This is a timeline of Chilean history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Chile and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Chile. See also the list of governors and presidents of Chile.
Pre-Columbian Chile Year Date Event c. 16500 BC Settlement of Monte Verde, the "earliest known human settlement in the Americas". c. 5050 BC Chinchorro culture practices funerary mummification, the first known example of this practice in the world. c. 1000–1150 Tiwanaku Empire collapsesKolata, Alan L., "The Agricultural Foundations of the Tiwanaku State: A View from the Heartland", American Antiquity, Vol. 51, No. 4 (October 1986), pp. 748–762, Society for American Archaeology. ushering migratory and societal changes that reach as far south as Araucanía.Dillehay, Tom D.; Pino Quivira, Mario; Bonzani, Renée; Silva, Claudia; Wallner, Johannes; Le Quesne, Carlos (2007) Cultivated wetlands and emerging complexity in south-central Chile and long distance effects of climate change . Antiquity 81 (2007): 949–960 1300–1399 Possible date for a Cunco-Huilliche migration to Chiloé Island. Chonos were possibly displaced further such to places like Guaitecas Archipelago. 1420 September 1 a 9.4 MS-strong earthquake shakes Chile's Atacama Region causing tsunamis in Chile as well as Hawaii and Japan.Manuel Abad, Tatiana Izquierdo, Miguel Cáceres, Enrique Bernárdez and Joaquín Rodríguez‐Vidal (2018). Coastal boulder deposit as evidence of an ocean‐wide prehistoric tsunami originated on the Atacama Desert coast (northern Chile). Sedimentology. Publication: december, 13th, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12570 1471–1493 Unknown At some point in this time interval the battle of the Maule between Incas and Mapuches may have occurred.
16th century Year Date Event 1502 The Inca Emperor Túpac Yupanqui reached Itata River 1513 25 September Vasco Núñez de Balboa becomes the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean from the New World; he calls it Mar del Sur. 1520 October - November Explorer Ferdinand Magellan's expedition finds the passage now known as the Strait of Magellan. In the process, they become the first Europeans to describe Chilean Patagonia and its inhabitants. 1532 Francisco Pizarro arrives in Peru from Panamá. He begins the Conquest of the Inca Empire and captures Emperor Atahualpa during the Battle of Cajamarca. Unknown A possible date for the battle of the Maule between Incas and Mapuches. 1535 July - December Spanish Conquistador Diego de Almagro begins his expedition to the lands south of Peru through the eastern side of the Andes Mountains. 1536 March - May Almagro's expedition crosses the Andes into the Copiapó River valley and explores the central region of Chile as far south as the Aconcagua River valley. Winter of 1536 Almagro sends an expedition under :es:Gómez de Alvarado southwards toward the Bio-Bio region. The expedition ends at the Battle of Reynogüelén, near the Itata River, being considered the first battle between Spaniards and Mapuches. 1541 12 February Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Nueva Extremadura, now known as Santiago. 25 April :es:Lucas Martínez Vegaso founds Villa San Marcos de Arica, now known as Arica. 11 September An uprising led by toqui Michimalonco attacks fledgling Santiago in an attempt to drive out the Spanish. Key actions undertaken by Inés de Suárez, the first Spanish woman to set foot in Chile, are attributed with avoiding the complete destruction of the outnumbered settlement. 1544 September 4 :es:Juan Bohón founds Villanueva de la Serena, now known as La Serena. 1545 Foundation of the port of Arica. The port becomes a key staging point between the mines of Potosí in Upper Peru (now Bolivia) and Lima. 1546 Mapuche child Lautaro is captured by the Spanish and made a yanacona. Eventually, Lautaro becomes personal page of Pedro de Valdivia. 1550 5 October Pedro de Valdivia founds Concepción del Nuevo Extremo, now known as Concepción. 1552 February 9 Founding of Valdivia. Winter of 1552 Lautaro, after six years' imprisonment by the Spanish, escapes. He then teaches his people European warfare, including riding horses. 1553 December 25 Battle of Tucapel: Mapuches led by Lautaro defeat the Spanish at the ruins of Tucapel capturing Pedro de Valdivia who is then executed. A general Mapuche uprising develops under Lautaro. 1557 April 30 Battle of Mataquito: A Spanish force led by Francisco de Villagra defeats the forces of Lautaro, killing him amidst the battle. Caupolicán assumes the role of Mapuche toqui (wartime chief). 1558 Caupolicán is captured and executed by impalement. 27 March Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza founds San Mateo de Osorno, now known as Osorno. 1564 April Concepción is unsuccessfully besieged by native Mapuches. 1565 August 27 The King of Spain decrees the creation of Real Audiencia in Concepción. 1567 12 February Chiloé Archipelago is claimed by Spain. Martín Ruiz de Gamboa founds Castro on the main island; the southernmost European settlement at that time. August 5 Real Audiencia in Concepción starts its functions. The Audiencia is abolished in 1575. 1570 February 8 Concepción is struck by an earthquake. 1574 November 22 Spanish captain Juan Fernández discovers the Juan Fernández Islands. 1575 December 16 Earthquake in Valdivia causes extensive damage in Valdivia and surrounding cities of Villarrica, Osorno, and Castro. As in the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the Riñihue Lake dams. 1576 April The dam of San Pedro River burst flooding many settlements downstream including Valdivia. 1578 December Francis Drake attacks the coast of Chile during his circumnavigation of the earth; La Serena and Valparaíso are plundered. 1580 June 26 Martín Ruiz de Gamboa founds Chillán. 1584 5 February Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founds the settlement Nombre de Jesús on the eastern end of the Strait of Magellan. March 25 Gamboa founds the settlement Rey Don Felipe in the Strait of Magellan. By 1587 both settlements lay in ruins, leading English pirate Thomas Cavendish to dub Rey Don Felipe as Port Famine. 1598 December 23 Battle of Curalaba: Governor Martín García Óñez de Loyola killed in a Mapuche ambush. 1599 The Real Situado, an annual payment of silver from Potosí to Chile, is established.
