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Fight for independence

Over time Chilean demographics changed, with an increasing number of mestizos (those born of Spanish fathers and indigenous mothers) and criollos (Spaniards born in Chile) in the population, and with these changes came the fledgling desire for increased autonomy from Spain.

The catalyst for Chile’s transition to independence was the Napoleonic conquest of Spain and deposition of the Spanish monarchy. In 1810, at a meeting of prominent citizens in Santiago, a junta was elected, with the purpose of maintaining Spanish sovereignty in Chile. Then, in 1811, José Miguel Carrera took power into his own hands, creating a Chilean flag and a provisional constitution; in response, Royalist troops loyal to Spain were dispatched to Chile from Peru. The junta voted to replace the authoritarian Carrera with the brilliant young general Bernardo O’Higgins, but Carrera retook power, and by failing to send reinforcements to O’Higgins ensured his defeat by Royalists at Rancagua. O’Higgins and other ‘Patriots’ were forced to escape to Argentina, while numerous others were exiled to the Juan Fernández archipelago, and in Santiago the Royalists reversed the junta’s reforms.