CHILE
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Usually it is supposed
that Diego de Almagro was the discoverer of Chile. Almagro was Francisco
Pizarro's partner, and he received Nueva
Toledo (the Southern area). He organized an expedition that brought
him to central Chile in 1537. After this initial excursion there was little
interest from colonial authorities in further exploring Chile. However, Pedro de Valdivia, captain of the army,
realizing the potential for expanding the Spanish empire southward, asked
Pizarro's permission to invade and conquer the southern lands. He subdued the
local inhabitants and founded the city of Santiago de Nueva Extremadura, now Santiago de Chile, on February 12, 1541.
Valdivia became the first governor of the Captaincy General of Chile. In that
post, he obeyed the viceroy of Peru and, through him, the King of Spain and
his bureaucracy. Responsible to the governor, town councils known as Cabildo
administered local municipalities, the most important of which was Santiago,
which was the seat of a Real Audiencia
(Royal Court of Appeal) from 1609 until the end of colonial rule. The Capitanía
General de Chile (Captaincy General of Chile) or Gobernación de Chile, was an
administrative territory of the Crown of Castile in the Spanish Empire from 1541 to 1812, and of
Spain from 1812 to 1818, the year in which it
declared itself independent. It had a number of governors over its long history. The Captaincy
General of Chile was incorpored to the Crown of Castile as were all the other
Spanish possessions in the New World. The Captaincy General of Chile was
first known as Nueva Extremadura
(a name subsequently given to a part of Mexico) and then as Indian Flanders. It was a part of
Viceroyalty of Perú. The
administrative apparatus of the General Captaincy of Chile was subordinate to
the Council of the Indies and the Laws of the Indies, like the other Spanish
colonial possessions. The day-to-day work was handled mostly by viceroys and
governors, who represented the king's will. The areas of the Americas, which
had been the site of complex civilizations or became rich societies were
usually referred to by the Spanish as "kingdoms," such as the
"Kingdom of New Granada," the "Kingdom of Mexico," or the
"Kingdom of Guatemala." Chile never
reached the status of a viceroyalty and was instead classified as a captaincy
general because this was a very warlike territory and thus was ruled by a
military and not a nobleman like a viceroy. After the
usurpation of the Spanish throne by Joseph Bonaparte an Independence Movement
sprang up in Chile in 1810, when a national junta was established to govern
Chile in the name of Ferdinand VII. This initiative for temporary self-rule
quickly escalated into a campaign for permanent independence. After the fall
of Napoleon and the return of Ferdinand VII in Spain, Spanish troops from
Peru reconquered Chile in1814 at the Battle of Rancagua. The reconquest
caused a guerilla directed against the restoration of Spanish rule which
eventually was won by the independence movement at the Battle of Chacabuco (February 12, 1817). Chile won its
formal independence when the last large Spanish force on Chilean soil was
defaetad at the Battle of Maipú on April 5, 1818. Fighting
continued in Chile's southern provinces, the bastion of the royalists, until
1826. A declaration
of an independent Republic of Chile was officially issued by Chile on
February 12, 1818 and formally recognized by Spain in 1840, when full
diplomatic relations were established. |
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As a part
of the Spanish Empire the royal arms of Castile were also valid in Chile.
These consisted of a quarterly of Castile and Leon, surrounded by the collar
of the Order of the Fleece and royally crowned. The royal
achievement of the Indies consisted of the royal arms, at first, in the time
of Charles I supported by a two-headed eagle and later between or supported
by the Piles of Hercules. The
achievement of the Supreme Council of the Indies consisted of the arms of the
King of Spain, crowned and surrounded by the collar of the Order of the
Fleece, between the Pillars of Hercules and with a sailing ship below.
