Gonzalo Pizarro had sent Francisco de Almendras to Charcas as his Lieutenant, a staunch adherent. He put a citizen of Chuquisaca named Gomez de Luna in prison for some speech against Pizarro’s rule. The municipality ordered him to be released, upon which Almendras went to the prison and had him strangled. Many people were furious, especially a citizen named Diego Centeno. He made a plot with others (Luis de Mendoza, Alonso Perez de Esquivel, Alonso de Camargo, Hernan Nuñez de Segura, Lope de Mendieta, Juan Ortiz de Zarate) to murder Almendras[73]. This they did, and then declared for the King, appointing Diego Centeno their Captain-General. Alonso de Toro marched against him from Cuzco. When the news reached Gonzalo Pizarro near Quito, he sent Carbajal to put down the insurrection. The indefatigable old man set out with an escort of 20 men. He collected men on the way at Truxillo and Guamanga, and then took the route by Lima to Arequipa, thence to Cuzco where he found Alonso de Toro. He marched against Centeno who retreated before him. Carbajal gave him no rest, and hunted him down to the coast.
Meanwhile Gonzalo Pizarro continued the chase of the Viceroy by day and night, over a country purposely made bare of provisions by the pursued. Pizarro was joined by Bachicao who came from Panama with 350 men, artillery, and 20 ships. Pizarro’s force then amounted to 800 soldiers. The Viceroy continued his flight to Pastos, within the jurisdiction of Sebastian de Belalcazar. Pizarro, after a short stay at Quito, continued the pursuit, and the Viceroy fled to Popayan. Pizarro then returned to Quito. He appointed Pedro de Hinojosa to command the fleet which was at Puerto Viejo, with 250 men. Hinojosa obtained information that the Viceroy’s brother, Vela Nuñez, was coming to the coast on a mission to Spain, with a natural son of Gonzalo Pizarro as a hostage. Hinojosa captured them both, and proceeded with them to Panama. He arrived there in October 1545, and took possession without interfering with the civil government.
The Viceroy busily collected arms and assembled troops at Popayan and, having received false news respecting the strength of the enemy, he began his march southwards, hoping to destroy the forces of Puelles and Pizarro. In reality Pizarro had 200 arquebusiers, 350 pikemen and 150 cavalry, with plenty of good powder.
| Captains of Arquebusiers | Juan de Acosta, |
| Juan Velez de Guevara. | |
| Captain of Pikemen | Hernando de Bachicao. |
| Captains of Cavalry | Pedro de Puelles, |
| Gomez de Alvarado. | |
| Standard bearer | Francisco de Ampuero. |
The fighting Judge Cepeda was there, and the Licentiate Benito Suarez de Carbajal, brother of the murdered Factor, with thirty friends and relations to avenge his death.
The Viceroy faced his enemies near Quito, thinking that he only saw the detachment of Puelles, and that Pizarro was not there. His captains advised a flank march over most difficult country to Quito. This took all night, and at dawn they were a league from the town, worn out with fatigue. The idea was to take the enemy in rear, but it was a fatal mistake. The Viceroy came out of Quito, while Gonzalo Pizarro’s army turned and advanced to meet him.
The Viceroy’s Captains
| of Infantry were | Sancho Sanchez de Avila[74], |
| Juan Cabrera his cousin[75], | |
| Francisco Sanchez. | |
| of Cavalry were | Sebastian de Belalcazar[76], |
| Pedro de Bazan, | |
| Francisco Hernandez Giron[77]. |
The two bodies of cavalry encountered each other but the Viceroy’s men were worn out by the long night march. It was a desperate battle at close quarters, both infantry and cavalry. The Viceroy received a blow from Hernando de Torres of Arequipa, which brought him to the ground. Puelles would have protected him, but the Licentiate Carbajal, after searching for him, came up and caused a negro to cut off his head. Gonzalo Pizarro was enraged at this treatment of the Viceroy, and caused his body to be honourably buried, he himself being chief mourner. Pizarro’s victory was complete: 200 of the Viceroy’s men were killed. The Judge Alvarez died of his wounds a few days afterwards.
Gonzalo Pizarro sent the news of his victory to all the cities in Peru, and Captain Alarcon brought the glad tidings to Hinojosa at Panama in a ship. Pizarro trusted Hinojosa fully, as he owed everything to his benefactor. Hinojosa’s treason was the cause of Pizarro’s fall. Alarcon brought back Gonzalo Pizarro’s son, and Vela Nuñez, the Viceroy’s brother: who received full pardon and went with Pizarro to Lima. Gonzalo Pizarro was now at the height of his power. Always just and inclined to mercy, he never put anyone to death without trial. On his return to Lima he enacted some excellent laws for the protection of the Indians. Gasca confessed that Gonzalo Pizarro was a good governor.