Francis of Villagra

Francisco de Villagra Velázquez (Santervás de Campos, Crown of Castile, 1511-Concepción, Governorate of Chile, July 22, 1563) was a Spanish soldier and conqueror who was appointed Governor of Chile on three occasions, in the periods 1547-1549, 1553-1557 and 1561-1563.

Biography and trip to South America

Family origin and early years

He was the son of the Commander of Rubiales of the order of San Juan de Jerusalén Álvaro de Sarría and Ana de Villagra.

Upon arriving in America, he went to Peru where he planned, together with Captain Alonso de Mesa, an attempt to free Diego de Almagro, a prisoner of the Pizarro family. Discovering his attempt, he was sentenced to death, but Hernando Pizarro saved his life.

Valdivia's Companion

It arrived in Chile when Pedro de Valdivia ordered the conquest of that region. He was present at the founding of Santiago de Nueva Extremadura in 1541, held various positions in the city government, and had to defend it from the attack by the cacique Michimalonco in September of the same year.

Interim Governor of Chile and death

First internship

When Valdivia decided to travel to Peru in search of reinforcements (1548), the conqueror entrusted Villagra with the interim government. At the beginning of his term, he discovered a conspiracy led by Pedro Sánchez de la Hoz, who had already tried to seize the government on previous occasions, but who Valdivia had forgiven due to his possible influence at court. Villagra was not so benevolent, and punished him with the maximum penalty, not even giving him time to confess.

This death would cause problems for Valdivia, and a trial was held against him for this and other irregularities, from which he was freed, also bringing in his possession the appointment of the viceroy as governor.

In 1551 he was sent to Peru to recruit the necessary men for the campaigns in the south against the Mapuches, returning to intervene in them. The same year he also participated, in command of an expedition, in the exploration of the Cuyo region, being considered the first Spaniard to travel through this area, where a few years later the city of Mendoza would be founded.

Second internship

Valdivia died in the battle of Tucapel, on December 25, 1553. In his will, which was only to be opened after his death, he named Jerónimo de Alderete governor of Chile in the first place, Francisco de Aguirre second and finally to Villagra. Alderete was in Spain negotiating the recognition of the position of Valdivia by the king, and Aguirre in the conquest of Tucumán. The southern cities then proclaimed Villagra as governor.

The same did not happen in Santiago, where Valdivia's will was not opened and Rodrigo de Quiroga was proclaimed governor.

Villagra tried to stop the indigenous rebellion, headed by Lautaro, but when he faced off in the battle of Marigueñu on February 26, he suffered a terrible defeat, having half of his soldiers killed and suffering the depopulation and destruction of Conception.

Arriving in Santiago to fix his situation, Quiroga was forced to leave command. But Aguirre's son informed his father of the events and his designation of second place in the will, for which he returned to Chile and a fight broke out between the two captains, from which Villagra fared better, as a result of the little support he received. had his rival.

The Arauco war continued, and Lautaro once again defeated the Spanish in Angol and in the refounded Concepción. Villagra marches south, and manages to introduce his men by surprise into the Mapuche camp, killing Lautaro and defeating the Araucanians in the battle of Mataquito, on April 30, 1557.

Exile in Lima

When Villagra triumphed in Peteroa, the new governor appointed by Viceroy Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza arrived, who was none other than his son García Hurtado de Mendoza. One of the first actions that the new governor did was to take Aguirre and Villagra prisoner, despite the fact that they had behaved very courteously before him.

When boarding the ship that would take them to Peru, legend puts the following words in Villagra's mouth:

Look at your mercy, Mr. General, what are the things of the world, that yesterday we couldn't both fit into such a great kingdom and that today don Garcia fits us in a table.

Attributed to Francisco de Villagra

Sent to Lima to be put on trial for his actions, the sentence was favorable and he gained the trust of many, who saw his arrest as an act of arbitrariness by the viceroy's son.

Years later, the king named him successor to Hurtado de Mendoza, a position he assumed in 1561.

Last government and death

His government began with a demonstration of his eternal bad luck, since the ship he came in brought smallpox to Chile, causing a disastrous epidemic in Valparaíso and Santiago, but which also affected the Mapuches even more seriously, They lost between a fifth and a quarter of their population.

At the beginning of his term, he reorganized the regulations for work in the mines and annulled the parcels that García Hurtado de Mendoza had given to his friends and colleagues, which led to new protests.

He organized a new expedition, but his body tired from so many battles fell hopelessly ill, having to be transferred on a stretcher to the battle sites. In this war, he also suffered the death of his son Pedro de Villagra the young man, which worsened his mental and physical condition.

He appointed his cousin Pedro de Villagra to continue the campaign, later also giving him the title of interim governor, thanks to a power granted by the viceroy. Bedridden by the pain caused by gout, he was made to wear, according to a common custom of the Spaniards of those centuries, the Franciscan religious habit; and he passed delivered to the practices of the most ardent devotion. He passed away on June 22, 1563 after giving his successor his last instructions. His corpse was buried in the church of San Francisco de Concepción, with all possible solemnity.

His son Álvaro de Villagra was corregidor of Colchagua.