Guersec: The Taovaya Chief Who Brokered Peace with the Comanches (unknown–1786)

Guersec was a leader of the Taovayas, a subset of the Wichita Indians, on the Red River between modern-day Texas and Oklahoma. While little is known about his broader life, his actions as chief are well-documented. His biggest accomplishment was working with the Spaniards and neighboring Wichita peoples to negotiate peace between the Comanches and the Spanish.

In February 1785 the leader of the Taovayas, Gransot, passed away from unknown causes. Upon Gransot’s death, Guersec was chosen as the “Great Chief” by his people. As one of his first acts, he sent four Taovayan emissaries to accompany Spaniards Alfonso Rey and Antonio Mariano Valdés and Frenchmen Juan Baptiste Bousquet and Pedro Vial back to San Antonio, where Governor Domingo Cabello y Robles gave them gifts for Guersec as well as an “official confirmation” as of February 14, 1785, recognizing Guersec’s status. Thereafter, the Spanish Crown viewed Guersec as the leader of the Taovaya peoples.           

Under Gransot, some of the younger Taovayas were caught stealing Spanish horses and destroying Spanish property. Guersec committed to disciplining his people who wronged the Spaniards and initiated a successful partnership between the Taovayas and the Spanish. With San Antonio de Béxar Presidio lying hundreds of miles away from the Taovaya homeland, Guersec frequently sent “lesser chiefs” to the presidio to receive gifts and exchange information with the Spaniards.

In May 1785 Guersec asked the Spaniards for help after “Huae” Indians declared war on the Taovayas, but the Spaniards did not provide immediate aid, which likely weakened the relations between the two. Nevertheless, Guersec remained a valuable ally for the Spanish because he told them about the movements and motivations of other American Indians, specifically the Comanches.To maintain this alliance, the Spanish paid yearly tribute to the Taovayas.

In 1785, at the annual tribute dispersal in Nacogdoches, Guersec served as an intermediary for the Spanish in acquiring peace with the Comanches. Previously, the latter had no reason to ally with the Spaniards or the Toavayas, but a severe drought and a smallpox outbreak made successful peace negotiations a possibility. Before any action could be taken, Guersec and Eschas, the leader of the Guachitas (Wichita proper), gained the approval of their warriors. In doing so, each had to convince his people that the Spaniards were respectable and that a peace treaty would be beneficial.

Following the warriors’ approval, the Spaniards sent out a search party to Comanche lands. Accompanied by Vial and Francisco Xavier Chaves, Guersec and Eschas negotiated with Eastern Comanche leaders, including Camisa de Hierro (Iron Shirt) and Cabeza Rapada (Shaved Head), for the next few weeks. In order to encourage cooperation, not only were Guersec and Eschas accompanied by Vial and Chaves, who carried the Spanish flag, but Guersec and Eschas wore Spanish military uniforms to show their alliance with the Spaniards. During this process, Guersec convinced not only the twelve Comanche leaders but also their people that a partnership with the Spaniards would be favorable for both parties, while declining the peace treaty would keep the Comanches from getting European gifts. Through their words and actions, Guersec and Eschas promoted a relationship of goodwill, brotherhood, and kinship. In the end, of the twelve Eastern Comanche groups, all but one signed a peace treaty with the Spaniards. Eventually the remaining leader, Pobea, complied after consulting with other Comanches. This is known as the Spanish-Comanche Treaty of 1785.

 To celebrate their alliance, the Comanches held a feast attended by Guersec, Eschas, Vial, and Chaves. After the feast, Guersec and Eschas and three Comanche leaders, including Poeba, took a victory tour through their rancherias (settlements) to celebrate the Comanches’ new friend, the “capitán grande of San Antonio,” Governor Domingo Cabello.

Having secured peace with the Comanches, Guersec faded from the Spaniards’ records. In January 1786 he sent ten of his people and some Guachita people to assist a Comanche leader, Camisa de Hierro, in moving onto the Pedernales River to escape an attack by the Osage. This strengthened the bond between Taovayas and Comanches. During this time, lesser leaders from each group also discussed uniting against the Lipan Apaches. Guersec's leadership did not end there. He sent a delegation of eighteen men to discuss peace with the Osage. The results of this are unknown, and this is last mention of Guersec in Spanish records. In 1786 the Taovayas participated in a few campaigns against the Lipans, and during that summer Guersec perished of unknown causes. His exact place and date of death is unknown.

Guersec’s willingness to ally with the Spaniards brought success and peace to his people.  He became the Spanish Crown captain of the Taovayas and even wore a Spanish military uniform during negotiations. His role as an intermediary was particularly crucial in the Spaniards making peace with the Comanches.