Doramas
Encyclopedia
Doramas was an indigenous warrior of the Canary Islands
who was a member of the resistance on the island of Grand Canary. He fought against an invasion by the Crown of Castile
in the late 15th century which was undertaken and financed by the Catholic Monarchs
.
, he belonged to the social class of the "axicatnas" (shorn ones). They had to wear their hair short, unlike the nobles who wore their hair long and enjoyed other privileges. The name of Doramas appears to be a nickname, meaning "he of the wide noses."
With a wide back, and medium stature, Doramas was known for his dexterity in combat and his capacity for leadership. In battle, he carried a large wooden sword and was described as having a shield made from drago
wood, which was black, white, and colored, separated into four sections.
was divided into two kingdoms, Telde in the south and Gáldar in the north. He led a detachment situated in the northern zone that offered great resistance to the invasion at Mount Doramas, which carries his name in honor to this day. He reaped great success as the head of the Canary army, and it turned him into a charismatic leader in the aborigine resistance.
Because of the great fame that Doramas won in the war, the Castilian captain Pedro de Vera began a decisive campaign against him personally, attacking him on his home turf. On August 20, 1481, while engaged in a bruising battle in the region of Arucas
, Doramas fell victim to a lance-wound and died. His severed head was exhibited in the city of Las Palmas as a warning to the population. The Battle of Arucas ended on November 30, 1481, between the warriors and the troops of Pedro de Vera. Subsequently, Grand Canary was incorporated into the Crown of Castille on April 29, 1483.
Since the war, the baptisms of descendants of certain nobles have included a ceremony in which they are conferred another name in memory of their Canary origin. Doramas's descendants have been given the surname "Oramas," one of the few of true Canary origin that survive into the present day.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
who was a member of the resistance on the island of Grand Canary. He fought against an invasion by the Crown of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
in the late 15th century which was undertaken and financed by the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
.
Description
Originally from the kingdom of TeldeTelde, Las Palmas
Telde is a municipality in the eastern on the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. The suburb of Las Palmas city. It is the second most populated municipality on the island, with a population of 100,015...
, he belonged to the social class of the "axicatnas" (shorn ones). They had to wear their hair short, unlike the nobles who wore their hair long and enjoyed other privileges. The name of Doramas appears to be a nickname, meaning "he of the wide noses."
With a wide back, and medium stature, Doramas was known for his dexterity in combat and his capacity for leadership. In battle, he carried a large wooden sword and was described as having a shield made from drago
Dracaena draco
Dracaena draco, the Canary Islands Dragon Tree or Drago isa subtropical Dragon Tree native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, and locally in western Morocco, and introduced to the Azores...
wood, which was black, white, and colored, separated into four sections.
Military Exploits
Doramas participated actively in the defense of the island when Castille began its conquest in 1478. He was named a noble by the Guanarteme (the name for the king) and he moved to the kingdom of Gáldar, on the northern part of the island. At the time, the island of Gran CanariaGran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
was divided into two kingdoms, Telde in the south and Gáldar in the north. He led a detachment situated in the northern zone that offered great resistance to the invasion at Mount Doramas, which carries his name in honor to this day. He reaped great success as the head of the Canary army, and it turned him into a charismatic leader in the aborigine resistance.
Because of the great fame that Doramas won in the war, the Castilian captain Pedro de Vera began a decisive campaign against him personally, attacking him on his home turf. On August 20, 1481, while engaged in a bruising battle in the region of Arucas
Arucas, Las Palmas
Arucas is a Canary Islands municipality in the province of Las Palmas. It is situated in the north of Gran Canaria. Arucas is a suburb of Las Palmas city....
, Doramas fell victim to a lance-wound and died. His severed head was exhibited in the city of Las Palmas as a warning to the population. The Battle of Arucas ended on November 30, 1481, between the warriors and the troops of Pedro de Vera. Subsequently, Grand Canary was incorporated into the Crown of Castille on April 29, 1483.
Since the war, the baptisms of descendants of certain nobles have included a ceremony in which they are conferred another name in memory of their Canary origin. Doramas's descendants have been given the surname "Oramas," one of the few of true Canary origin that survive into the present day.