CHAPTER XX VALDIVIA'S SUCCESSORS AND THE ARAUCANIAN WAR 1. The question of the governorship of Chile. 11. The Araucanian 'sat. Ill. Garcia Hurtado do Mendosa as governor and his treatment of Aguirre and Villagra. IV. Villagra governor of Chile. V. Successes of the Indians. SooN after the death of Valdivia in 1554, the cabildo of Concepcion opened his political testament, and it was found that lie had named to succeed him, in the first place, Jeronimo de Alderete ; in the second place, Francisco de Aguirre; and in the third place, Francisco de Villagra. Alderete had been sent to Spain to obtain for Valdivia perpetual control of the colony, with the title of Marquis of Arauco. While there he was commissioned by the king to be the successor of Valdivia. Aguirre was in Tucuman, where he had been at the head of affairs for about a year and a half, when messengers from Chile brought to him the news of the death of Valdivia. They brought also letters from Aguirre's friends in Chile, sug- gesting that he should assume the office made vacant by the death of Valdivia. But the presence of Villagra in Chile gave him an advantage in the contest for the office of governor. He was, moreover, supported by the cabildo of Concepcion. The cabildo of Santiago, however, favoured Rodrigo de Quiroga, but later affirmed that it would exercise the supreme authority until the arrival of instructions from the audiencia of Pert. When Aguirre reached Serena, in April 1554, he found the affairs of 350 VALDIVIA'S SUCCESSORS 351 Chile in great confusion. The towns held antagonistic views respecting the headship of the government, and the Araucanians, given new confidence by their victory, had become more restless and more determined in their hostility. But in spite of the action of the cabildos of Concepcion and Santiago, Aguirre was disposed to insist on his right to the succession, and consequently sent a communication to the cabildo of Santiago, requesting that body to recognise him as governor of Chile. The cabildo, however, stood by its determination to receive neither Aguirre nor any other person, except under orders from the king. In the meantime Aguirre and Villagra maintained armed forces, in order that each might avoid the danger of being surprised by the other. It was then proposed that the contentions of the two leaders should be submitted to arbitration, a proposition which Villagra was willing to accept, but which was rejected by Aguirre on the ground that his right was complete. The practical decision in the case was that the cabildo should carry on the government temporarily, and that if the audiencia of Lima should not appoint a person within a period of seven months Villagra should be recognised as governor of Chile. Aguirre, however, was not disposed to give up his pretensions, and made a peremptory demand that the cabildo should recognise him as the governor. Knowing the energy and ability of Aguirre as a leader, the inhabi- tants of Santiago were seriously alarmed by his ultimatum, and immediately began preparations for resistance. During this agitation a messenger arrived from Lima, announcing that the revolutionist Giron had been de- feated and had fled toward the south, and requesting Aguirre to prevent him from entering Tucuman or Chile. Aguirre naturally regarded this as a compliment, and fancied that a way would be immediately opened to the attainment of the object of his ambition. While the inhabitants of Chile were thus divided into antagonistic factions, and the colony was without a generally recog- 352 THE SPANISH DEPENDENCIES nised head, the government of Peru was in such a state as to render it incapable of furnishing any effective assistance. The vacancy in the post of viceroy left public matters in charge of the audiertcia, and this body hesitated to make a positive decision concerning the government of Chile. Francisco de Riberos was in Lima urging the claims of Villagra; Diego Sanchez Moreles was the representative and advocate of Aguirre but neither party seemed to make any progress in advocating the interests of its chief. Finally, however, in order to avert the impending civil war in Chile, the audiencia issued a decree that annulled the part of Valdivia's will which referred to his successor, and ordered that both Aguirre and Villagra should disband their troops, and that the state of affairs which prevailed at the time of the death of Valdivia should be maintained. A final provision of this decrS was that the alcaldes of the cities should carry on the government and the administration of justice in their respective jurisdictions until the king should appoint a new governor. This decision satisfied nobody. II In the meantime, the war with the Araucanians absorbed the attentions of the settlers in the south. In February 