Alvarado Expedition
A failed expedition that nearly started a war
"We Spaniards came here to conquer the land, not to forge alliances! Just take a moment and savor the air. Wouldn't you want to be able to call this world your own, with a chance to settle down on one of those Ocrean villages? I read the maps already, these are wild lands, unsettled by even the people of the white-haired clan. But it shall not always be so, as the five-hundred I have brought are prepared to build a town in a valley somewhere, hopefully overlooking the pink wonders. Cortés is probably bringing more people over as we speak, which means our measly castle will not suffice for long. We must ensure that our people have ample room to grow and further prosper. Which means more land is required or the future of our people will be doomed."
- Pedro to one of his officers who questioned his motives
The Alvarado expedition, also called Alvarado's campaign or, more commonly, the Spanish-Lerush Quasi-War, was a failed Spanish military expedition which was orchestrated by the conquistador, Pedro de Alvarado, who attempted to explore and potentially colonize the unmarked forests north of the Leylas province, neglecting his original orders to stay within proximity of Castle Cortés. It was later massacred by a massive
lerush tribe that the Spanish encountered on February 12th, 1520 after they fired upon their sacred site in an attempt to ward them off. Only five survivors, not including Alvarado, who was captured by the lerush, were known to have escaped the carnage.
The Conflict
Prelude
Following the disembarking of Hernán Cortés at the start of 1520, Pedro de Alvarado was placed in charge of Castle Cortés as well as the 1,000 conquistadors that remained. He quickly took full control of the large area around the castle and took great pleasure taxing the citizens for their silver. A month later, he was granted maps over the entire Ocrean landscape by the Ocreans, where he became interested in a large unmapped forest north of Shajin territory, initially believing it to be open to colonization, only becoming more infatuated when Ocrean scholars told him that no one ever set foot within the forest in years. Feeling he doesn't need permission to enter the unmarked territory, he managed to gather together a expeditionary force complied of conquistadors, mostly from Narváez's expedition, builders, and slaves and marched them north to add more territory to the Spanish, completely unaware the area was designated to the lerush people.
In the meantime, lerush tribesmen spotted the Spanish expedition marching into the reserve, baring weapons of steel and wood, initially believing that the humans have broken the truce, and managed to warn other tribes of the threat. Many clans took it as a betrayal and have rallied other lerush tribes together to try and ambush the meager army whilst it's on the march.
They managed to set up positions in a dense forest to await the unprepared Spanish, who wasn't at all accustomed to the forest as much as the lerush, giving the lerush a home-field advantage over the Spanish.
Unexpectedly, the Spanish stopped marching upon spotting "cat-men" within the trees, just a few kilometers where the lerush intended to ambush them, where they proceeded to get into position to respond quickly to an ambush. Alvarado then ordered his musketeers to fire within the trees in an attempt to scare off any natives who might get in the way of the Spanish expedition.
Musketeers firing within the sacred site only angered the lerush
The lerush, angered by their transgression, led a massive charge from the front and sides of the Spanish column. Alvarado was unable to reorganize his men after they witnessed the army of cat-men charging right towards them, whose animalistic appearance both confused and terrified the Spaniards. Most of the Spaniards broke formation and tried to retreat out of the reserve, those who stayed were rallied by Alvarado, who ordered a Pike and Shot formation to be set up in the front.
The lerush charged right into the formation and broke it almost instantly, completely separating the column. Despite possessing far more superior weapons and armor, the Spanish were no match for the raw strength of the lerush warriors. Alvarado was pulled off his horse in the middle of the battle and dragged out of the battle by several lerush warriors - as they noticed that the armor he wore was much more ornated, thus coming to terms that he was the leader - which left the rest of the conquistadors to fight their way out.
Alvarado was captured during the battle by lerush warriors, where he was brought back to their main camp and paraded before the tribes. Alvarado was shoved roughly, stripped of all his clothes, and even struck multiple times. He was brought before the tribe leaders, where he launches into a vulgar tirade against them and was tied up to a tree, where he would serve as a symbol of humanity's betrayal. Alvarado's capture left Cristobal de Olid in charge of what was left of the conquistadors.
The only survivors managed to find a patrolling unit of Shajin soldiers who in turn told Matsu Shajin of what happened. Matsu was terrified of what would happen if the lerush tried to use Alvarado as living proof that humanity has betrayed them and try to invade the south while it's already preoccupied and if Cortés was to return with a stronger expeditionary force and find out that he did nothing to get one of his captains back. After many months, Matsu managed to coerce the lerush into giving Alvarado back just before Cortés arrived back from Spain. Alvarado often tried to coerce Cortés to march back into the forest for months to pass, but often fell on deaf ears until Cortés assigned him to the newly established
Iberian Port, mostly to keep him out of the way.
Historical Significance
This event left an everlasting negative relationship between the Spanish and the lerush tribes, leading to multiple other skirmishes between the two, creating a rift to emerge that never died down for centuries to pass.
This was Spain's first encounter with the lerush people
Start Date
January 23rd 1520
Ending Date
February 12th 1520
Conflict Result
Lerush victory, Spanish now aware of the Lerush Reserve
Expedition of Alvarado
Led by
Lerush tribesmen
500 men
~ 250 swordsmen
~ 200 musketeers
~ 50 slaves
2,000 warriors
All but 5 Spaniards escaped, Alvarado captured and taken prisoner
Minimal
To explore and potentially colonize the Leylas woodland
Dispose of the human army
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