16th century Arms and Crest of the Indies [1] The arms
of the Indies were: Arms: Per pale, Or, Azure and Sable, the piles of Hercules
Gules both surrounded by a ribbon with the motto PLVS VLTRA, the dexter
imperially crowned and the sinister royally crowned, rising from a sea in
base proper. Crest: On a wreath a bunch of Ostrich feathers of
the colors. In the
time of Bourbon rule the emblem of the Indies consisted of a picture of the
Eastern and Western Hemispheres between the Piles of Hercules. |
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Diego de Almagro |
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In 1534 the Government of Nueva Toledo was
created. It comprised today’s Peru, Bolivia and the north of Chile. In the
same year Diego de Almagro (*1475-…1538)
became its first governor residing in Cuzco. The next year he undertook a
tour to the south for two years, to explore the riches of the country. A coat of arms had been granted to him in an act
of 27 November 1532. It was: Arms: A point
reversed arched, the chief Or, an eagle Sable, the dexter Gules, a castle Argent, its windows and
gate Azure, rising from the main tower a spear Or, its point Azure, flying
therefrom a banner Argent inscribed with a crowned letter ‘K’ Or; the
sinister Azure, a lion rampant Or, in his claws a spear Or, its point Azure,
flying therefrom a square banner Argent, inscribed with a crowned ‘J’ Or; all
within a bordure Ermine of eight tails. Crest: On a
closed helmet, lambrequined Azure and Or, a lion rampant Or, in his claws a
banner inscribed with the crowned letters ‘K’ and ‘J’.[2] The act reads: Don Carlos & por quanto vos don
diego de almagro nuestro mariscal de la probincia del peru y cibdad detumber nos fue fecha
relacion que ya sabiamos y nos hera
notorio los muchos y muy señalados servicios que nos aviades fecho en el
descubrimiento y conquista de la dha provincia del peru y tumber e otras muchas
provinciasdondeaviades espendido la mayor parte de vuestros bienes y perdido
un hijo e pasado muchos y diversos trabajos suplicándonos que porque de vos e
de los dichos vuestros servicios quedase perpetus memoria vos hiziesemos
merced de vos dar por vuestras armas conociadas un escudo partido en contra
mantel y an el quarto principal alto una aguila negra en campo de oro y en el
quarto de la mano derecha un castillo de plata con las ventanas y puertas
azules y campo colorado e de la torre del homenaje mayor del dho. castillo
que salga una lança el hasta dorada y el yerro azul con una bandera quadrada
blanca y en ella una K de oro con una corona real que es la primera letra de
nuestro nombre y en el otro quarto izquierda un leon de oro rampante en campo
azul que tiene en las manos otra bandera blanca quadrada y en ella una J con
una corona real que es la primera letra de mi la reyna y la hasta de la lança
de oro yerro azul y una orla en el dho. escudo blanca con ocho armiños negros
epor timble unyelmo cerrado que salga por encima del un leon rampante de oro
que tenga en las manos un lança con una bandera y en alla las dos primera
dichas letra de los dichos muestros nombres con sus coronas y un rollo
torzido ençima del dho. yelmo con sus trascoles y dependendias azul y oro o
comola nra merced fuese, e nos acatando los dhos vuestros servicios y porque
de vos y dellos quede memoria y vuestros descendientes seays mas honrados por la presente vos
hazemos merced y queremos y mandamos que podays traer y tener por vuestras
armas conoscidas las dhas arms que de suso se hazen mynçion en un escudo a
tal como este segund que aqui va figurado y pintadfo las quales dichas armas
vos damospor vuestra arms coniscidas &. Dada en la villa de madrid
a veynte e syete dias del mes de noviembre año del nascimiento de nro
salvador Ichucripto de myll e quynientoe e treynta y dos años yo la reyno
&. 1091-1-6, lib. 5. f.73 vto |
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Pedro de Valdivia |
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Pedro de Valdivia (*1500-…’53), the first
governor of the Captaincy General of Chile bore the arms of Valdivia impaled
with the arms of the Guzman family.
Arms of Pedro de Valdivia It was: Arms: Per pale: 1. Or, two basilisks interwined
respecting, biting a beam, Vert, in chief threesix-pointed stars Gules; 2.
