Battle of Tucapel
| Battle of Tucapel | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Arauco War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Spanish Empire | Mapuche | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Pedro de Valdivia |
Toqui Caupolicán vice toqui Lautaro | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
55 Spanish soldiers 2,000–5,000 yanakuna | More than 50,000 warriors according to Spanish sources, considered exaggerated, modern estimations 10,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
All 55 Spaniards killed most of the yanaconas killed | Unknown, but not small | ||||||
The Battle of Tucapel (also known as the Disaster of Tucapel) is the name given to a battle fought between Spanish conquistador forces led by Pedro de Valdivia and Mapuche (Araucanian) Indians under Lautaro that took place at Tucapel, Chile on December 25, 1553. The battle occurred in the context of the first stage of the Arauco War, named the "offensive war" within a larger uprising by Araucanians against the Spanish conquest of Chile. It was a defeat for the Spaniards, resulting in the capture and eventual death of Valdivia.