Spanish Conquest of Chile: Exploration, Colonization, and Conflict
The Age of Exploration (1480-1520)
European Ignorance
In 1480, Europeans were largely unaware of the Americas, Australia, and parts of Southern Africa.
Causes of Exploration
- Marco Polo’s travels eastward sparked interest in distant lands.
- The development of printing facilitated the spread of travelogues.
- The Ottoman Empire’s control of trade routes to the East motivated Europeans to seek alternative routes to acquire silks and spices.
- Improvements in shipbuilding technology, such as the caravel, and the adoption of sternpost rudders enhanced maritime capabilities.
- New navigational instruments like the astrolabe, sextant, and compass improved navigation.
- The growing acceptance of a spherical Earth encouraged exploration.
Portuguese Exploration
Prince Henry the Navigator played a crucial role in driving Portuguese voyages of discovery. He established a school of navigation at Sagres and encouraged exploration along the African coast.
Factors that Enabled Portuguese Expansion:
- Favorable geographical location
- Need for maritime commerce
- Royal support for navigators and the school of navigation
Key Portuguese Explorers:
- 1487: Bartholomew Diaz reached the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope.
- 1498: Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived in Calicut, India, establishing a new sea route to the East.
Spanish Exploration
In the 15th century, Spain was engaged in the Reconquista, the centuries-long effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. The union of Aragon and Castile in 1469 strengthened the Spanish crown and culminated in the final expulsion of the Moors in 1492. This victory allowed Spain to focus its resources on exploration.
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus, a Genoese sailor, believed he could reach the East Indies by sailing west. His project was initially rejected by the Portuguese and Spanish monarchs.
Factors that Initially Hindered Columbus:
- The Spanish monarchs were preoccupied with the war against the Moors.
- Scholars at the University of Salamanca questioned the feasibility of his project.
- Securing funding was a challenge.
After eight years of persistence, Columbus secured the support of Queen Isabella I. The Capitulations of Santa Fe, a contract granting Columbus significant privileges, was signed.
Columbus’s Voyages:
- First Voyage (1492): Columbus sailed from Palos de la Frontera with three caravels and reached Guanahani, which he named San Salvador. He also explored Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti).
- Second Voyage (1493-1496): Columbus returned with a larger fleet and explored the Lesser Antilles.
- Third Voyage (1498): Columbus reached the mainland of South America near the Orinoco River delta. He faced numerous challenges and was eventually sent back to Spain in chains.
- Fourth Voyage (1502-1504): Columbus explored the coasts of Central America.
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas to divide newly discovered lands outside Europe. The treaty established a north-south line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. Lands west of the line belonged to Spain, while lands east of the line belonged to Portugal.
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci recognized that the lands discovered by Columbus were not part of Asia but a new continent. The continent was subsequently named America in his honor.
Early Exploration of South America
Pedro Álvares Cabral
In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, landed in Brazil.
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the American side.
Juan Díaz de Solís
In 1516, Juan Díaz de Solís explored the Río de la Plata.
Ferdinand Magellan
In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan discovered the strait that bears his name. His expedition completed the first circumnavigation of the globe.
The Conquest of Chile
The Encomienda System
The encomienda system granted conquistadors the right to extract labor from Indigenous populations in exchange for providing protection and religious instruction. This system often led to exploitation and abuse.
Diego de Almagro’s Expedition (1535-1537)
Diego de Almagro led an expedition south from Peru into present-day Chile. The expedition faced hardships and returned without finding the riches they sought.
Pedro de Valdivia’s Expedition (1540-1553)
Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador, led an expedition to Chile in 1540. He founded Santiago in 1541 and established several other settlements.
Valdivia’s Death (1553)
In 1553, Valdivia was captured and killed by Mapuche forces led by Lautaro during the Battle of Tucapel.
The Arauco War
The Arauco War was a prolonged conflict between the Spanish and the Mapuche people of southern Chile. The war began in the mid-16th century and continued for centuries.
García Hurtado de Mendoza (1557-1561)
García Hurtado de Mendoza, a Spanish governor of Chile, led military campaigns against the Mapuche. Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga, a soldier and poet, chronicled the war in his epic poem La Araucana.
Later Governors and the Real Audiencia
Subsequent governors continued the war against the Mapuche. The establishment of the Real Audiencia of Chile marked a significant step in the consolidation of Spanish rule.
The Disaster of Curalaba (1598)
The Disaster of Curalaba was a major Mapuche victory that resulted in the destruction of several Spanish settlements south of the Bío Bío River.