Coahuiltecans After the Conquest The Coahuiltecans suffered terribly as a result of the Spanish Conquest. When the Spanish came, European diseases killed many entire bands of Coahuiltecans. Surviving bands lost nine out of every ten members. In fact, Spanish missionaries described the Coahuiltecans as having become primitive and extremely poor. Their camps were described as very dirty, and they had been forced to hunt bugs and lizards for food, as well as eat rotten meat, dirt, and maggots. The Spanish also captured Coahuiltecans to work as slaves in the mines, which caused many to die. In addition, the Coahuiltecans lost some of their best lands along the rivers when the Spanish built their missions and ranches there. Moreover, when the Lipan Apache were forced south, the Coahuiltecans had to compete with them to find food, water, campgrounds, and other necessities of life.   [more]