The Arauco War occurred from 1546 to 1662 in the Araucania region of Chile as the Native American Mapuche tribes waged a war of resistance against the Spanish Empire. The Mapuche were so successful in fighting off the Spanish Army that the war became known as the "Indian Flanders" in reference to Spain's concurrent struggle against the Dutch United Provinces in the "Dutch Revolt". The Arauco War cost the largest number of Spanish lives in the New World, and the Mapuche retained their independence south of the Biobio River until after the Chilean War of Independence.
History[]
In 1541, the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia began the Spanish Empire's conquest of Chile, coming into conflict with the Native American Mapuche tribes of Araucania in the process. In 1546, having secured control of northern Chile, Valdivia decided to initiate a campaign to conquer Araucania from its native inhabitants. Valdivia set out with 60 horsemen and crossed the Itata River, and he was defeated at the Battle of Quilacura and forced to retreat back north, where he founded the city of Concepcion. In 1550, Valdivia launched a new expedition of 200 Spanish Army troops and Mapuche auxiliaries, assisted by a naval force led by Juan Bautista Pastene. This force advanced to the shores of the Biobio River and killed several Mapuche with little loss to themselves, and they defeated a Mapuche surprise attack at the Battle of Andalien. On 1 March 1550, Valdivia founded the city of Concepcion del Nuevo Extremo, and, on 12 March 1550, the small Spanish garrison of Concepcion fought off a Mapuche attack at the Battle of Penco. In 1551, Valdivia founded another fort, La Imperial, on the banks of the Rio Imperial. After bringing in 200 reinforcements, Valdivia had Jeronimo de Alderete establish a fort at Villarrica, after which he and Francisco de Villagra (bringing with him reinforcements from Peru) marched south and founded the city of Santa Maria la Blanca de Valdivia. After garrisoning these new forts, Valdivia returned to Concepcion in 1552.
In 1553, a third expedition by Valdivia resulted in the foundation of forts at Tucapel, Puren, Confines, and Arauco. In October 1553, the Spanish opened the Quilacoya gold mine and used Mapuche forced laborers to mine it. Because of the growth of Spanish forces in Mapuche territory, the Mapuche toqui warchief Caupolican and his lieutenant Lautaro decided to initiate a rebellion against the Spanish, seizing and burning the fort at Tucapel. Valdivia attempted to counterattack in the Battle of Tucapel, during which his army was surrounded and massacred, and he was captured and executed in captivity. The Spanish responded by abandoning Confines and Arauco to reinforce Concepcion, and they also reinforced Fort Imperial. In 1554, Villagra's punitive expedition was defeated by Lautaro's 8,000-strong army at the Battle of Marihuenu, and he proceeded to burn the abandoned city of Concepcion. Later that year, Villagra razed and massacred several Mapuche villages, and the Real Audiencia in Lima ordered Villagra to rebuild Concepcion in 1555. Lautaro and 4,000 warriors attacked the city as it was being rebuilt, massacring its colonists.
Lautaro then planned to attack Santiago, and he retaliated against the Promaucaes natives who refused to join him in his campaign. The Spanish also committed atrocities against the Promaucaes to ensure that they did not join the Mapuche, and, on 29 April 1557, the Spanish killed Lautaro and decisiviely defeated his army at the Battle of Mataquito. A second "Great Mapuche Rebellion" led by Millalelmo broke out in 1561, killing Governor Francisco de Villagra's son in the process. The Mapuche chief Colocolo then besieged the Spanish forts of Los Infantes and Arauco in 1563, but their army was wracked by dysentery, forcing them to break off their sieges. After Francisco's death, his cousin Pedro de Villagra became the new Governor of Chile, and the Spanish achieved major successes from the 1560s to 1598. However, Governor Martin Garcia Onez de Loyola, the man who had captured Tupac Amaru, was killed in battle with the Mapuche chieftain Pelantaro at the Disaster of Curalaba on 21 December 1598 after King Philip II of Spain sent him to deal with the Mapuche threat. The Mapuche then counterattacked, resulting in the Destruction of the Seven Cities, eliminating all Spanish settlements south of the Biobio River with the exception of those in the Chiloe Archipelago: Santa Cruz de Coya in 1599, Santa Maria la Blanca de Valdivia in 1599, San Andres de los Infantes in 1599, La Imperial in 1600, Santa Maria Magdalena de Villa Rica in 1602, San Mateo de Osorno in 1603, and San Felipe de Araucan in 1604. The last major Mapuche uprising broke out in 1655, rebelling against the forces of Governor Francisco Antonio de Acuna Cabrera y Bayona in response to the enslavement of the indigenous. The Mapuche forced an exodus of the Spanish settlers south of the Maule River, and the Spanish were forced to form "parliaments" to negotiate with the Mapuche. After 1662, sporadic violence between the Spanish and Mapuche continued, including the 1712 Huiliche rebellion and another Mapuche uprising in 1723.