Letter from Alonso de Rivera, governor of Chile, to the king. Estancia buena esperanza, january 1st, 1614

Authors

  • Carlos Ortiz Aguilera Doctor en Historia. Profesor Universidad del Pacífico

Abstract

The setter we present here remarks some practices adopted by the Spaniards in their attempts to dominate the natives, specially the “friendly Indians” (indios amigos) behavior in those efforts, who were not unconditionally loyal to the Spaniards, given that loyalty was stable while they were in need of the Spanish army, rather to protect themselves from more powerful alliances or other lineages, to solve old arguments, like some lonkos (caciques) explained to the Governor.

Keywords:

mapuches, friendly Indios (indios amigos), lonko (cacique) Arauco’s War