The Spanish Conquest of Chile: From Almagro to the Disaster of Curalaba
Diego de Almagro: In the year he was in Chile, he reached the Itata River and then returned to the Aconcagua River. On his return, he faced the Indians in the Battle of Reynogüelén.
Almagro set out from Aconcagua and began to search for gold in Marga-Marga.
* Land Grant: The grant consisted of a land title to all members participating in the army of conquest.
Pedro de Valdivia: Valdivia sought help from the Viceroy to ease the conflict (1547). Through the Royal Decree, King Charles V gave him the title of Governor of Chile (1548).
Round Trip Made by Almagro: Cuzco, Titicaca, Paru, Chicoana, crossing San Francisco, Copiapó, Itata River, Aconcagua, Marga-Marga, desert, Cuzco.
Why Valdivia Came to Chile: For while there was an area in his blood to awaken his ancestors of triumph and glory, it was quiet.
Reasons for Founding Santiago: Rivers, fertile land, firewood, strategic military position (hill), adequate agricultural resources, and indigenous population.
Forts and Cities Founded by Valdivia: Fort Tucapel, Santiago, Concepción, Nueva Imperial, Valdivia, and La Serena.
Santiago Destroyed in 1547 by: The Picunches.
Strategy Used to Defend Santiago: Beheaded seven chiefs and displayed their heads on horseback, always ready.
City of Santiago According to the Gamboa Plan: Straight streets, solar signals, and a central square.
King Charles V gave the governorship of Extremadura to Pedro de Valdivia.
Cities Founded in the North of the Country: La Serena, San Juan de la Frontera.
The Conquest Part II (1553-1598)
1553 Tucapel -> Death of Valdivia – Lautaro
**Governors of Chile:** Francisco de Aguirre (La Serena), Francisco de Villagra (Concepción), Rodrigo de Quiroga (Interim).
Villagra assumed the interim government of Chile. His work included the foundation of the cities of Osorno and Cañete in 1558. He also established a labor regime for the natives, which consisted of 1/5 of the Indians working in the mines and 1/6 on the land. Children, women, and chiefs were excluded, only people over 18 and under 60 years old. The system was called the “Tasa de Santillana” after its creator, the lawyer E. Santillana.
The natives worked in shifts called “mitas.”
In the province of Cuyo, he founded the city of Mendoza, named after himself.
In 1561, Mendoza left the governorship, and Villagra assumed it again from 1561 to 1563. Villagra reformed the Tasa de Santillana and canceled the encomienda system.
Pedro de Villagra then governed from 1563 to 1565. Among his major works: he created the Army neighborhood, regularized the encomienda system, and began to depopulate the forts to maintain a quota.
Rodrigo de Quiroga governed from 1565 to 1567. He sent an expedition to the island of Chiloé to colonize and conquer it (1567), led by Captain Martín Ruiz de Gamboa, who founded the city of Castro.
The Royal Audiencia took over for a few months in 1567.
Rodrigo de Quiroga governed again from 1575 to 1580. During this period, he faced attacks by privateers and pirates. The best known is Francis Drake, who sacked Valparaíso. They were primarily British and Dutch.
**Martín Ruiz de Gamboa (1580-1583):** Established the “Tasa de Gamboa,” which required Indians to give 1/10 of the gold they found to the Spanish colony. In 1580, the city of Chillán was founded. He began a pacification campaign between the Biobío and Maule rivers and ordered the Strait of Magellan to be populated under Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa. The expedition failed, and only a few survivors were rescued by a pirate who founded the settlement of Puerto del Hambre.
**Alonso de Sotomayor (1583-1595):** Abolished the Tasa de Gamboa and reinstated the Tasa de Santillana. He ordered the construction of a fort in each city.
**Martín García Óñez de Loyola (1595-1598):** Released the natives who were in rebellion against the Spanish, thinking that they would submit. However, the natives united and caused the Disaster of Curalaba in 1598. The natives began to destroy the cities south of the Biobío River, leading to a renewed period of conquest (1600).
Conquest
Population of Spain -> Founding of Cities -> Checkerboard Pattern
The common people lived on the outskirts (villa), while the nobles and wealthy resided in the center.
Among their entertainments were medieval tournaments and bullfights.
Economy
In the sixteenth century, it became known as the “gold century.” Gold mines were located in: Quilacoya, Marga-Marga, Villarrica, Valdivia, Imperial, and Osorno.
Barter was used to exchange gold for merchandise. Weapons, textiles, clothing, materials, horses, cows, and farm animals were exchanged with Spain. Also, things like olives and grapes.
Chilean craftsmen were engaged in making furniture, utensils, and cutlery.
The Indians mostly worked in mining, where they were exploited. Diseases like tuberculosis and syphilis were brought by the Spanish, leading to racial mixing (Zambo, Mulatto, Mestizo).
Council of the Indies
* **Patronage:** The king’s authority over the Catholic Church, where he appointed religious authorities and authorized religious congregations to come to America.
The Spanish monarchy was absolutist in this era (the 3 powers in one person: judicial, legislative, executive).
* **House of Trade:** Controlled trade in America.
Government in America
* **Viceroy:** The king’s representative in America.
* **Governor:** Responsible for administration, policy, justice, military, and patronage.
* **Captain General:** High-level military officer. The Captain General stood in for the Governor when he was absent. The Captaincy General had subdivisions.
* **Corregidor:** Provincial governor.
* **Intendencia:** Established in 1786 in Chile, with Santiago as its seat.
* **Royal Audiencia:** A court that controlled the governor and the church and supervised the treatment of Indians. It was composed of: 4 judges, 1 prosecutor, 1 president (governor).
* **Royal Audiencia of Concepción:** 1565-1575 (created by Pedro de Valdivia).
* **Royal Audiencia of Santiago:** 1606 (created by García Hurtado de Mendoza).
The Cabildo
A traditional, multi-member institution of the Middle Ages aimed at administration and the common good. Functions: to represent the community, to ensure cleanliness and order, administer civil and criminal justice, oversee the city’s food supply, control the water supply, and ensure the well-being of the community.
**Composition:** 2 mayors, 6 aldermen, 7 officials, accredited neighbors.
**Officials:** Attorney, sheriff, Alferez Real, faithful executioner, steward, clerk, mason.
Similarities and Differences Between Cabildo and Municipality
* **Cabildo:** Custodial functions with a shared character.
* **Municipality:** Custodial function, a shared function.
* **Cabildo:** Undemocratic elections (exclusive members only).
* **Municipality:** Direct elections.
* **Open Cabildo:** All accredited neighbors could participate.
* **Closed Cabildo:** Only officials and some invited neighbors could participate.
The councilors were elected through a proportional system.
Colonial Society
social and racial
-upper class: the people composed of the aristocracy, was divided into 2: Peninsular (all Spanish who were born in Europe and lived in america), Creole (all Spanish born in America)
the main office were appointed to the peninsular and charges low and middle-to Creoles.
in the XVI-XVII century upper class composed of Spanish and entrusted mmilitares
in the seventeenth century Creole terratemientes (agriculture)