Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Chiguaihue

CHIGUAIHUE (chee-gwah-ee'-oo-ay), Araucanian cacique of the Biobio tribe in the Moluches region, Chili, b. in that valley about 1566; d. near Chillan in 1606. He became noted as a warrior at the head of a tribe, and was elected chief of all the Araucanian forces. He attacked, captured, and destroyed the city of Chillan in August, 1604, and defeated Rivera near Santa Cruz, also destroying this city in September of the same year, as well as the cities of Frontera, Villarrica, and Valdivia in the two following months. Subsequently he overran the country south of Biobio river and drove out all the Spanish colonists, their forts and garrisons surrendering to the Indian chieftain. On 7 Feb., 1605, Chiguaihue attacked the city of Imperial, defended by a large number of Spaniards under command of the heroine Inés de Aguilera, and, after two days' fighting, the place surrendered to the Indians, who pillaged and burned it. Then he defeated Gen. Ramón while the Spaniards were engaged in battle with the "toqui" Huenecura in the Santa Cruz valley, had other successful encounters with the same Spanish general in 1606, and finally was routed near Chillán, made a prisoner, and executed.