In 1667 Jerónimo Lorenzo Limaylla sailed from Peru to Spain to claim before king Carlos II the cacicazgo of Luringuaca in the Jauja area. When looking at the waves during his long trip he must undoubtedly have been thinking how far he had come. He was quite an adventurer. Born in 1622 in Reque as Lorenzo Ayun Chifo, son of Juan Ayun and Maria Fallem, and a spindle whorl maker. He was educated by the local priest and later by the Franciscans, learning to speak, read and write in Spanish. After moving to Lima he travelled to Spain with Fray Buenaventura Salinas in 1646 as his personal servant and went later with him to Mexico.
In 1655 he returned to Reque. He had however not paid his tribute in years, so he fled to Lima. To raise his fortune he impersonated Jerónimo Lorenzo Limaylla, the deceased illegitimate son of cacique Lorenzo Valentin Limaylla of Luringuaca, who had died in 1648, leaving an only legitimate daughter who married her cousin Bernardino Mangoguala Limaylla and who died as well around 1650. Lorenzo claimed the cacicazgo in 1655, pretending to be the closest male heir. This lead to a long legal battle with Bernardino. The judges preferred Bernardino as being the legitimate heir, but Lorenzo did not give up. In 1667 he sailed for Spain to petition the court. In 1678 he is still in Madrid …
Source: What´s in a name? An Indian trickster travels the Spanish colonial world by José Carlos de la Puente Luna, may 2006