17th century Year Date Event 1600 February 16 Huaynaputina begins its catastrophic eruption. April 19 In the Battle of Castro a Spanish force defeat and expel Huilliche rebels and Dutch corsairs from Castro. 1602 General uprising of the Mapuches under Pelantaro. All cities south of the Bío-Bío River are demolished, in what is now called Destruction of the Seven Cities. 1604 A fort established in 1602 at the ruins of Valdivia is abandoned. 1608 Jesuits establishes themselves in Chiloé Archipelago. 1612 Beginning of the Defensive War phase (promoted by Luis de Valdivia) in the Arauco War. 1613 Jesuits from Chiloé reach Guayaneco Archipelago for the first time. 1639 The alcabala is reestablished after it had been suspended since the Disaster of Curalaba in 1598. 1640 Llaima begins an eruption. 1641 January 6 The first Parliament of Quillín is held. The first large shipment of Fitzroya wood leaves Chiloé Archipelago.Torrejón, Fernando; Cisternas, Marco; Alvial, Ingrid and Torres, Laura. 2011. Consecuencias de la tala maderera colonial en los bosques de alece de Chiloé, sur de Chile (Siglos XVI-XIX)* . Magallania. Vol. 39(2):75-95. 1643 May 20 A Dutch expedition led by plunders Carelmapu and Castro soon after. Governor of Chiloé Andrés Herrera dies in battle and is replaced by Fernando de Alvarado.Barros Arana 2000, p. 282. August 28 The Dutch, now led by Elias Herckmans, establish a base at the ruins of Valdivia. October 28 The Dutch retreat from Valdivia to Constantino Island and then to Dutch Brazil. 1644 April 30 Captain Juan de Acevedo departs to investigate about the Dutch presence in Valdivia, entering the site of the ruins and finding they have left.Barros Arana 2000, pp. 291–292. 1645 Repopulation of Valdivia and construction of the Valdivian Fort System. Valdivia comes under direct rule of the Viceroyalty of Peru. 1647 May 13 Santiago is struck by a devastating earthquake. 1651 January 24 The Parliament of Boroa is held. March 21 Spanish ship San José with provisions aimed for Valdivia wrecks of the coast south of Valdivia. Its surviving crew is killed by local Cuncos.Barros Arana 2000, pp. 340–341. 1654 January 11 A Spanish army led by Juan de Salazar is defeated by local Mapuche-Huilliches as it tries to cross Bueno River in Southern Chile. 1655 February 14 Mapuches launch a general insurrection creating turmoil as far north as Maule River, far beyond the ordinary frontier. 1656 January 20 New governor Pedro Porter Casanate defeat a Mapuche army at the battle of Conuco. 1660 Military leader Alejo is murdered by his two wives. 1664 The Viceroalty of Peru estimates 30,000 to 42,000 Spaniards to have died in Chile of which half would have died by the direct consequences of the Arauco War. 1667 Governor Francisco de Meneses is destituted after accusations of immorality against him. 1670 December 31 The expedition of John Narborough leaves Corral Bay having surveyed the coast and lost four hostages to the Spanish. 1671 January The Parliament of Malloco is held. 1672 Jesuits established in Chiloé founds the Mission of Nahuel Huapi across the Andes. 1674 November 30 Bartolomé Gallardo's expedition reaches the mouth of San Tadeo River after crossing the isthmus of Ofqui. 1675 November 28 The Antonio de Vea expedition departs from Chiloé to explore the fjords and channels of Patagonia.de Vea 1886, p. 557de Vea 1886, p. 555 1676 January 26 The Antonio de Vea expedition returns to the shipyard of Chiloé.de Vea 1886, p. 586 February 17 Sixteen expeditionaries are seen for the last time while attempting to reach Evangelistas Islets. 1680 December 13 Bartholomew Sharp destroys and pillages La Serena. 1681 By royal decree, the Atacama desert is declared to be the border between the Captain-Generalship of Chile and the Viceroyalty of Peru. 1684 Valdivia's original site, downtown of modern Valdivia is repopulated. 1687 October 20 Peru is struck by a major earthquake and stem rust plague. These events marks the beginning of an era of Chilean wheat exports to Peru.
18th century