1554, Villagra, having gathered the available forces, led them from Concepcion across the Biobio into the mountainous country of Marigueflu, where they met the enemy and suffered a complete defeat. Through the reverses suffered by Valdivia and Villagra the Araucanian war was fairly begun, and the events connected with it fill a large part of Chilean history during the next hundred years. It had begun in a manner to afford the Spaniards somewhat gloomy forebodings as to its future progress. After the defeat of Villagra, the town of Concepcion was VALDIVIA'S SUCCESSORS 353 abandoned, and was soon after sacked by the forces of Lautaro. When the Indians had seized whatever seemed to them useful, or whatever attracted their curiosity, they set fire to the houses, and thus swept away every- thing from the site of the town but a few charred ruins. In his second campaign, Villagra was more successful, and was able to avert from Valdivia and Imperial the fate that had overwhelmed Concepcion. The Indians had established their characters as warriors in the minds of the invaders, but they had done it at an enormous cost. Their fields had been abandoned during the time for planting and harvesting, or had been ruined during the movements of the war, and there followed the inevitable consequences, famine with its destructive accompaniment of disease. Want and pestilence appear to have broken the power of the Indians, for, in a later campaign, \Tillagra encountered little or no resistance. He now put forth a new demand to be recognised by the cabildo of Santiago as governor of Chile; but that body adhered to its purpose to await the decision of a superior authority. Finally, the audiencia of Lima, the office of viceroy being vacant, appointed Villagra cone- gidor and justicia mayor of the territory of Chile. This appointment gave Villagra temporary control of the public affairs of the colony. Aguirre was not able to bear with equanimity this triumph of his rival. He refused to recognise Villagras authority, and carried the cabildo of Serena with him into rebellion. The attitude assumed by Aguirre led Villagra to move against Serena with an armed force. The town was taken without re- sistance, but Aguirre retired out of reach toward the north, and continued his refusal to submit to his former rival. At this stage of the contest information was re- ceived that Alderete had died at Panama, and that the viceroy, on January 29, 1557, had appointed his son, Garcia 1-lurtado de Mendoza, to be the governor of Chile. VOL. I. Z THE SPANISH DEPENDENCIES By the appointment of this beardless youth, the hopes and ambitions of the two leaders were defeated? H' The persistent hostility of the Araucanians made it necessary for the governor to be supported by a large military force. Throughout the viceroy's dominions there were not wanting adventurers whose expectations had not been realised. The call for soldiers issued by the viceroy offered them at least occupation and a new field for exploits. Led by various motives, they presented themselves for service in sufficient numbers to constitute an important army. Ten ships under Don Garcia in person took the infantry to the coast of Chile, while the cavalry went by land under the quartermaster-general, Garcia Ramon. The infantry landed near Concepcion in April 1557, but the cavalry did not arrive till some months later. The Araucanians were not terrified by the great show of force made by the Spaniards, and deter- mined to adhere to their ancient policy of war. The barbarous practices of the governor in either mutilating or putting to death all persons taken in war, had not the effect to subdue the enemy, but rather to inflame them with a desire for revenge. Even the women were moved I The governors of chile between the appointment of Garcia Hurtado do Mendoza and the end of the sixteenth century are named In the following list Garcia Hrniado do Mendoza 1556-1561 Francisco do villagra ..... 1561-1563 Pedro do Villagra (interim) 1563-1565 Rodrigo de Quiroga (interim) 1565-1567 The audiencia ...... 1567-1568 Bravo do Saravia ..... 1568-1575 Rodrigo do Quiroga ..... 1575-1550 Ruiz de Gambon (interim) .....1580-1583 Alonso de Sotornayor .... 1583-1592 Ofiez de Loyola ..... 1592-.1598 Pedro do Viscarra (iirlcrftn) 1599 Francisco do Quiones (interim) 1599-1600 VALDIVIAS SUCCESSORS 355 by this spirit, and fought in the ranks with the men. But all their bravery did not permanently avail against the more effective arms of the Spaniards. The conquest of Cuyo which had been begun by Francisco de Aguirre was later completed by Pedro Castillo, acting under the orders of Governor Mendoza. Castillo founded two cities east of the Andes, which he called San Juan and Mendoza. The latter was named in honour of the family of Governor Mendoza.