Arauco War

Spanish conquest

An antecedent of the war was the Battle of Reynogüelén in 1536 between a detachment of Diego de Almagro's expedition and a large group of Mapuches. The war began with the campaigns of Pedro de Valdivia. During the conquest of Chile, Valdivia faced the toqui Michimalonco, who had expelled the Incas from northern Mapuche lands.

The Spanish and Mapuche fought at the Battle of Mapocho, where Valdivia was victorious. Michimalonco retreated to gather more contingents but was defeated again at the Battle of Chillox. After this victory, Valdivia founded Santiago in the Mapocho valley. He then attacked Michimalonco's fortress at Paidahuén, defeating the Mapuches and taking Michimalonco prisoner.

To gain freedom, Michimalonco offered the Spanish the Marga Marga gold pans. Later, Michimalonco's brother Trangolonco revolted, defeating the Spaniards at Marga Marga and Concón, burning a ship under construction. Trangolonco called on indigenous chiefs to send forces to join Michimalonco to expel the Spanish, gathering around 16,000 warriors.

First Great Mapuche Rebellion (1553)

Valdivia established forts at Tucapel, Purén, Confines, and Arauco to secure lines of communication. In October 1553, the Quilacoya gold mine opened, forcing many Mapuche to work. The Mapuches held a council and chose Caupolicán as toqui and Lautaro as vice toqui. Lautaro, having served as an auxiliary to Spanish cavalry, created the first Mapuche cavalry corps.

With six thousand warriors, he attacked and burned the fort at Tucapel. Valdivia mounted a counter-attack but was surrounded and massacred at the Battle of Tucapel; he was captured and killed. After this defeat, the Spanish reorganized, reinforcing fort Imperial and abandoning Confines and Arauco.

Lautaro's advance was delayed by Araucanian victory celebrations. In February 1554, he assembled 8,000 men and confronted a punitive expedition under Francisco de Villagra at the Battle of Marihueñu. Despite victory, celebrations again prevented him from pursuing the advantage. By the time he reached Concepción, it was abandoned; after burning it, his campaign ended as warriors demobilized.

Second Great Mapuche Rebellion (1561)

Hostilities resumed with the arrival of Francisco de Villagra. The rebellion began in July 1561 with the killing of encomendero Pedro de Avendaño and two other Spaniards in the valley of Puren. Spanish punitive expeditions drove insurgents into the Lumaco marshes, but the news spread a general rising. With Villagra's arrival came a smallpox epidemic that ravaged the native population.

The toqui Millalelmo laid siege to Arauco from May 20 to June 30, 1562. Later, Mapuches under Meuco fortified a pucará near Los Infantes; Arias Pardo Maldonado destroyed it but most Mapuches escaped. The corregidor of Cañete was killed trying to recapture mounts.

The Mapuches rebuilt the pucará in January 1563; Pedro de Villagra was sent to destroy it but many Spaniards fell into pits, including the governor's son and forty-two others. This defeat forced governor Francisco de Villagra to abandon Cañete. The revolt spread. The Mapuches under Colocolo attacked the forts of Los Infantes and Arauco but could not take them. Petegüelen offered peace, which Villagra accepted, but the peace was deceptive as the Mapuches needed to harvest their fields.

Campaigns between 1568 and 1598

Governor Melchor Bravo de Saravia y Sotomayor arrived from Lima in 1568, recruited soldiers, and marched south to join the army near the Tavolevo River in Catirai. Toqui Llanganabal fought at the Battle of Catirai. The 1570 Concepción earthquake occurred. Pailacar fought at the Battle of Purén.

Toqui Paineñamcu, also known as Alonso Diaz, was active. Governor Rodrigo de Quiroga led campaigns. The 1575 Valdivia earthquake struck.

Juan de Lebú was involved. Governor Martín Ruiz de Gamboa enacted the Tasa de Gamboa. Governor Alonso de Sotomayor arrived in 1583, judged accusations against his predecessor, abolished the Tasa de Gamboa, and reinstituted the Tasa de Santillán. He captured Alonso Diaz in 1584 and built a series of forts, including San Fabián de Conueo in Coelemu, forts around Catirai, Espíritu Santo, Santísima Trinidad, San Jerónimo de Millapoa, and a fort in Purén.

Did You Know?

• According to Diego de Rosales, 17th-century Mapuche chief Lientur explained he preferred to 'die warring, than in a bad peace'.
• The Real Audiencia of Santiago opined in the 1650s that slavery of Mapuches was one of the reasons for the constant state of war.