The Comanche Nation was once the dominant force in America, renowned for their unmatched military prowess. They successfully repelled many adversaries until their eventual defeat in the late eighteen hundreds. Discover the hidden history of the Comanche, one of the most formidable Native American tribes to ever exist.
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00:00The Comanche Nation was once the dominant force in America, renowned for their unmatched
00:05military prowess.
00:07They successfully repelled many adversaries until their eventual defeat in the late 1800s.
00:12Discover the hidden history of the Comanche, one of the most formidable Native American
00:16tribes to ever exist.
00:19By the 1870s, the Comanches were nearing their collapse due to persistent pressure from U.S.
00:25forces.
00:26Several factors contributed to this shift after decades of resistance.
00:29The brutal Civil War had provided the U.S. with a battle-hardened and modern military
00:34force, while the government's systematic destruction of the Native American's primary food source,
00:39buffalo, further weakened their ability to fight.
00:42President Ulysses S. Grant's resolve to end Comanche dominance played a pivotal role in
00:46their eventual defeat.
00:48However, there was another significant factor, disease.
00:51As the Comanches interacted more with settlers and traded, they were exposed to European
00:56diseases like smallpox and cholera.
00:58Lacking immunity, the Comanche population was decimated.
01:02Two major epidemics in 1816 and 1849 had already halved their numbers.
01:08Interestingly, the Quahadi band, led by Quanah Parker, was one of the last to stand strong.
01:14This group had deliberately avoided peaceful contact with settlers, which also meant they
01:18had avoided the plagues that ravaged other Comanche bands.
01:21As a result, the Quahadi were one of the few bands still capable of resisting the U.S.
01:26expansion into Comanche territory by the 1870s, making them a formidable force for
01:32the final battles.
01:33The Comanche nation's shift from peaceful hunter-gatherers to a dominant military force
01:38was both dramatic and complete.
01:40Once they mastered horsemanship in the late 17th century, their entire society became
01:45centered around warfare.
01:47This intense focus on battle shaped nearly every aspect of their culture, leaving little
01:52room for other pursuits.
01:53The Comanche lacked complex social structures, religious institutions, or any significant
01:58artistic expression.
02:00Instead, children were trained from a young age in the essential skills of riding, hunting
02:05and fighting, preparing them for a life focused solely on combat.
02:09In many ways, the Comanche society resembled that of the Spartans, where martial prowess
02:14was paramount.
02:15Their transformation into fierce warriors made them nearly unstoppable.
02:20Comanche raids struck terror into all who encountered them, with brutal tactics that
02:24left little mercy.
02:26In battle, no male enemies survived, regardless of surrender, and older children were often
02:31killed while young ones were taken captive.
02:33Women were subjected to horrific violence, and the destruction left in their wake was
02:37total.
02:38The Comanches waged a form of total warfare long before such a concept was officially
02:43defined, and their relentless aggression made them one of the most formidable military forces
02:49in North American history.
02:50A surprising aspect of US history is how the lengthy conflict between the Comanches and
02:56the United States is often overlooked or not referred to as a war.
03:00However, the Comanches waged a relentless campaign against Texas that spanned almost
03:05four decades, demonstrating their resilience and military prowess.
03:15The conflict with the Comanches began during the Spanish rule of Texas, continued through
03:20its time as an independent republic, and persisted even after it became part of the United States.
03:25To protect settlers, the Texas Rangers were formed, adopting the Comanches' brutal total
03:30war tactics.
03:31For many years, Texas struggled to contain the Comanches, who even expanded into Texan
03:36territory multiple times.
03:38It wasn't until Texas joined the Union and President Ulysses S. Grant prioritized their
03:43defeat that the tide began to turn.
03:45This led to a series of military campaigns that eventually culminated in the Comanches'
03:49defeat in the 1870s.
03:52The Comanche nation's rise to prominence in the 19th century defied the expectations
03:57of many, as their early history was far from the image of fierce warriors on horseback.
04:02Initially, the Comanche were nomadic hunter-gatherers who followed seasonal migrations of prey,
04:08lagging behind other Native American groups.
04:10Unlike the advanced civilizations of the Aztecs or the Iroquois, the Comanche had no
04:15permanent settlements or grand structures and were not particularly known for their
04:20aggression or warrior culture.
04:22However, everything changed when they encountered horses in the late 17th century, introduced
04:27by the Spanish.
04:28The Comanche quickly learned to master these powerful animals, a skill that transformed
04:32them into exceptional riders and fighters.
