The Miskito Kings and the Line of Succession

Abstract

The Miskito Indians dominated eastern Nicaragua during the colonial and republican eras until 1894, when the region came under the control of the Nicaraguan nation. The major native figures of the Miskito Kingdom were the individuals who filled the position of "king." These Miskito kings have been portrayed in the literature as puppets of the English, put into and out of office at their whim. During historical research on the Miskito, a different picture of the kings emerged. A single line of succession has been pieced together, from 1655 to 1894, in which most kings were succeeded by the eldest son of their primary wife. In the few exceptional cases, the succession passed from older to younger brother. For at least the last 239 years of the kingdom, the kingship was controlled by a single family group.