The valley area of San Juan was the seat of Maguana whose leader was Caonabo. Caonabo in aboriginal language means "gran señor de la tierra or Great Lord of the Earth". Caonabo was the cacique or chief of the Taínos, upon the death of his uncle and became the most important and powerful ruler in Hispaniola at the time. He led the Taíno revolt against the Spanish invaders and was captured and died in a shipwreck while being taken to Spain as a prisoner. A brother of Caonabo and other allied Taíno caciques led the revolt against the Spanish and finally lost the battle in 1495.