Lempira was an important leader of the indigenous resistance to Spanish domination. His area of operation was extensive and rough territory in the south of what is now the department of Lempira in Honduras half.
The chronicler Antonio de Herrera describes Lempira, whose name means' Lord of Sierra'-as "of medium height, espaldudo and thick limbs, brave and courageous and good reason, never had more than two women died and 38 to 40 years. "
In 1537, after the death of the chief Entepica, who was lieutenant, Lempira evoked the 200 villages for them to fight together against the Spaniards, including the tribe of Cares, traditional enemies of the tribe of the Cerquines to which belonged Lempira.
Lempira persuaded 30,000 men to fight for their freedom, and offered to be his captain to lead them to victory, promising to face the greatest dangers, because he considered it unacceptable that so many brave men were subdued by a few foreigners.
The warriors were positioned in high and fortified sites, called "peñoles" by the Spanish, who led the entire community with abundant supplies.
Main peñoles indigenous alliance were Gualapa hill Congolón peak, the hill of Coyocutena, the Rock of Cerquin, the hill and the hills Broquel Gualasapa.
But the most important was undoubtedly the entrenchment of Cerquin Rock, led by Lempira own. The Spanish governor of the province, Francisco Montejo, understood that if they wanted to advance the process of conquest was to take possession of this fortress, which was appointed to Captain Alonso Caceres, who with his men besieged the yardarm for six months; but the Indians, who were with their wives and children well stocked food-bravely resisted the site, causing numerous casualties with Spanish dates include sharp flint stones.
Displaying the brave Captain Alonso indigenous resistance Cáceres decided to take the fort by treachery. This provided that a soldier was aproximase his horse to a rock where Lempira was standing, and, as he made overtures of peace, another soldier riding on the rump, shot him with his gun. The ploy was fulfilled to the letter, and die the Indian captain, the large troop that accompanied scattered upon the mountains, and soon after the Spanish surrendered.
The chronicler Herrera narrates the episode of betrayal: "Captain Caceres ordered a soldier to put an horse, so close that you could reach an arquebus marksmanship, and that he spoke, admonishing, who admitted that he friendship offered; and another soldier while the legs, pull him with the musket; and thus ordered the soldier locked her speech and said their advice and persuasions, and the chief answered him that "the war was not to tire the soldiers or frighten, and that more could expire '; arrogant and saying other words, rather than Indian, the soldier pointed his legs when he saw the chance and hit him in the face without him was worth one morion, which was their custom, very gallant and tufted. "
By tradition holds that fell Lempira site Piedra Parada near Pico Congolón, although there is also another site known as Piedra Parada near Erandique; but research in the field lead to think that the Indian hero perished in the Rock of Cerquin own.
The Honduran historian Mario Felipe Martinez has questioned the version of the death of Antonio de Herrera Lempira after discovering in the Archivo de Indias one probanza presented in 1558 to the Spanish authorities in Mexico soldier Rodrigo Ruiz.
The document is important because it confirms the real existence of Lempira, which some poor Hondurans patriotic fiber considered a legend, the name of the cacique (referred to as The Empira), the description of the war and the scene of thereof.
The purpose of the soldier Rodrigo Ruiz was writing this probanza impress the Spanish authorities in order to obtain a pension for the last years of his life. There feat Rodrigo has been faced with only Lempira provided with his sword and shield, carrying his head as a trophy and getting in the way many wounds from the Indians, almost causing him injury death.
Although Rodrigo supports his statement with the report of several witnesses, some face-allegedly can not totally rely on the testimony of a fellow war willing to help his friend in fact about twenty years ago.