Turtledove
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Po'pay
Popay
Historical Figure
Nationality: Tewa, resident in the Spanish Empire
Year of Birth: c. 1630
Year of Death: c. 1688
Cause of Death: Unknown
Religion: Tewa Polytheism
Occupation: Clergyman, Politician, Revolutionary
Fictional Appearances:
Shared Universe Story
"Eyewear"
Set in OTL (?)
Type of Appearance: Direct POV

Po'pay (also spelled Popé; ca. 1630 – ca. 1688) was a Tewa religious leader from Ohkay Owingeh (formerly known as San Juan Pueblo), who led the Pueblo Revolt against Spanish colonial rule in New Mexico in 1680. The Revolt was the culmination of years of planning on Po'pay's part, which began after he was among several religious leaders accused of, and imprisoned for, witchcraft by the Spanish. Po'pay was able to form alliances with several of the pueblos in the area, despite a history conflict and a lack of common language. He even murdered his son-in-law, a Spanish loyalist.

Po'pay is believed to have died in 1688, but the circumstances of his death are not clear. While the Revolt was a success in the short term, by about 1700 the Pueblo had grown fractured again, and the Spanish returned. However, the revolt did ensure that the Pueblo culture survived, as the Spanish were much more liberal in their rule after their return.

Po'pay in "Eyewear"[]

In 1679, Po'pay, a Tewa leader and enemy of the Spanish, was walking in the area west of Santa Fe when he stumbled across a skeleton. While it was picked clean, he did find the wallet and eyewear that had belonged to Estevánico over a century before. When he put it on, he discovered its abilities, which put him on the path to a revolt against Spain, which would keep Spain out of New Mexico for 30 years.[1] Po'pay did not know that he was observed by the time traveler Esperanza, who was not surprised that Po'pay led the revolt with the help of a Mask.[2]

Literary comment[]

In Golden Reflections, Harry Turtledove's "Eyewear" is followed by Jane Lindskold's "Like the Rain", which features Po'pay as the main POV, but is not set in the same continuity. Lindskold's Po'pay obtains the Mask of the Sun at a different time and place than in Turtledove's version.

Reflist[]

  1. See Inconsistencies (Eyewear).
  2. Golden Reflections, pgs. 304-305, HC.
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