Valdivia, Pedro de, c.1500-1554, Spanish conquistador, conqueror of Chile. One of Francisco Pizarro's best officers in the conquest of Peru, educated, energetic, somewhat less cruel and avaricious than his fellow conquerors, Valdivia obtained permission from Pizarro to subdue Chile. In Jan., 1540, he began his march south through the Atacama Desert, following the route used by his unfortunate predecessor, Diego de Almagro. Although Santiago was founded in 1541 and other settlements in the next few years, the colony was not prosperous; gold was scarce and the Araucanians warlike. To secure additional aid and confirm his claims to the conquered territory, Valdivia returned in 1547 to Peru, where he supported the viceroy, Pedro de la Gasca, against the rebellion of Gonzalo Pizarro. He received the title of governor of Chile and returned to his domain in 1549, continuing his march S to the Bío-Bío River, where he founded Concepción, and farther S to Valdivia (1552). Ostensibly the conquest was complete. Toward the end of 1553, however, the Araucanians under Lautaro revolted. Valdivia, sallying forth with 40 men to stamp out the rebellion, was ambushed. As each successive wave of attackers was wiped out or beaten off, Lautaro sent another, until the entire company, including Valdivia, was massacred.

(born circa 1498, Extremadura, Spain—died January 1554, Tucapel, Viceroyalty of Peru) Spanish conquistador. After serving with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was sent to South America in 1534, where he served under Francisco Pizarro in Peru. In 1540 he led an expedition of 150 Spaniards into Chile, where he defeated a large force of Indians and founded Santiago in 1541. He extended Spanish rule south to the Bío-Bío River in 1546, fought again in Peru (1546–48), and returned to Chile as governor in 1549. He began to conquer Chile south of the Bío-Bío and founded Concepción in 1550. He was killed in a campaign against the Araucanian Indians.

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