When the ‘Barbarians’ Unite: Indigenous Cooperation and Alliances Against the Spanish Invasion in the Early Years of the Conquest of Chile (1540-1550)

Abstract

The forces of Pedro de Valdivia, conqueror of Chile, faced great Indigenous resistance when they tried to establish themselves in the region of Nuevo Extremo. The difficulty was due to the policy of alliances and military co-operation between the Indigenous peoples of the Chilean river valleys, previously under Inca rule. Active resistance lasted for more than a decade after Valdivia’s arrival in 1540, sustained by inter-ethnic alliances between Atacameños, Diaguitas, Picones, Promaucaes and others. These alliances were based on networks of reciprocity and interpersonal relationships between chiefs. Two events stand out: Michamalonko’s attack on Santiago in 1541 and the destruction of La Serena in 1549. Our research focuses on the period between 1540 and 1550, covering north-central Chile, and seeks to understand the basis of this interethnic military cooperation and its consequences for Hispanic and Indigenous societies.