Butapichón facts for kids

Butapichón (also spelled Butapichún or Putapichon) was an important Mapuche leader called a toqui. A toqui was like a war chief or general for the Mapuche people. Butapichón led his people against the Spanish forces in Chile during the 1600s.

He was a toqui two times. First, he led the Mapuche from 1625 to 1631, taking over after another leader named Lientur. Then, after the death of Quepuantú in 1632, Butapichón became toqui again, leading from 1632 to 1634.

Butapichón's Leadership as Toqui

As a toqui, Butapichón led the Mapuche in many successful attacks and battles against the Spanish. These attacks were often called malones. A malón was a quick raid or attack, often used to surprise the enemy and take resources.

Key Battles and Strategies

On January 24, 1630, Butapichón set a trap for a Spanish military leader named Alonso de Córdoba y Figueroa in a place called Pilcohué. The Mapuche didn't win the battle completely, but they caused many injuries and losses for the Spanish.

Later, Butapichón and another toqui, Quepuantú, faced a very skilled Spanish governor named Francisco Laso de la Vega. This led to a big battle known as the Battle of La Albarrada on January 13, 1631. In this battle, Governor Laso de la Vega defeated the Mapuche forces.

After this defeat, Butapichón decided to change his strategy. He stopped fighting big, open battles against Laso de la Vega. Instead, he went back to using the malón strategy, similar to what the previous toqui, Lientur, had done. This meant focusing on quick raids and avoiding direct, large-scale confrontations.

Eventually, another toqui named Huenucalquin took over leadership from Butapichón.

See also

In Spanish: Butapichón para niños