Turcupichun
Encyclopedia
Turcupichun was the toqui
of the Mapuche
Aillarehue
s in the vicinity of Concepcion, Chile
and the Bio-Bio River
valley from 1557 to 1558. García Hurtado de Mendoza landed in early June 1557 on the island of La Quiriquina at the mouth of the bay of San Pedro
. Soon afterward he sent out messengers to the local Aillarehue
s to come and submit to the Spanish. Turcupichun gathered them in a great coyag where he advocated resistance to the death and elected him as their toqui replacing the dead Lautaro
.
Turcupichun led his army to build a pucara
on the height of Andalicán
five leagues south of Concepcion covering the approach down the coast to Arauco
and posted detachments to cover the crossing points on the Bio Bio River. Governor Mendoza deceived him by having a detachment build rafts at one of these crossing points but using the boats of his fleet to carry his army across at the mouth of the river. Turcupichun then engaged and was defeated by the army of Mendoza in the Battle of Lagunillas
. Following this defeat his army fell back and joined with Caupolicán
to fight in the Battle of Millarapue
. Following the battle Turcupichun was blamed by Caupolican, for the defeat when his third division marching to attack the Spanish rear did not arrive in time. Angry at the accusation he withdrew to defend his own lands.
Following the execution of Caupolican, Turcupichun attempted to organize a new revolt and an attack on Concepcion, but the Spanish Corregidor of the city, Gerónimo de Villegas discovered his attempt and sent Juan Galiano with some soldiers to attack him first. Moving to where he was lodged at night Galiano captured him and some of his companions and returned with them to the city where he was hung in the plaza. After his death his army elected Lemucaguin
as his successor.
Toqui
Toqui is a title conferred by the Mapuche to those who are chosen as their leaders during times of war. The toqui is chosen in an assembly or parliament of the chieftains of the various clans or confederation of clans , allied during the war in question...
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...
Aillarehue
Aillarehue
Aillarehue or Ayllarehue Aillarehue or Ayllarehue Aillarehue or Ayllarehue (from the (mapudungun: ayllarewe/ayjarewe: " nine rehues"); a confederation of rehues or familiar clans (lof) that dominated a region or province. It was the old administrative and territorial division of the Mapuche,...
s in the vicinity of Concepcion, Chile
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 the Bio-Bio River
Bío-Bío River
The Biobío River is the second largest river in Chile. It originates from Icalma and Galletué lakes in the Andes and flows 380 km to the Gulf of Arauco on the Pacific Ocean....
valley from 1557 to 1558. García Hurtado de Mendoza landed in early June 1557 on the island of La Quiriquina at the mouth of the bay of San Pedro
Bay of Concepción
The Bay of Concepción is a natural bay on the coast of the Province of Concepción in the Biobío Region of Chile. Within the bay are many of the most important ports of the region and the country, among them Penco, Talcahuano, and Lirquén....
. Soon afterward he sent out messengers to the local Aillarehue
Aillarehue
Aillarehue or Ayllarehue Aillarehue or Ayllarehue Aillarehue or Ayllarehue (from the (mapudungun: ayllarewe/ayjarewe: " nine rehues"); a confederation of rehues or familiar clans (lof) that dominated a region or province. It was the old administrative and territorial division of the Mapuche,...
s to come and submit to the Spanish. Turcupichun gathered them in a great coyag where he advocated resistance to the death and elected him as their toqui replacing the dead Lautaro
Lautaro
Lautaro was a Mapuche military leader and protagonist of the War of Arauco in Chile. He defeated and exterminated the Spanish forces of Governor Pedro de Valdivia and was almost able to expel them from the area when he was killed in battle.-Early life:...
.
Turcupichun led his army to build a pucara
Pucará
A pucará is a term that refers to the ruins of the fortifications made by the natives of the central Andean cultures and particularly to those of the Inca...
on the height of Andalicán
Andalicán
Andalicán during the era of conquest and colonial times in Chile was the name of the high hill in the middle of two ravines and site of a fortress built by the Mapuche in 1557 to prevent García Hurtado de Mendoza from invading Araucanía north of Marihueñu and the valley of Colcura...
five leagues south of Concepcion covering the approach down the coast to 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...
and posted detachments to cover the crossing points on the Bio Bio River. Governor Mendoza deceived him by having a detachment build rafts at one of these crossing points but using the boats of his fleet to carry his army across at the mouth of the river. Turcupichun then engaged and was defeated by the army of Mendoza in the Battle of Lagunillas
Battle of Lagunillas
The Battle of Lagunillas was a battle in the Arauco War on November 8, 1557 between the army of García Hurtado de Mendoza and the Mapuche army near some shallow lakes a league south of the Bio-Bio River.-History:...
. Following this defeat his army fell back and joined with Caupolicán
Caupolican
Caupolicán was a Toqui, the military leader of the Mapuche people of Chile, that commanded their army during the first Mapuche rising against the Spanish conquistadors from 1553 to 1558....
to fight in the Battle of Millarapue
Battle of Millarapue
The Battle of Millarapue that occurred November 30, 1557 was intended by the Toqui Caupolicán as a Mapuche ambush of the Spanish army of García Hurtado de Mendoza that resulted in a Spanish victory when the ambush failed.-History:...
. Following the battle Turcupichun was blamed by Caupolican, for the defeat when his third division marching to attack the Spanish rear did not arrive in time. Angry at the accusation he withdrew to defend his own lands.
Following the execution of Caupolican, Turcupichun attempted to organize a new revolt and an attack on Concepcion, but the Spanish Corregidor of the city, Gerónimo de Villegas discovered his attempt and sent Juan Galiano with some soldiers to attack him first. Moving to where he was lodged at night Galiano captured him and some of his companions and returned with them to the city where he was hung in the plaza. After his death his army elected Lemucaguin
Lemucaguin
Lemucaguin a native of Andalicán was the successor to Turcupichun as toqui of the Moluche Butalmapu north of the Biobío River in 1558. He organized a detachment of arquebusiers from weapons captured in the Battle of Marihueñu. He continued the war against García Hurtado de Mendoza after the...
as his successor.
Sources
- Diego de RosalesDiego de RosalesDiego 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...
, “Historia General del Reino de Chile”, Flandes Indiano, 3 tomos. Valparaíso 1877 - 1878.- Historia general de el Reyno de Chile: Flandes Indiano, Tomo II (1554-1625)
- Capitulo XII Da fondo en el puerto de la Concepción, levanta un fuerte, tiene varios sucessos con los indios y embíale embajada Caupolican.
- Capitulo XIII. Como passó a Biobio, entró en Arauco, y la victoria que tubo en el camino de veinte mil indios.
- Capitulo XIV. Batalla que tubo Don Garcia con Caupolican y Turcupichun y insigne Victoria que alcanzó.
- Capitulo XVII. Embia Don Garcia a reedificar la ciudad de la Concepción. Passa a la Imperial y en su ausencia tiene una gran victoria de Caupolican el Maestro de campo Reynoso, y danle muchos la paz.
- Capitulo XVIII. Como pobló Don Garcia la ciudad de Osorno y las de Cañete y Villarica; llega hasta Chiloé, y vuélvese a la Imperial.
- Capitulo XXI. Como los indios aprendieron a disparar arcabuzes y hizieron un fuerte en Quiapo; gánansele los españoles y dan la paz al vencedor Don Garcia.
- Historia general de el Reyno de Chile: Flandes Indiano, Tomo II (1554-1625)