Huilliche uprising of 1712

Background

The Huilliches of Chiloé had previously acted against Spanish authority in 1600, aiding the Dutch corsair Baltazar de Cordes in attacking Castro. Unlike the indigenous population of continental Chile, that of Chiloé grew from 1700 onward, and by 1712 indigenous people constituted about half the archipelago's inhabitants. The encomiendas in Chiloé were the largest in Chile and were administered more abusively than on the mainland. Encomenderos failed to register tribute or salaries, often paid no wages, and ignored mandated free time.

Forced labor included travel to the continental coast to log alerce wood. The abuses of José de Andrade were a particular catalyst: he whipped Martín Antucan, tying him to an apple tree, flogging his genitals with nettles, then covering him in tow and setting him afire. Andrade judged wrongdoings himself, withheld pay, and tortured those too ill to work; his son behaved similarly, and his majordomo kidnapped children for shipment to continental Chile. At a meeting on 26 January 1712, the Huilliches set 10 February as the uprising date, aiming not to end Spanish rule but to exact vengeance for injustices.

Rebellion

The Huilliche plan was to strike Castro, the islands' main center for Spanish politics, wealth, and forced labor. On the night of February 10, they attacked Spanish homes and farms in central Chiloé, killing people and burning buildings. Some Spaniards barricaded themselves in Castro while the rebels surrounded them.

Spanish women and children were captured. Only high-ranking Spaniards were killed that first night; no poor Spaniards, mixed-race people, friars, or priests were harmed. Other Spaniards escaped by hiding in the woods. That same day, Spanish captains Juan de Aguilar and Diego Telles de Barrientos began putting down the revolt, fighting across Chiloé for eight days.

Also on February 10, a Spanish militia started killing Huilliches, but Jesuits stepped in to stop them. After the uprising was crushed, a small group of Huilliches fled to the Guaitecas Archipelago to escape harsh Spanish punishment. Other rebels found shelter with Father Manuel del Hoyo at the Mission of Nahuel Huapi, on the other side of the Andes.

Did You Know?

• Royal Governor José Marín de Velasco was suspended after the rebellion but later regained the king's approval and returned to rule in 1715, aiming to enforce rule of law on the encomienda system.
• The encomienda system was abolished in Chiloé in 1782, in the rest of Chile in 1789, and throughout the Spanish Empire in 1791.