This was a major Indigenous uprising against Spanish colonial rule in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region. Occurring more than seven decades after the foundation of Santa Marta (1525), the revolt demonstrated the incomplete nature of Spanish control over the mountainous interior and marked the culmination of long-standing tensions between colonial authorities and the Indigenous chiefdoms of the region. Although initial contact between Spaniards and Tairona communities had included periods of accommodation and exchange, increasing demands for tribute, labor, settlement reorganization, and Christian conversion generated widespread resistance. The rebellion appears to have involved multiple Tairona communities acting in concert rather than under a single centralized leadership. Colonial accounts describe coordinated attacks on Spanish settlements, missionaries, churches, and representatives of colonial authority. Spanish authorities responded with harsh military campaigns into the Sierra Nevada, punishing rebel communities and imposing firmer colonial control. The revolt was ultimately suppressed, but the difficult terrain and decentralized organization of Tairona society complicated Spanish operations and prolonged Indigenous resistance. Many surviving Tairona groups are thought to have withdrawn into more remote highland areas, beyond the effective reach of colonial institutions. This process contributed to the preservation of cultural traditions that are widely associated with the ancestors of the contemporary Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Kankuamo peoples. NB: This AI-authored synopsis was reviewed and slightly edited by the Editors to ensure accuracy and reliability. It should be understood as provisional, awaiting completion or replacement by one of our qualified contributors.