Treaty of Lircay facts for kids

The Treaty of Lircay was an agreement made on May 3, 1814. It was a truce, or temporary peace, between the Royalist and Patriot armies during the Chilean War of Independence. This war was fought to decide if Chile would be independent from Spain.

Background

Why the Treaty Was Needed

Both armies were very tired after fighting for a long time in 1813. There had been tough battles like El Membrillar and Quechereguas. Because of this, everyone thought it was a good time to talk about peace.

An English captain named James Hillyar arrived on his ship, HMS Phoebe. He had instructions from the Viceroy of Peru, José Fernando de Abascal. The Viceroy wanted to negotiate with the rebels.

Who Signed the Treaty

The treaty was signed near the Lircay River. This river is about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) outside the city of Talca.

The main people who signed it were:

• Brigadier Gabino Gaínza: He was the commander of the Royalist armies in the Concepción area.
• Brigadier Bernardo O'Higgins: He was a representative for the Chilean Supreme Director, Francisco de la Lastra.
• Brigadier Juan Mackenna: He also represented the Chilean Supreme Director.

During these talks, O'Higgins met José Antonio Rodríguez Aldea. Rodríguez Aldea was the secretary for the Royalist commander. Later, he became O'Higgins' finance minister. Some people say he was a reason for O'Higgins' later problems.

The Agreement

What Both Sides Agreed To

The Treaty of Lircay had 16 main points, plus an introduction. The introduction blamed the Carrera family for the "destruction of the Kingdom." It did not name them directly.

Here's what the Patriots agreed to:

• They said they were still loyal to King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
• They agreed that Chile was a part of the Spanish monarchy.
• They promised to help the Spanish government with money. They would do this if Chile's economy allowed it.
• They would send people to represent Chile in the Cortes of Cádiz (a Spanish parliament).
• They would stop using their own flag. Instead, they would use the Spanish royal flag again.
• They would move all their troops south of the Lontué River.

Here's what the Royalists agreed to:

• They accepted that there was a temporary Chilean government.
• They promised to leave the city of Talca.
• They would move most of their forces south of the Maule River.
• They would leave the Province of Concepción.

The treaty also included other general rules. These included:

• Ending all fighting between the two armies.
• Exchanging prisoners of war.
• Returning all property that the Chileans had taken from Royalist supporters.
• Paying back debts that the Royal Army had made during their time in Chile.

Results

The Treaty's Short-Term Impact

It seemed like the treaty was mostly a way for both sides to get a break from fighting. Neither side fully followed the agreement. Brigadier Gaínza did not leave his positions by the date they agreed upon. The rebels also did not fully keep their promises.

The only real results of the treaty were:

• It caused a cease-fire, meaning the fighting stopped for a while.
• It created a "de facto" border along the Maule River. This means it was a border in practice, even if not officially.

After signing the treaty, the Patriots did not move north of the Lontué River. They stayed in Talca. On the other hand, Brigadier Gaínza went back to Chillán. But he did not leave the area by the agreed time. He decided to stay in the city and wait for more soldiers. When his officers complained about his promises, he told them he never planned to follow those parts of the agreement.

The treaty also said that war prisoners would be set free. But this did not apply to the Carrera brothers. They had been captured by one of Gaínza's groups. The Patriots had put a secret rule in the treaty. This rule said the Carrera brothers would be given to the government and sent away. This was because their freedom could cause political problems. However, Gaínza set José Miguel Carrera and Luis Carrera free.

What Happened Next

When José Miguel Carrera arrived in Santiago, he refused to accept the Lircay agreements. He took control of the government on July 23. He removed Supreme Director Lastra in a sudden takeover.

Meanwhile, Viceroy Abascal was very angry when he read the treaty. He removed Gaínza from his command. He replaced him with Brigadier Mariano Osorio. The Viceroy sent Osorio to Chile with 5,000 new soldiers. The Viceroy also had Gaínza put on trial in Lima. He was accused of going beyond his orders.

O’Higgins did not accept Carrera's takeover. He marched his troops towards Santiago. But he was defeated in the Battle of Tres Acequias on August 26. This battle was fought against soldiers led by Luis Carrera.

Right after this battle, news arrived that Osorio's army was coming. This made O’Higgins' supporters and Carrera's supporters stop fighting each other. They united to defend the revolution. However, the Patriot forces lost to the Royalists in the disaster of Rancagua on October 2. This forced most of the Patriots to leave Chile and go to Mendoza.

See also

In Spanish: Tratado de Lircay para niños