Battle of Reynogüelén

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Also written Reinogüelén, Reinohuelén y Reynohuelén

Reynogüelén was a battle between Spanish conquistadors and Mapuche soldiers, near the confluence of the Ñuble and Itata rivers, in Chile. It is usually taken as the beginning of the Arauco War.

Diego de Almagro had sent in 1536 an expedition to the south of Chile with the mission of exploring the country to the Strait of Magellan, under the command of Gómez de Alvarado. The group advanced without encountering much resistance from the aboriginal peoples, until they were intercepted by a numerous and well organized contingent of Mapuches.

The Mapuches launched a number of assaults which were successfully repulsed by the Spanish. Frustrated by these reverses and by disorientation caused by the horses, iron weapons, and armour of the conquistadors (all of which were previously unknown to the Mapuches), the natives retreated, leaving a number of dead and some prisoners.

Discouraged by the ferocity of the Mapuches, Gómez de Alvarado decided to return and inform Almagro what had happened. This battle had a strong influence on Almagro's entire expedition, and motivated, in part, its full retreat the following year to Peru.