Huilliche uprising of 1792 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Huilliche uprising of 1792 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Spanish Empire |
Huilliches of Futahuillimapu | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Tomás de Figueroa |
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The Huilliche uprising of 1792 was a rebellion by the Huilliche, an indigenous group, against Spanish expansion. This happened in Futahuillimapu, a region in southern Chile. This area had been mostly free from Spanish control since 1602. The uprising began with Huilliche attacks on Spanish settlers and a religious mission near the Bueno River. After these attacks, a Spanish military group led by Tomás de Figueroa left Valdivia. They moved through Huilliche lands to stop the rebellion.
Contents
Why the Uprising Happened
In the mid-1700s, the Spanish area of Valdivia began to grow its farms. This growth mostly moved south and was peaceful. However, there were some fights with the native Huilliche people. For example, in 1758, a Huilliche chief named Huarán asked for Spanish help. He wanted soldiers to protect his land from his Cunco enemies.
The Governor of Valdivia, Ambrosio Sáes de Bustamante, sent help. This led to the second Battle of Río Bueno in 1759. Some historians say the Spanish won. Others believe that Huilliche chiefs Catrillanca and Paidil stopped the Spanish from moving further. This battle was unusual, as most Spanish expansion was peaceful.
The Spanish expansion in Valdivia involved different groups mixing. People of European descent, called criollos, bought land from indigenous people. Some native landowners became bonded laborers, working for others. Meanwhile, the Spanish settlement in the Chiloé Archipelago had a history of conflicts with northern native groups.
After Valdivia's settlements reached the Bueno River, Spanish leaders wanted to build a road. This road would connect Valdivia with settlements near the Chacao Channel. They hoped this road would allow Valdivia and Chiloé to help each other if a European power attacked.
Building the Road
In the 1780s, the Governor of Valdivia, Mariano Pusterla, and the leader of Chiloé, Francisco Hurtado del Pino, disagreed about building this road. Hurtado del Pino wanted to fight the Huilliches. Pusterla, however, did not agree with this approach. After Hurtado del Pino was replaced by Francisco Garos, they started working together.
In October 1788, Pusterla sent a group through Futahuillimapu, which was Huilliche land, to reach Chiloé. The trip was successful, and the group returned to Valdivia by February 1789. After this, Pusterla planned to improve the road. He wanted to make it wider in places where it was just a narrow path through forests.
In a meeting with local Cuncos and Huilliches, Pusterla promised that opening the road would not mean rebuilding the city of Osorno. After this, safe travel on the road depended on the good intentions of the local tribes.
Missionary Work
As farming expanded and the road was planned, Catholic missionaries also moved south from Valdivia. A Spanish Jesuit priest named Andrés Febrés wanted to bring Futahuillimapu into the Spanish Empire. By 1767, Febrés had plans to build a mission in Río Bueno. However, this mission was built in 1777 by Franciscans. The Jesuits had been removed from the Americas in 1767.
The Uprising Begins
Historian Diego Barros Arana believed the uprising started because of a rumor. An "Indian" named Felipe supposedly found a letter from the Governor of Valdivia. This letter was said to be for the head of the Mission of Río Bueno. The letter supposedly revealed a plan to "trick the Indians with peace, kill their warriors, and then easily enslave the people."
The uprising began in September 1792. Huilliche people attacked Spanish settlers in Río Bueno and Lago Ranco. They burned houses and stole animals. Ten Spanish settlers were killed. Spanish messengers and priests were caught by surprise and killed. Spanish people who escaped fled north to Valdivia.
When the Spanish leaders realized it was a rebellion, not just a crime, they sent a military group. This group was led by Tomás de Figueroa. They left Valdivia on October 3, following the Futa River. Their first stop was Daglipulli, where Figueroa's group joined 22 soldiers, making a total of 104 men.
Spanish Response and Aftermath
When Figueroa reached the conflict area, some local Huilliches said they were friends. Figueroa thought this was a trick to avoid punishment. So, he had a local chief, or cacique, named Manquepán, executed. His two sons and seventeen of his men were also killed. These men refused to be baptized before they died. The Spanish then took the women and children into custody and seized their animals.
Next, Figueroa's group crossed the Bueno River. They moved slowly through heavy rains, facing obstacles and small attacks. Figueroa reached the ruins of Osorno on November 22. The sight of the ruins made a strong impression on him. The military group continued to move through Huilliche territory, looking for rebels. They returned to Valdivia on January 14, 1793.
After the Spanish stopped the uprising, the Royal Governor of Chile, Ambrosio O'Higgins, called a meeting. He invited local chiefs to the Parliament of Las Canoas. This meeting was important because the agreement signed there allowed the Spanish to rebuild the city of Osorno. It also secured their right to travel between Valdivia and the Spanish settlements near the Chiloé Archipelago (like Carelmapu). The native chiefs who signed the agreement recognized the King of Spain as their ruler. However, they kept a lot of control over the lands they had not given up.
