War of the Vicuñas and Basques facts for kids

The War of the Vicuñas and Basques (Spanish: Guerra de Vicuñas y Vascongados), also called the Vicuña War, was a fight that happened in a place called Alto Perú. This area is now known as Bolivia. The war lasted for about three years, from June 1622 to March 1625. It was fought between two main groups: the Basques and the "Vicuñas."

The Basques were people from a region in Spain. The "Vicuñas" was a nickname for other Spanish people who were not Basques. They got this name because they often wore hats made from the skin of a vicuña, an animal similar to a llama.

Why the War Started

The main reason for the war was a big disagreement over who would control the rich silver mines. These mines were in places like Potosí, Lípez, and Chichas. Both the Basques and the Vicuñas wanted to be in charge of these valuable mines.

Fighting for Control

In the early 1600s, the Basques and Vicuñas started to compete fiercely. The Vicuñas first tried to stop the Basques using laws and politics. They wanted to prevent the Basques from taking over the local government, called the Cabildo, in Potosí. They also wanted to stop them from controlling the silver mining business.

However, these peaceful efforts did not work. Small fights and violent events began around 1615. The situation became much worse in 1622. This was after a Basque person was killed on a street in Potosí. This event made the conflict turn into a full-scale war.

Who Were the Fighters?

The Vicuñas had a leader named Antonio Xeldres. Many different groups of people joined the Vicuñas. These included people born in the Americas (called Creoles), people of mixed European and Indigenous heritage (Mestizos), and Indigenous people.

Vicuñas' Internal Issues

Even though they were fighting together, the Vicuñas were not always united. They had their own disagreements among themselves. For example, people from Andalusia (a region in Spain) had arguments with people from New Castile and Extremadura (other regions in Spain). Eventually, the Andalusian group left the rebellion.

Government's Role

The war also caused problems within the government itself. Some officials supported the Basques and their desire for power. Others tried to make peace with the Vicuña rebels.

Important people involved in the conflict included:

• The president and judges (oidores) of the Royal Audiencia of Charcas (a high court).
• Officials who managed the treasury (money).
• The corregidor of Potosí (a local governor).
• A special inspector (visitador) sent to check the money accounts.

War's Progress and End

By March 1624, the Vicuña rebels had killed 64 men. However, the Basques still controlled the city of Potosí and its mines. The Basque leaders asked the King of Spain, Philip IV, for help. The King then ordered the Viceroy of Peru to act strongly against the Vicuñas.

Capturing Leaders

Between 1624 and 1625, the government authorities managed to capture many important Vicuña leaders. Forty of them were executed.

The war lasted for three years. It did not end with one side winning a clear victory. Instead, both sides became very tired of fighting. They finally agreed to stop the hostilities.

Peace Agreement

Part of the peace agreement included a special marriage. The son of a Basque leader, Francisco Oyanume, married the daughter of a Vicuña general, Castillo. This marriage helped to settle the conflict.

In April 1625, the King issued a royal order. This order pardoned (forgave) all Vicuña fighters. However, it did not forgive those who had committed very serious crimes. Some Vicuñas continued to act like bandits in the years that followed. But these acts were no longer about the fight between Basques and Vicuñas. The rivalry between the two groups, however, continued for another hundred years.

After the War

On March 15, 1626, a huge flood destroyed the mining mills (ingenios) in Potosí. Many people at the time thought this event was a punishment from God for all the violence that had happened during the war.

See also

In Spanish: Guerra entre vicuñas y vascongados para niños