Chile During the Colony
Since the conquest by Don Pedro de Valdivia (1497-1553),
and until september 1810, Chile was a spanish colony. Identified as Gobernación
de Chile and posteriorly Capitanía General, extended from Copiapó
valley at the north end, and by special demand of Valdivia, to the south,
reaching the Hernando de Magallanes strait. But to honour the truth,
the effective conquest beyond the Bío-Bío river up to the
strait, had to wait more than two hundred years, because of the Mapuche
people's determination, who steadily refused any foreign sovereignty
over their land.
The governor of Chile depended of the peruvian Viceroy sinse 1589. Established
in Lima, was a direct representative of the spanish reign king, over
a theoretical territory that started in Panamá and ended in Tierra
del Fuego.
The 'Reign of Chile' was governed with enough autonomy, but the Viceroy
was in charge of supplying the goods for commercial activities, institutionalise the
justice, evangelize all natural inhabitants, assign the military force
and also order the expansion campaigns to consolidate the property of
the territory.
During 1798, the spanish king Carlos IV ordered the independency of La
Capitanía de Chile from the peruvian Viceroy.
Colonial Government
Chile was ruled by a governor and an advisory board called La Real Audiencia.
This board, was also the highest justice tribunal and officiate as governor
when this one was missing or his nomination was in process.
The last decades of the 18th century, the omnipresent spanish policies
immersed in all civil and commercial spheres, were frecuently failing,
thus, gradually generating discontent of people that formed the work
power. This situation finally becomes the seed that nourishes the ambition
of independancy (from Spain), of those who felt discriminated and subdued.
To be continued.
| Original script by ©dr.croxwell.
Prohibited reproductionfor commercial purpose. |
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