In 1550 Pedro de Valdivia , who aimed to control all of Chile to the Straits of Magellan, traveled southward to conquer Mapuche territory. Between 1550 and 1553 the Spanish founded several cities in Mapuche lands including Concepción, Valdivia, Imperial, Villarrica and Angol.
When were the Mapuche defeated?
In 1550 Valdivia pressed southward and founded Concepción at the mouth of the Biobío River, but in 1553 he and his followers were defeated by the Mapuche under Lautaro, a chief who had spent about two years in Valdivia’s service.
How did the Mapuche defeat the Spanish?
A Mapuche army attempted to raze the fort but were defeated by artillery and gunfire .
Where did the Mapuches come from?
Mapuche, the most numerous group of Indians in South America. They numbered more than 1,400,000 at the turn of the 21st century. Most inhabit the Central Valley of Chile , south of the Biobío River. A smaller group lives in Neuquén provincia, west-central Argentina.
Why did the Spanish conquer Chile?
Ferdinand Magellan first landed on the shores of Chile in 1520, and Spanish conquest followed soon after. Early Spanish conquistadors came from Peru in the north, hoping to exploit the area for precious gold and silver.
Did the Spanish conquered the Mapuche?
Despite these contacts Mapuche were never completely subjugated by the Spanish Empire. Between the 18th and 19th century Mapuche culture and people spread eastwards into the Pampas and the Patagonian plains.
Did the Spanish invade Chile?
The conquest of Chile was not carried out directly by the Spanish Crown but by Spaniards that formed enterprises for those purposes and gathered financial resources and soldiers for the enterprise by their own.
What’s the longest war in history?
The longest continual war in history was the Iberian Religious War , between the Catholic Spanish Empire and the Moors living in what is today Morocco and Algeria. The conflict, known as the “Reconquista,” spanned 781 years — more than three times as long as the United States has existed.
What does the Mapuche flag symbolize?
What does the Mapuche flag symbolize? ... The Mapuche flag’s colors, stripes and symbols represent aspects of an indigenous cosmovision and indigenous liberation . The yellow drumlike center includes symbols like the sun, moon and stars, all of which represent knowledge.
Who ruled Chile before independence?
Spain conquered and colonized the region in the mid-16th century, replacing Inca rule, but failing to conquer the independent Mapuche who inhabited what is now south-central Chile. In 1818, after declaring independence from Spain, Chile emerged in the 1830s as a relatively stable authoritarian republic.
Is Chile a religious country?
Religion has played a significant role in social and political life throughout Chilean history. Christianity especially continues to be a dominant force in Chilean society. Indeed, most of the population identify with some form of Christianity (84.1%), with the majority identifying as Roman Catholic (66.7%).
What language did the Mapuches speak?
Mapuche (/mæˈpʊtʃi/) or Mapudungun (from mapu ‘land’ and dungun ‘speak, speech’) is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from mapu ‘land’ and che ‘people’). It is also spelled Mapuzugun and Mapudungu.
What does Mapuche mean in Spanish?
The Mapuche (/mæˈpʊtʃi/, Mapuche and Spanish: [maˈputʃe]) are a group of Indigenous inhabitants of present-day south -central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of present-day Patagonia. ... The Mapuche are particularly concentrated in the Araucanía region.
How many slaves did Chile have?
Although no economic benefits led to any large importation of African slaves to Chile, roughly around 6,000 Africans were transported directly to Chile where they went into mainly domestic service as a means of status for colonists and as a work force in the mining of Gold in Arica.
Why does Chile exist?
Chile’s length is largely a product of colonial expansion and modern military campaigns . ... During the War of the Pacific in the 1880s, Chile battled Peru and Bolivia for control of the lucrative, nitrate-rich land to the north. The victorious Chileans snatched up Peru’s southern tip and Bolivia’s entire Pacific coast.
Who are Chiles closest alliances?
Chile is a member of the Inter-American Development Bank, Organisation of American States (OAS), CELAC, FEALAC, UNASUR and Pacific Alliance . It is an associate member of the Andean Community and Mercosur.
