- Conquest of Chile
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History of Chile
This article is part of a seriesEarly History Monte Verde Mapuche Inca Empire Colonial times Conquest of Chile Spanish Empire Captaincy General Arauco War Building a nation Patria Vieja War of Independence Patria Nueva 1829 Civil War War of the Confederation Republican period Conservative Republic Liberal Republic War of the Pacific Parliamentary period Chilean Civil War Parliamentary Republic 1924 coup d'état Presidential period 1925 coup d'état Presidential Republic Radical governments Allende and UP era Pinochet regime 1973 coup d'état Military dictatorship Contemporary Chile Transition to democracy Politics of Chile Topical Economic history Chilean coup d'état Political scandals
Chile Portal
The Conquest of Chile is a period in Chilean historiography that starts with the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia to Chile in 1541 and ends with the death of Martín García Óñez de Loyola, in the Battle of Curalaba in 1598 or alternatively with the Destruction of the Seven Cities. This was the period of Spanish conquest of land, founding of cities and establishment of the Kingdom of Chile. The cities founded despite setbacks in the Arauco War were: Santiago (1541), La Serena (1544), Concepción (1551), La Imperial, Valdivia, Villarrica (1552), Los Confines (1553), Cañete (1557), Osorno (1558), Arauco (1566), Castro (1567), Chillán (1580) and Santa Cruz de Oñez (1595) . This period ended with Loyola's death and the loss of all seven of their cities in Araucanía. The Arauco War continued but the Spanish were never able to recover their prior control in Araucanía south of the Bío Bío River.
Contents
Expedition of Pedro de Valdivia to Chile
In April 1539, Francisco Pizarro authorized Pedro de Valdivia as his lieutenant governor with orders to conquer Chile, but that did not offer monetary aid, which he had to procure on his own account. This Valdivia did associated with the merchant Francisco Martínez Vegaso, captain Alonso de Monroy and Pedro Sanchez de la Hoz, the old secretary of Pizarro that had returned from Spain with the authorization from the king to explore the territories south of Peru to the Strait of Magellan and the title of governor of the land that was discovered there.
Timeline of events
Year Date Event 1540 December Pedro de Valdivia takes possession of Chile in the name of the King of Spain. 1541 February 12 Santiago is founded. September 11 Michimalonco leads a Picunche attack on Santiago, the city is severely damaged but the attack is repelled. 1544 September 4 La Serena is founded by Juan Bohón. 1549 January 11 La Serena is destroyed by natives. August 26 La Serena is refounded. 1551 October 5 Concepción is founded. 1552 San Felipe de Rauco, La Imperial and Villarrica are founded. February 9 The city of Valdivia is founded by Pedro de Valdivia. 1553 Los Confines is founded. December 25 The battle of Tucapel takes place, governor Pedro de Valdivia is killed after the battle. 1554 February 23 The battle of Marihueñu takes place, Concepción is abandoned and destroyed. October 17 Jerónimo de Alderete is appointed governor of Chile in Spain by the king but dies on his journey to Chile. 1557 April 1 Francisco de Villagra defeats the Mapuches and kills their leader Lautaro at the battle of Mataquito. April 23 The new governor García Hurtado de Mendoza arrives in La Serena. June García Hurtado de Mendoza arrives in the bay of Concepcion and builds a fort at Penco, then defeats the Mapuche army trying to disloge him. October 10 García Hurtado de Mendoza defeats the Mapuche army in the Battle of Lagunillas. November 7 García Hurtado de Mendoza defeats Caupolicán in the Millarupe. 1558 January 11 Cañete founded by Mendoza. February 5 Pedro de Avendaño captured the Mapuche toqui Caupolicán, later executed by impalement in Cañete. March 27 Osorno is founded. December 13 Battle of Quiapo, Mendoza defeats the Mapuche and San Felipe de de Araucan rebuilt. 