The Araucanian War: The First Mapuche Rebellion of 1553

The Auraco region in colonial Chile resisted Spanish colonial domination much longer than the Spaniards would ever have predicted. Occupied by the Mapuche people who are thought to have been influenced by the Inca peoples, the Auraco region had served as the locus of their culture and a frontier still under challenge by the Spanish conquistadors. The Spanish, though, were fully committed to expanding the southern frontier of Chile, and had established a number of forts around Tucapel, Puren, and Confines. After these forts had been constructed, the Mapuche people opted for war, and appointed a former Spanish auxiliary and native Mapuche, Lautaro as vice toqui to the toqui Caupolican. Lautaro was an expert soldier and new exactly how to leverage his experience as a Spanish auxiliary to turn Spanish tactics against them. With a force of 6,000 warriors, Lautaro led the battle against the fort at Tucapel and routed the Spanish garrison there, later utilizing Spanish armaments to repulse a weak counter attack by conquistador Pedro de Valdivia. This victory represented the resolve of the Mapuche peopel to resist Spanish dominion, and presented a serious problem for the Spanish as new revolts sprung up in the wake of this defeat. Lautaro would go on to attempt a siege of Santiago, but ultimately faltered as a result of a smallpox epidemic that broke out between his forces and souring relations between some Mapuchan groups and other native tribes. Despite this, Lautaro’s brilliant resistance to the Spanish proved to be a declaration of Mapuche will, and a stark reminder that the Spanish were not invincible.

As reflected in the mural completed by P. Subercaseaux, Lautaro was a keen warrior who adeptly utilized the material and tactics of the Spanish against them. The mural above, completed in 1946, reflects this adaptability. As shown in the right-most section, the Mapuche are shown holding Spanish firearms and helmets, adopting horses as cavalry, and even seeming to operate a cannon. To the left, more traditional Mapuche warriors and citizens look to Lautaro as a beacon of Mapuche resistance and the proverbial savior of Mapuche lands. Centuries later, Lautaro has been cannonized as national hero of Chile, and a champion of native customs and culture. His resistance against the Spanish would inspire revolt in the Mapuche peoples for several generations, and would continue to ensure that the Auaracan region would remain a bastion of Mapuche culture and sovereignty

Works Cited

“Araucanian Wars.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/event/Araucanian-wars.

“Ministerio De Defensa Nacional.” EL JOVEN LAUTARO – Ministerio De Defensa Nacional, Ministerio De Defensa Nacional, www.defensa.cl/temas-de-contenido/rincon-historico-mindef/el-joven-lautaro/.

Image Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arauco_War#/media/File:El_joven_Lautaro_-_P._Subercaseaux.PNG