Mencey of the kingdom of Anaga in Tenerife. He was one of the few Guanche leaders who initially collaborated with the Castilian conquerors.
Ruymán was the mencey of the kingdom of Anaga, located in the far north-east of Tenerife, a region of cliffs and laurel forests. When Alonso Fernández de Lugo arrived in Tenerife in 1494, the island was divided into nine menceyatos. Five of them — led by Bencomo of Taoro — formed the war faction; the other four chose to make a pact with the conquerors. Ruymán was among the latter, the so-called 'menceyes of peace'.
Ruymán's decision was not one of cowardice but of political pragmatism. Anaga was a peripheral and difficult-to-defend territory; collaboration allowed him to preserve certain prerogatives for his people and avoid total destruction. The menceyes of peace acted as auxiliary allies of the Castilian army in the campaign against the war faction, which created deep tensions in Guanche society.
After the conquest, Ruymán and the other collaborating menceyes were rewarded with the maintenance of their social status and the preservation of their properties. However, their descendants were gradually absorbed into the new colonial society. Ruymán represents the universal dilemma of the leader who must choose between resistance and agreement when circumstances make victory impossible.