Garabito Empire

Garabito statue in theGarabito CantonCity Hall

Theempire, domain or lordship ofKing Garabitowas a vast territory controlled byHuetarKing Garabitoand that extended through most of theCentral Valley of Costa Ricafrom the Virilla River (natural border with the also Huetar but smallerSeñorío del Guarco) in modernSan Joséto the Atlantic Slope in what is now the north of the country (Alajuela,GreciaandSan Carlosmainly).Garabito's domain transcended the borders of theWestern Huetar Kingdomwhere it had multiple vassal populations such as Coyoche, Abacara, Chucasque, Cobobici (possibly Corobicí), Cobux, Yurustí and Barva, and also included several submissive peoples but not incorporated into their kingdom; the Botos, Tises and Catapas.

Although the exact location of its capital is unknown, it is speculated that it could be inSan Ramónnear where it made war raids against the botos. The empire was also an enemy of the also vastKingdom of Nicoya,ofethnic chorotegaunrelated to the huétares but with theOto-Mangueansinstead and that represented other of the largest pre-Hispanic Costa Rican empires.

Another enemy of the empire was theNicarao peoplewho encroached and settled on part of its territory and displaced the Huetares that inhabitedBagaces,sparking a tribal war between the two.

Garabito presented a fierce resistance to theSpanish conquering expansions,considerably delaying the process of conquest and colonization and causing many headaches to the Spanish governors such as Juan de Cavallón andVázquez de Coronado,but he would finally be defeated and his domain annexed to the governorship of Costa Rica under the name that the Spanish designated as Garabito province.