Argent, two kettles chequy Or and Gules, issuing therefrom six snakes Vert
per pale. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Or
and Vert, the crown of a baron and an arm in armoury swinging a banner. Motto: LA MUERTE MENOS TEMIDA DA MAS VIDA (The less fear of death,
the more joy of life) [3] In a smaller version the motto was inscribed on a bordure:
Smaller version of the arms of Pedro de Valdivia |
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Santiago de Chile |
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The arms of Santiago de Chile in an
ancient document. [4] Nine years after the foundation of the
city its council charged Alonso de Aguilera to obtain privileges of a town
and city-arms from the Spanish crown. As a result Emperor Charles V
granted the city the status of a city
on 12 February 1552 and a coat of arms on the following 5 April. The coat of arms was: Arms: Argent, a lion rampant, in his dexter paw a sword upright proper, within
a bordure Azure charged with eight shells Or. The grant reads: “por cuanto Alonso de Aguilera, Procurador General de las provincias
de Chile, en nombre de la ciudad de Santiago, que es en las dichas provincias
nos ha hecho relación que los vecinos y moradores de dicha ciudad nos han
servido mucho en la conquista y pacificación de aquella tierra donde pasaron
muchos trabajos en ella y en poblar la dicha ciudad y en sustentarla; Que los
pobladores de ella son gente honrada y leales vasallos nuestros; y nos
suplicó que en dicho nombre, que acatando lo susodicho mandásemos señales por
armas a la dicha ciudad, según como las tenían las otras ciudades y villas de
las nuestra Indias o como nuestra merced fuese; Y Nos, acatando los
susodicho, tuvimoslo por bien, y por la presente hacemos merced, queremos y
mandamos que agora y de aquí adelante la dicha ciudad de Santiago haya y
tenga por sus armas conocidas un escudo que haya en él un león de su color,
con su espada desnuda en la mano en campo de plata y por orla 8 veneras de
oro en campo azul, según que aquí va pintado y figurado, en un escudo a tal
como este; Las cuales dichas armas damos a la dicha ciudad con sus armas e
divisas”. These arms, which were crowned in the
17th century, were used by the city for many years but in 1863 new arms were
adopted:
Arms: A fess Or, the word MAPOCHO Sable, the chief Azure a mountain ridge
of five mountains proper, the base Vert; all within a bordure Or. The Mapocho is the river flowing
through Santiago de Chile. These arms were abandoned in 1913 and
the ancient arms restored. [5] |
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Arms of
1913 |
Present arms of Santiago de Chile |
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1812-1814 |
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The first
emblem was established during the office of
President José Miguel Carrera, in 1812. It was designed over an oval in
which centre was depicted a pillar representing the Tree of Freedom. On top
of this pillar was a terrestrial globe; over the globe, a lance and a palm
leaf crossed and over these two, a star. Standing, on
both sides of the pillar, were the figures of a native man and woman, dressed
in loin cloths, the man keeping a spear and a club, the woman keepinga bow.
On top of everything was written, in latin, POST TENEBRAS LUX (Light After Darkness) and at the
bottom, AUT CONSILIO AUT ENSE (By Consultation or by Sword).
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On the flag
this emblem was put in a white oval in the middle of a cloth of three
horizontal breadths blue, white and yellow. At the same time the two natives
were dressed more decently and each
given a spear in their hand.
Emblem on
flag |
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1814-1817 |
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In the time of the Reconquista after the Battle of Rancagua the ancient royal emblems were restaured. An example is on the Piramid commemorating the Battle of Chacabuco. It is an augmented version of the Royal arms for the Indies. It is:
Royal Achievement of the Indies, about 1817. on the Pirámide
del Campo de Batalla de Chacabuco. By Andía y Varela (1757-1822). Arms: Quarterly
of Castile and Leon with an escutcheon of Bourbon. Orders:
The collars of the Order of the Fleece and of the Order of Charles III
((Spain, 1771) Supporters:
Two crowned lions, each supporting one of the Piles of Hercules withthe motto
PLUS ULTRA on a ribbon. Mantle: A
vaulted mantle, royally crowned Trophy:
Aroundthe achievement is a trophy of banners, armoury, drums, cannon,mortars
&c.. Because
of the armoury the achievement is the emblem of the Royalist Army. |
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1817-present |
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In 1817 two new
emblems emerged, both variations of the first, but they were abandoned soon. On the one of
June of that year the supporters were omitted but the pillar, the globe and
the star were maintained. The motto in chief was replaced by the word LIBERTAD and the motto in base by UNION Y FUERZA
On the reverse
of coins there appeared the Andes mountainridge with a working volcano in the
middle, surrounded by the legend CHILE INDEPENDIENTE – SANTIAGO –. In October
another emblem was created resembling the one before but with the motto LIBERTAD replaced by two flags, their poles in saltire.
The flag,
adopted 18 October 1817 was of two breadths white and red with a blue canton
charged with a white five-pointed star:
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After the declaration of Independent Chile on 12
February 1818, a provisional emblem appeared
on coins. It showed the Andes mountainridge with two working volcanoes
and a sun radiant above. The emblem was surrounded by branches of laurel and
the legend EL ESTADO D CHILE CONSTIT – INDEPENDIENTE. A new emblem
was approved by the Senate on 23 September 1819. It was an achievement: Arms: Azure, a pillar on its plinth, standing on the ground, crested with a
globe showing the western hemisphere, proper, between three eight-pointed
stars 1&2 Argent, and a scroll Argent inscribed LIBERTAD in chief, between the
first star and the globe. Crest: A fan of five
ostrich-feathers proper Garland: Branches of laurel Supporter: A native man, one foot resting on a cornucopia
and sitting on an American caiman, in its jaws the lion of Leon, whose crown
lays fallen on one side, holding the ripped spanish flag with its front paws.