1559 January 6 Concepción is refounded. 1561 Francisco de Villagra succeeds García Hurtado de Mendoza as governor. 1563 Cañete is abandoned. July 22 Francisco de Villagra dies and is succeeded as governor by his cousin Pedro de Villagra. San Felipe de de Araucan is soon abandoned. August 29 The territories of Tucumán are separated from the Captaincy General of Chile and transferred to the Real Audiencia of Charcas. 1564 February Concepción is unsuccessfully sieged by native Mapuches. 1565 A Real Audiencia is established in Concepción. 1566 January San Felipe de de Araucan is refounded. 1567 With the founding of Castro the dominions of the Captaincy General of Chile are extended into Chiloé Archipelago. 1570 February 8 The 1570 Concepción earthquake affects all of south-central Chile. 1575 The Real Audiencia of Concepción is abolished. December 16 The 1575 Valdivia earthquake affects all of southern Chile. 1576 April Valdivia is flooded by a Riñihuazo caused by the 1575 Valdivia earthquake. 1578 December 5 Valpraíso is plundered by Francis Drake, the first corsair in Chilean waters. 1580 June 26 Chillán is founded. 1584 March 25 Puerto Hambre is founded in the Straits of Magellan by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa. 1587 Thomas Cavendish finds Puerto Hambre as a ruin city. 1594 May Fort of Santa Cruz de Oñez is founded and becomes the city of Santa Cruz de Coya the following year. 1598 December 21 The battle of Curalaba takes place, governor Martín García Óñez de Loyola is killed during the battle. 1599 Los Confines, Santa Cruz de Coya and Valdivia are destroyed. The Real Situado, an annual payment to finance the Arauco War, is established. 1600 La Imperial is destroyed. 1602 Villarrica is destroyed. 7 de febrero de 1603, se ri March 13 A fort is established in the ruins of Valdivia. 1603 February 7 The last inhabitants of Villarrica surrender to the Mapuches and became captives. 1604 Arauco and Osorno are destroyed. February 3 The fort at Valdivia is abandoned. References
Sources
- Pedro de Valdivia, Cartas de Pedro de Valdivia (Letters of Pedro Valdivia), University of Chile: Diarios, Memorias y Relatos Testimoniales: (on line in Spanish)
- Jerónimo de Vivar, Crónica y relación copiosa y verdadera de los reinos de Chile (Chronicle and abundant and true relation of the kingdoms of Chile) ARTEHISTORIA REVISTA DIGITAL; Crónicas de América (on line in Spanish)
- Alonso de Góngora Marmolejo,Historia de Todas las Cosas que han Acaecido en el Reino de Chile y de los que lo han gobernado (1536-1575) (History of All the Things that Have happened in the Kingdom of Chile and of they that have governed it (1536-1575)), University of Chile: Document Collections in complete texts: Cronicles (on line in Spanish)
- Pedro Mariño de Lobera,Crónica del Reino de Chile , escrita por el capitán Pedro Mariño de Lobera....reducido a nuevo método y estilo por el Padre Bartolomé de Escobar. Edición digital a partir de Crónicas del Reino de Chile Madrid, Atlas, 1960, pp. 227-562, (Biblioteca de Autores Españoles ; 569-575). Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes (on line in Spanish)
- Melchor Jufré del Águila, Compendio historial del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Reino de Chile (Historical compendium of the Discovery and Conquest of the Kingdom of Chile), University of Chile: Document Collections in complete texts: Cronicles (on line in Spanish)
- Diego de Rosales, “Historia General del Reino de Chile”, Flandes Indiano, 3 tomos. Valparaíso 1877 - 1878.
- Vicente Carvallo y Goyeneche, Descripcion Histórico Geografía del Reino de Chile (Description Historical Geography of the Kingdom of Chile), University of Chile: Document Collections in complete texts: Chronicles (on line in Spanish)
Categories:- History of South America
- History of Chile
- Wars involving Spain
- Mapuche
- Spanish conquests in the Americas
- Rebellions against the Spanish Empire
- 16th century in Chile
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