04:35They became experts in breeding, training, and utilizing horses in combat, and this newfound
04:40ability enabled them to conquer and dominate vast territories.
04:45By the 18th century, the Comanche had evolved into one of the most formidable forces in
04:49North America, commanding respect and fear as one of the most powerful Native American
04:55empires, with a warrior culture centered around their unparalleled skill in horsemanship.
05:00Instead of sedentary tribes who were agricultural from the east, you had nomadic tribes who
05:06were mounted in the west, and it changed everything.
05:09The Comancheria, a vast territory controlled by the Comanches, expanded rapidly as the
05:14tribe transformed into a formidable war machine.
05:17Once they mastered the horse, their society became solely focused on warfare, and they
05:22began their ascent as the lords of the plains.
05:25Over 150 years, the Comanches relentlessly pushed out rival tribes, gradually conquering
05:31vast stretches of land and dominating anyone they didn't destroy.
05:35By the 1820s, when Americans began venturing westward, the Comancheria had grown to cover
05:40an astounding 250,000 square miles, spanning across what would become Colorado, Kansas,
05:46Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.
05:49The Comanches also held sway over around 20 other tribes, who acknowledged their superiority.
05:55Historian Pekka Hämäläinen argues that the Comancheria was not just a tribal domain,
06:00it was an empire.
06:01They didn't just conquer land, they absorbed different cultures, imposed their own political
06:06and military systems, and acted as a unified entity in negotiations.
06:10The Comanche Empire, at its height, rivaled many European empires in power and sophistication.
06:16This immense strength is why the Spanish, French, and American colonization efforts
06:20stalled when they encountered the Comancheria.
06:23The Comanches' military prowess and organizational structure made them one of the most formidable
06:28forces in North America.
06:31In 1836, Comanche raiders kidnapped Cynthia Ann Parker, who was eventually integrated
06:37into the tribe.
06:38She married a Comanche warrior and had a son, Quanah Parker, in 1852.
06:43By the time Quanah grew into adulthood, the Comanche nation was nearing its end, and he
06:47emerged as its final leader.
06:50Known for his fierce bravery, Quanah quickly became a respected warrior.
06:53At just 19 years old, he led violent raids against American forces in 1871.
06:59In 1874, he gathered 300 warriors to launch one final attack against the advancing American
07:06troops threatening the Comancheria.
07:08Quanah Parker's final attempt to drive the Americans away unfolded at Adobe Walls, where
07:13around 28 hunters had taken refuge.
07:17The Comanches launched an assault, but instead of achieving a decisive victory, they found
07:21themselves locked in a prolonged battle.
07:24The siege lasted five days, ultimately ending in a retreat for the Native Americans.
07:29Despite the setback, the Comanches continued their raids, but American forces retaliated
07:34by destroying their supplies and killing their horses.
07:37This crippling blow led Quanah to surrender, and he agreed to relocate his remaining warriors
07:42to a reservation.
07:43Though the Comanche nation had been broken, Quanah proved to be an effective and respected
07:48leader in peacetime, guiding his people with wisdom as they adapted to a new way of life.
07:53He spent the rest of his life dedicated to his tribe, ensuring their well-being within
07:58the confines of the reservation.
08:01At the height of their power, the Comanches nearly decimated several Native American tribes,
08:05demonstrating their unrivaled dominance in the region.
08:08The tribes resisting U.S. expansion into the Midwest weren't unified, they were a collection
08:13of diverse nations with shared traditions.
08:16However, the Comanches stood apart, using their military prowess to wage aggressive
08:21campaigns against their fellow Native Americans.
08:24Their relentless attacks pushed other tribes off the Central Plains, forcing them to relocate.
08:29One of the most significant impacts was on the Apache nation, which came close to annihilation.
08:35The Comanches fought fiercely, decimating the Apaches in a series of brutal conflicts.
08:40As a result, many Apache groups were forced to seek protection from the Spanish, and some
08:44tribes disappeared altogether.
08:46But the Comanches' aggression wasn't limited to the Apaches.
08:49They inflicted considerable damage on tribes like the Pawnees, Osages, Blackfeet, Kiowas,
08:55and Tonkawas.
08:56These tribes were driven from their ancestral lands, and thousands of lives were lost in
09:00the process.
09:01By the mid-1700s, the Comanches controlled the vast expanse of the plains, and their
09:05influence was so feared that neighboring tribes respected their borders.
09:09The Comanches' ruthless military campaigns reshaped the landscape of Native American
09:14power, solidifying their status as one of the most formidable forces in North America.