Capillana

Capillana (died 1549) was a north Peruvian female ruler prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.

When conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrived in the northern parts of Peru he sent a group of men to explore the land. In their exploration they stumbled upon the native people. Ruler Capillana and her people were wary of Pizarro just like he and his men were wary of her. Capillana decided to make the first move and bravely challenged Pizarro’s masculinity when she bordered his ship and stated that she, a woman, was brave enough to set foot on his ship so now he, a man and captain, should not be afraid to set foot on the land. The following day Pizarro did indeed come down to shore where he was greeted with a celebration organized by Capillana and her people. As Capillana and Pizarro developed an attachment, she shared very valuable information with him and he in turn held her in very high esteem.