Battle of Pasca

The Battle of Pasca was a battle fought between ruler zipa Saguamanchica of the southern Muisca Confederation and an alliance between the Panche with the cacique of Fusagasugá, leader of the Sutagao. The battle took place around the year 1470 in the vicinity of Pasca, Cundinamarca, Colombia and resulted in a victory for the zipazgo.

Background
In the times before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca, the central highlands of the Colombian Andes (Altiplano Cundiboyacense) were inhabited by different indigenous groups. The most numerous were the Muisca living in the central valleys of the Eastern Ranges. Their neighbours were to the northwest the Muzo, south of that their eternal enemies, the Panche and in the southeastern part of present-day Cundinamarca the Sutagao. The leader of the southern Muisca at the time was the freshly installed Saguamanchica, successor of his uncle Meicuchuca.

Battle


Saguamanchica just had taken power in 1470 when he decided to submit the Sutagao to his rule. With an army of around 30,000 guecha warriors from Bacatá he set foot to the southwest. Saguamanchica had already sent 12,000 men to inspect the terrain beforehand. The Sutagao hid themselves on the hills in the area around the Pasca River, but the strategic and numeric advantage of Saguamanchica defeated the cacique of Fusagasugá in a battle that lasted for about twelve hours.

The victory came when Saguamanchica captured Uzatama, an important cacique of the Sutagao. The Sutagao were submitted to the reign of the zipa, recommended to do so by the cacique of Tibacuy.

Some twenty years later Saguamanchica fought another major battle, this time with the northern Muisca led by zaque Michuá; the Battle of Chocontá. Both Muisca rulers died in this battle.