1. San Diego del Monte mission complex (top), Patokwa 1695–96 (bottom). The Pueblo Revolt of 1696 217 At San Juan de los Jemez, Fray Miguel Trizio was saved from martyrdom when “a few of the good ones” removed him from the mission for his own protection . Following the foiled murder plot, many of the residents of Walatowa reportedly fled the pueblo because, in the words of the friar, “they were so malevolent.”6 During this turbulent period Fray Miguel notified Vargas that in order to carry out his priestly duties he needed protection. “Neither 12 nor 14 men are sufficient,” he complained, “but if your lordship gives 50 men to Jemez,” Fray Miguel promised to serve with great pleasure.7 Vargas rebuffed these requests for reinforcements, replying that he “did not have enough bread for a wedding that big.”8 The Franciscans responded to the governor with indignation and dire predictions. In a letter dated April 18, 1696, Fray Francisco forecasted: “If they do not revolt today, they will tomorrow.”9 Unfortunately for Fray Francisco, tomorrow came on June 4, when the Jemez joined in the Pueblo Revolt of 1696, along with the Tewa, northern Tiwa, Tano, and some of the Keres.10 Once again the Puebloans and their Athapaskan allies rose up against the Spanish oppressors, killing five priests and twenty-one other españoles throughout New Mexico.11 At San Diego del Monte, the Jemez lured Fray Francisco from the church under the pretense...