The Chilean War of Independence, lasting from 1810 to 1818, and achieving the independence of Chile from Spain, was part of San Martin's War in South America. The revolution tendency started with word of other revolutions around the globe; the American and French revolutions along with Argentine Creoles repelling British invasions in 1806 and 7. The news of the French invasion of Spain in 1808 sparked serious thoughts of independence in Chilean Creoles as it did in all Spanish colonies in South America. To suggest a relevant news story for the main page, refer to the criteria then add your suggestion at the candidates page. ... History of Spain series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Medieval Spain - Visigoths - Al-Andalus - Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History Social History The military history...

When the people of Santiago learned that three important men had been deported and they had been betrayed, they took arms. The governor had learned of the success of the rebellion in Buenos Aires, he panicked and betrayed his agreement. Nine people were nominated and elected to serve as a governmental junta to rule under the name of Ferdinand VII. Ferdinand VII (October 14, 1784 - September 29, 1833) was King of Spain from 1813 to 1833. ...

The idea of complete independence gained favor. José Miguel Carrera, a revolutionary Creole officer, led a coup d’état in Santiago. A new junta was put in and quickly accepted by most of the country. In 1811 Carrera dissolved the congress and set up a dictatorship. A constitution was proclaimed and the government was organized on republican principles. José Miguel Carrera José Miguel Carrera Verdugo (15 October 1785 - 4 September 1821) was a Chilean general, considered one of the founders of Chile. ...

Internal disagreements were threatening to destroy the country when an invasion from Peru came early in 1813. The patriots came together to confront the enemy. Peru’s viceroy hoped to recover both the Plantine provinces and Chile. One army was sent through Upper Peru to northern Argentina, another went by sea to southern Chile. (Prago 139)

The patriots named Carrera general-in-chief, and supported him, his two brothers, Juan José and Luís and Bernardo O'Higgins and his friend Juan Mackenna. The invasion at first was successful for Peru and a year of inconclusive fighting followed. The war induced both parties to seek peace and the Treaty of Liracy was signed in May 1814. (Prago 140) General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme Bernardo OHiggins Riquelme (August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842), South American Independentist leader and first Chilean head of state (Supreme Director, 1817–23), commanded the military forces that won independence from Spain. ...

Order: 2nd Supreme Director Period in Office: February 16, 1817-January 28, 1823 Predecessor: Francisco de la Lastra Successor: Ramón Freire Date of Birth: August 20, 1778 Place of Birth: Chillán, Chile Date of Death: October 24, 1842 Place of Death: Lima, Peru

News arrived that the Treaty of Liracy had been destroyed by the viceroy in Peru. A fresh, large royalist army under the command of General Mariano Osorio had landed and moved on into Chillán. Osorio demanded that all revolutionary forces surrender. Carrera and O’Higgins united their two armies and Carrera was leader but O’Higgins constituted the vanguard.

O’Higgins defended strongly in Rancagua with seventeen hundred men. José Miguel Carrera waited a few miles north for a call to action. Osario came from the south with five thousand men and the battle of Rancagua began on October 1, 1814 and continued into the next day. O’Higgins and his men displayed excellent valor but could not meet the forces of the enemy. Only five hundred escaped alive. (Prago 141) Osorio entered Santiago and began to undo the four years’ work of the patriots. Seeking refuge in Argentina from a new governor in Chile, Marcó del Pont, O’Higgins, the Carrera brothers and three thousand patriots struggled painfully across the Andes until they reached Mendoza. They were welcomed by San Martín who had a plan to lead an army of Argentines to aid the Chilean patriots in liberating Chile as a first step toward the invasion of Peru.

On January 19, 1817, San Martín was finally ready to carry out his dream. An army of five thousand departed from Mendoza divided into six groups to cross the Andes at five different passes. This tactic was to deceive the enemy. The Spanish Governor had five thousand men but he did not know how to deploy them to meet the several invading forces. So far San Martín’s strategy had worked. (Prago 149)

The army of Argentines and Chileans seemed to be coming from all over the place. By the time the governor realized he had been tricked, it was too late. He sent a force of about fifteen hundred to Chacabuco. Through a combination of superior force, San Martín and O’Higgins won the victory. The battle of Chacabuco, February 12, 1817, was a major turning point in the independence movement for Chile.

The Chilean Creoles immediately formed a new government and offered San Martín the honor of heading the government. He refused, urging that O’Higgins be assigned the task. O’Higgins was appointed Supreme Director. San Martín Joined O’Higgins south of Santiago to await the attack of the royalists near Talca. On March 18, 1818, the two armies met and in less than half an hour the battle was over, with horrible results for the patriots. Many fled or were injured. O’Higgins also came out badly injured.

The royalists crossed the River Maipú with five thousand, and engaged the patriot army of equal size: Osorio versus San Martín. From dawn on Sunday morning, April 5, until late afternoon a bloody battle raged. Despite O’Higgins’ wound, he rode to the tent of San Martín just when the patriot victory was almost assured. He embraced San Martín and exclaimed, “Glory to the savior of Chile.” (Prago 151-52)

After the battle of Maipú, a series of royalists resistance groups were formed along Southern Chile. Among the most important ones, "Vicente Benavides Guerrilla", "Pincheira brothers" -placed in the Eastern margin of The Andes mountain Range - must be stand stand out.Besides regular military forces in fortified main squares in the cities of Valdivia and Chiloé.

In 1820 a patriot expedition under the command of the English officer Sir Thomas Cochrane, raided Valdivia forts, defeating in this way a considerable number of royal forces. Two years later, the last resistance groups , in the province of Concepción, were defeated.

Chiloé, last center of royal power in Southern Pacific, would only be reconquered on January 18th 1826, being this the result of a series of failed military campaings. Forty-eight hours later, the capitulation of "The Callao" forces put an end to this last episode of American emancipation.

See also

• History of Chile
• Chilean Independence

This is the history of Chile. ... The Independence of Chile from Spain was official achieve on February 12, 1818. ...

References

• Fetzer, Scott. “Chile.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1986.
• Heenan, Patrick, and Monique Lamontagne. The South America Handbook. London - Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 2002.
• Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1968.
• Prago, Albert. The Revolutions in Spanish America. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1970.