Lautaro

Background

At age 11 he was captured by the Spaniards and forced into servitude by Pedro de Valdivia, becoming his personal servant. The Spaniards gave him the name Felipe Lautaro.

He learned military ways by observation and witnessed atrocities committed by the Spaniards on captive Mapuche warriors, including the cutting off of feet and hands of his own parents. After the victory at Tucapel, Mapuche tradition dictated a lengthy victory celebration, which kept Lautaro from pursuing the advantage. His head was cut off and displayed in the plaza of Santiago.

Did You Know?

• Lautaro's original name was Leftraru, meaning 'swift hawk' in Mapudungun.
• He spent his teenage years as a personal servant and stableman for conquistador Pedro de Valdivia.

Battle of Marihueñu

Lautaro chose the hill of Marihueñu for battle, organizing his forces into four divisions: two to contain the enemy, a third in reserve, and a fourth to cut off retreat. A small group destroyed the reed bridge over the Bío-Bío River. The Spanish broke the first Mapuche lines, but the third division held, then attacked the flanks while the fourth struck from behind. After hours, only a small Spanish group escaped.

Despite victory, Lautaro could not pursue due to his people's celebrations. He reached Concepción to find it abandoned, burned it, but lacked forces to continue. Villagra reorganized and reinforced Spanish strongholds while the Mapuche suffered a smallpox epidemic. In 1555, Lautaro besieged Concepción with 4,000 warriors; only 38 Spaniards escaped by sea.

Peteroa and the Battle of Mataquito

After the second destruction of Concepción, Lautaro aimed to attack Santiago but found scant support; his troops dwindled to 600. In October 1556, he fortified a camp at Peteroa on the Mataquito River. He repulsed attacks by Diego Cano and later Pedro de Villagra, but retreated toward the Maule River after losing 200 warriors, then beyond the Itata River. He launched another campaign toward Santiago when Villagra's army passed him.

The city's leaders learned of his advance and sent a small expedition, buying time for Villagra to return. From a Picunche informant, the Spanish learned the layout of Lautaro's camp. At dawn on April 29, 1557, they launched a surprise attack at the Battle of Mataquito. Lautaro was killed early in the fighting; his head was cut off and displayed in Santiago's plaza.