Luis de Valdivia

Who was Luis de Valdivia?

Luis de Valdivia was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who defended the rights of the natives of Chile and pleaded for the reduction of the hostilities with the Mapuches in the Arauco War.

Following the 1598 revolt of the Mapuche in Araucanía and their destruction of seven Spanish cities, Luis de Valdivia, successfully advocated the establishment of a border, and the replacement of military campaigns by missionary work that, from their point of view, would attempt the religious conquest of the rebellious Mapuche. His project, called Defensive warfare, aroused the initial support of the Spanish monarchy, but over the years it was considered a failure and left Valdivia in disrepute.