Pedro de Valdivia

Pedro de Valdivia (circa 1500-54), Spanish military leader and conqueror of Chile, born in Villanueva de la Serena. In 1535 he played an important role in the conquest of Venezuela, and in 1537 he served in Peru with the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Pizarro then authorized Valdivia to conquer and colonize Chile. Valdivia left Peru in 1540 with about 175 Spanish soldiers and a contingent of Native Americans, made the difficult march across the Atacama Desert, and, early in 1541, founded Santiago. Hostile Native Americans of the Araucanian tribe nearly demolished the settlement in 1543, but reinforcements arrived in time to save it. the following year Valdivia established la Serena, north of Santiago. Returning to Peru in 1547, he helped quell the rebellion led by Francisco Pizarro's brother Gonzalo Pizarro. Valdivia was named governor of Chile the following year and subsequently founded a number of settlements in central and southern Chile, notably Concepción (1550) and Valdivia (1552). The Araucanian people killed him on January 1, 1554, during an uprising.