BECERRILLO: THE TERRIFYING WAR DOG OF THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORS
Dogs have been used as powerful weapons of war for at least the last 3,000 years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Sarmatians, Britons, and Romans are all known to have used dogs in combat, or for scouts, sentries, trackers, or executioners. But the Spanish conquistadors employed war dogs on a scale that had rarely been seen before, and with devastating effect.
Becerrillo, The ‘Bull’ That Was Trained To Kill Becerrillo, a name meaning ‘Little Bull’, was a brown-eyed, red pelted mastiff owned by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León but often entrusted to the care of conquistadors Captain Diego Guilarte de Salazar and Sancho de Aragón.
Death The campaign of terror committed through Becerrillo came to an end one morning in 1514 when indigenous Caribs from the island of Vieques captured Sancho de Aragรณn. According to chronicles, the dog pursued the attackers who had taken off in dugout canoes, but making his way through the water, Becerrillo became an easy target and was hit by a volley of arrows and died. He was given a secret burial and was mourned more than their fallen comrades. Like every soldier and every dog loyal to his master, Becerrillo was dutiful and allegiant until the very end. He may have taken many lives, but it was his masters who were the true killers.