Yanquetruz
| Yanquetruz | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chile |
| Died | 1838 Argentina |
| Nationality | Ranquel |
| Occupation | Warrior |
| Known for | Desert War |
Yanquetruz (or Llanquetruz) (died 1838) was a famous Ranquel warrior who fought the Europeans in the pampas of what is now Argentina in the early nineteenth century.
Yanquetruz's family had ruled over the region from the cordillera to the Atlantic from around 1680 to 1856, but his authority was confined to the Ranqueles. The Ranquel people, a Mapuche tribe, were led by a chief named Máscara Verde (Green Mask) in 1812. Yanquetruz came to these people from Chile in 1818. He had a reputation as a great warrior, and taught them techniques of war, making the Ranquel warriors known throughout the pampas. The men of fighting age were organized into bands of between ten and thirty people whose leader obeyed the command of the Ranquel chief. When Máscara Verde died, Yanquetruz was elected to take his place.
His first major assault was made on the settlers in Salta Province, helped by Chilean allies under a leader named Carreras. The Indian attacks were ferocious, and they gained considerable booty. In August 1831 Yanquetruz laid siege to Villa Concepción (now Río Cuarto, Córdoba), apparently in a preemptive strike since he had heard that a large army was preparing to attack his people. During the civil war in 1831 there were rumors that Yanquetruz was assisting the Unitiarian side, and this may have been part of the motive for the campaign against the Indians launched soon after by Juan Manuel de Rosas. The main reason was the Ranquels' desire to remain independent.
In 1833 Rosas initiated the Desert Campaign (1833–34), an expedition against the desert Indians. The columns led by José Félix Aldao from Mendoza Province and Ruiz Huidobro from San Luis Province were charged with exterminating the Ranquels. Ruiz Huidobro's column had 1,000 men from the Division of the Andes and the Córdoba and La Rioja provincial forces. He advanced at the start of March from the San Lorenzo fort towards the Quinto River in San Luis Province, intending to surprise the Ranquels at their settlement of Leubucó. However, the Indians had been forewarned.
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