Diego de Rosales
Encyclopedia
Diego de Rosales was a Spanish chronicler and author of Historia General del Reino de Chile.
He studied in his hometown, where he also joined the Society of Jesus
. He came to Chile
in the year 1629, without having taken his last vows still being sent to the residence that the Jesuits had in Arauco
. He served as an Army chaplain in the Arauco War
during the government of Don Francisco Laso de la Vega
and in 1640 was ordained a priest in Santiago. During this time he acquired his knowledge of the language and customs of the Mapuche
.
He was close to the governors Francisco López de Zúñiga
and Martín de Mujica y Buitrón
, accompanying them and participating in the parliaments held in 1641 and 1647 during the War of Arauco.
In 1650, the Governor Francisco Antonio de Acuña Cabrera y Bayona
tasked him to conduct a journey to the Pehuenche
tribes east of Villarica
and later to Lake Nahuelhuapi
. During the General Rising of the Mapuche in 1655 he was in Boroa
, long besieged by the Mapuche until January of 1656, when it was abandoned. He was taken to Concepción
and appointed rector of the Jesuit college in the city, where he stayed until 1662. He was then appointed superior of the Jesuit Province of Chile, having moved to Santiago. He held this office until 1666, and then assumed the rectorship of the Colegio Máximo of the order in the capital. He took up the direction of the Jesuits again between 1670 and 1672.
In 1674 he finished writing his Historia General del Reino de Chile. His first two books describe the geography, fauna, flora, and the life and customs of the natives. The second part deals with the history of the Kingdom from the arrival of Diego de Almagro
until the General Rising of 1655. However it was not published until 1877 in Valparaiso
, due to Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna
, who acquired it in 1870 in London
.
Diego de Rosales is also known to have written a chronicle about the Society of Jesus in Chile, which was called Conquista Espiritual del reino de Chile. It was a series of biographies of the main missionaries of the order, combined with the descriptions of their personalities with tales of miracles, appearances and all sorts of wonders common in the minds and documents of the time. Unfortunately, this manuscript has only survived in part.
He studied in his hometown, where he also joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. He came to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in the year 1629, without having taken his last vows still being sent to the residence that the Jesuits had in Arauco
Arauco, Chile
Arauco is a city and commune in Chile, located in Arauco Province in the Biobio Region. The meaning of Arauco means Chalky Water in Mapudungun. The region was a Moluche aillarehue...
. He served as an Army chaplain in the Arauco War
Arauco War
The Arauco War was a conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people in what is now the Araucanía and Biobío regions of modern Chile...
during the government of Don Francisco Laso de la Vega
Francisco Laso de la Vega
Francisco Laso de la Vega y Alvarado was a Spanish soldier who served as Royal Governor of Chile from December of 1629 to May of 1639. Victor in many battles against the Mapuche in the Arauco War....
and in 1640 was ordained a priest in Santiago. During this time he acquired his knowledge of the language and customs of the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
.
He was close to the governors Francisco López de Zúñiga
Francisco López de Zúñiga
Francisco López de Zúñiga y Meneses, 2nd Marquis of Baides and Count of Pedrosa was a Spanish soldier who served as Royal Governor of Chile from May of 1639 to May of 1646....
and Martín de Mujica y Buitrón
Martín de Mujica y Buitrón
Martin de Mujica y Buitrón, also known as Martin de Mogica or Muxica ; Spanish Basque military man who was named by king Philip IV of Spain, to be Captain General and Royal Governor of Chile, besides president of its Real Audiencia. His government was from May 1646 and April 1649, when he died,...
, accompanying them and participating in the parliaments held in 1641 and 1647 during the War of Arauco.
In 1650, the Governor Francisco Antonio de Acuña Cabrera y Bayona
Francisco Antonio de Acuña Cabrera y Bayona
Francisco Antonio de Acuña Cabrera y Bayona Spanish, soldier and governor of the Kingdom of Chile between 1650-1656. He was son of Antonio de Cabrera y Acuña y de Agueda de Bayona, was a knight of the Order of Santiago and a professional military man...
tasked him to conduct a journey to the Pehuenche
Pehuenche
Pehuenches are an indigenous people that are part of the Mapuche peoples and live in the Andes in south central Chile and Argentina. Their name derives from their habit of harvesting of piñones, the seeds of the Araucaria araucana or pehuén...
tribes east of Villarica
Villarrica, Chile
Villarrica is a city and commune in southern Chile located on the western shore of Villarrica Lake in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region south of Santiago and close to the Villarrica Volcano ski center to the south east. Residents of Villarrica are known as Villarriquences.Tourism, grain and...
and later to Lake Nahuelhuapi
Nahuel Huapi Lake
Nahuel Huapi Lake is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The lake depression consists of several glacial valleys carved out along faults and Miocene valleys that were later dammed by moraines.Nahuel Huapi lake, located...
. During the General Rising of the Mapuche in 1655 he was in Boroa
Boroa
Boroa, is a town in Araucanía, Chile on the shores of Cautín River. The region near the town south of the Cautin River between the Boroa and Quepe Rivers was the Moluche aillarehue of Boroa...
, long besieged by the Mapuche until January of 1656, when it was abandoned. He was taken to Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
and appointed rector of the Jesuit college in the city, where he stayed until 1662. He was then appointed superior of the Jesuit Province of Chile, having moved to Santiago. He held this office until 1666, and then assumed the rectorship of the Colegio Máximo of the order in the capital. He took up the direction of the Jesuits again between 1670 and 1672.
In 1674 he finished writing his Historia General del Reino de Chile. His first two books describe the geography, fauna, flora, and the life and customs of the natives. The second part deals with the history of the Kingdom from the arrival of Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro, , also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo , was a Spanish conquistador and a companion and later rival of Francisco Pizarro. He participated in the Spanish conquest of Peru and is credited as the first European discoverer of Chile.Almagro lost his left eye battling with coastal...
until the General Rising of 1655. However it was not published until 1877 in Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, due to Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was a Chilean writer, journalist, historian and politician. Vicuña Mackenna was of Irish and Basque descent.-Biography:...
, who acquired it in 1870 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Diego de Rosales is also known to have written a chronicle about the Society of Jesus in Chile, which was called Conquista Espiritual del reino de Chile. It was a series of biographies of the main missionaries of the order, combined with the descriptions of their personalities with tales of miracles, appearances and all sorts of wonders common in the minds and documents of the time. Unfortunately, this manuscript has only survived in part.