Cuerno Verde (died September 3, 1779) is the Spanish name for Green Horn akaTavibo Naritgant, a Chief of theComanche, likely of the Kotsoteka Comanche, in the late 18th century.
Cuerno Verde ("Green Horn" in English), is the Spanish name given to Tavibo Naritgant ("Dangerous Man") because of the green tinted horn(s) that he wore on his head-dress in battle. The English translation of the Comanche name is "Dangerous Man."[1] His son inherited both the name and the distinctive head dress from the father, who was killed in combat against the Spanish atOjo Caliente, in what is now New Mexico, in October 1768.[2]
As a young man, Tabivo Naritgant led a series of successful raids intoNuevo Mexico during the mid- to late 1770s. The Spanish Viceroy inNew Spain noticed this threat to them, and offeredJuan Bautista de Anza the governorship of Nuevo Mexico with instructions to deal with the various local Indians, including Tavibo Naritgant. De Anza moved to Nuevo Mexico and assumed the Governorship and for a year, studied past expeditions against and encounters with Cuerno Verde. A year later, in August 1779, de Anza led a mixed force of 500 to 800 Spanish troops and Ute, Apache, and Pueblo auxiliaries on apunitive expedition against the Comanche.[3][4]
The Comanche and Spanish forces met in a series of running battles between August 31 and September 3, 1779; Tabivo Naritgant was killed in combat, along with his first-born son and fifteen others, on September 3 somewhere between the present day cities ofPueblo, Colorado andColorado City, Colorado, probably in a gully of the St. Charles River. Hostilities in the area decreased following his death.[5]
The "green horn" head-dress of Cuerno Verde was taken from the battlefield and presented to the Viceroy by de Anza. It has been reported that the Viceroy presented the headdress to the King of Spain, who in turn presented the headdress to the Pope.[6]
Anza called him a "cruel scourge" and made note in his diaries of atrocities attributed to him. Some modern Comanches question the veracity of Anza's statements while maintaining that Tabivo Naritgant'a warring activities were appropriate for a Comanche leader of the period.[7]
Greenhorn Mountain and theGreenhorn Valley in south-central Colorado are named after the English translation of his Spanish name.[1]
