The Parliament of Paicaví of 1612 was the first serious attempt to end the Arauco War and establish an "armed peace" (paz armada) between the Mapuches and the newly arrived Spanish settlers in Chile.[1] It occurred after the end of the Mapuche offensives that culminated in the Battle of Curalaba, which over the next several years resulted in the destruction of all colonial cities south of the Biobío River. Governor Alonso de Ribera wanted to maintain a defensive strategy and Father Luis de Valdivia, who had recently arrived from Spain, was given approval by authorities there and in Rome to implement what came to be known as Defensive War.[2]

Background

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The parliament was convened at a time when the Spanish found themselves at a low ebb militarily against the Mapuche. According to a contemporary document, the settlers in Colonial Chile felt themselves "denuded of honor and prestige."[3]

Aftermath

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A contemporary depiction by Alonso Ovalle of the slaying of the "Martyrs of Elicura," an incident which was the direct result of the Parliament of Paicaví.

References

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  1. ^ Schulte-Tenckhoff, Isabelle (1994). "Traités, parlamentos et le statut des nations amérindiennes". Caravelle (1988–) (in French) (63). Presses Universitaires du Midi: 181. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. ^ Pinto Rodríguez, Jorge (1993). "Jésuitas, franciscanos y capuchinos italianos en La Araucanía (1600 - 1900)". Revista complutense de historia de América (in Spanish). 19: 118. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. ^ Contreras Painemal, Carlos. "Los Tratados celebrados por los Mapuche con la Corona Española, la República de Chile y la República de Argentina" (in Spanish). Santiago de Chile. Retrieved 18 March 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

Sources

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