On the background the Andes mountain ridge with two smoking volcanoes. Trophy: National flags and banners and armoury of the
cavalry, infantry, dragons, artillery and bombardiers in saltire Motto: POR LA RAZON O LA FUERZA (By Right or Might).
The arms of
Chile on a painting of José Gil de Cast In this achievement the stars symbolize the cities
of Santiago, Concepción and Coquimbo. The supporter symbolizes the victory of the people
and the killing of the spanish ruler and the Chileon people. A large part of
the achievement is dedicated to the army and as such the achievement seems to
have been inspired by the former royal
achievement as on the Piramid of Chacabuco.
On this version of the arms of 1819
the motto POR LA RAZON O LA FUERZA is
readable. A lesser, probably newer version of
the achievement shows:
In this version ther are “the evil chains of slavery that
America will break” around the cannon. The smaller
emblem, consisting of the pillar, the globe and the star was maintained on
coins unil 1828 with the smoking volcano on the reverse.
The arms of1819 met with much criticism and on the frontispiece of the “Constitucion Politica de la Republica de Chile” of 6 August 1828, a new emblem was printed. It was based on the mountainridge with the volcano, apparently meant to be the seal of Independent Chile. It is:
Achievement on the Constitution of 6 August 1828 Arms: The
Andes mountainridge with a working volcano, washed by the sea [proper] Crest: A five
pointed star radiant Garland: Of
leaves of laurel Supporter: A
Condor (Vultur gryphus - Cathartidæ), sejant. Trophy:
Pennons, national flags and cannon in saltire. The government of Joaquín Prieto (1831-’41), after a call for a contest to make a new design of he emblem, approved the design proposed by the able artist Charles Wood Taylor on 24 June 1834. It is:
Achievement of Chile on coins, 1835 - Arms: Per fess Azure and Gules, a five-pointed
star Argent. Crest: A fan of three ostrich-feathers Azure,
Argent and Gules. Supporters: A female huemal (Hippocamelus
bisulcus - Cervidæ)
on the dexter and a crowned condor (Vultur
gryphus - Cathartidæ) on the sinister, proper, both crowned with a naval crown. The crest of
blue, white and red feathers was a badge of distinction that former Presidents
of the Republic used to wear on their hats. The huemal,
which is unique for Chile, and the condor symbolize the fauna of Chile. |
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Female Huemal Hippocamelus bisulcus - Cervidæ |
Condor Vultur
gryphus - Cathartidæ |
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The naval crowns
symbolize the victories of the Chilean Navy in the Pacific Ocean. At the end of
the 19th century the huemal often
had the form of a horse:
Ancient Achievement of Chile in the US “Flags of all Nations”
(Washington, 1899) A lesser coat of arms appeared at the same time. It is:
Arms: Per fess Azure and Gules, a five-pointed
star Argent. Crest: A fan of three ostrich-feathers Azure,
Argent and Gules. Garland: Of branches of laurel. On 18
October 1920 the motto POR LA RAZON O LA FUERZA was added on a ribbon in base. This was
confirmed by “Decreto Supremo Nº 1534 del Ministerio del Interior de Chile, sobre el
uso de los Emblemas Nacionales. Santiago, 18 de octubre de 1967.”
The first
article of this decree reads: Artículo
1°.- Los emblemas nacionales son el
Escudo de Armas de la República, la Bandera Nacional, la Escarapela o Cucarda
y el Estandarte Presidencial o Bandera Nacional Presidencial. El Escudo
de Armas presenta una estrella de plata de cinco picos al centro de un campo cortado,
azul turquí el superior y rojo el inferior y su forma es la fijada por el
modelo oficial aprobado por decreto de Guerra N° 2.271 de 4 de septiembre de
1920, conforme a la ley, y el cual, además, tiene por timbre un plumaje
tricolor de azul turquí, blanco y rojo; por soportes un huemul rampante a su
derecha y un cóndor a su izquierda en la posición que fija ese modelo,
coronado cada uno de estos animales con una corona naval de oro; y por base
un encaracolado cruzado por una cinta con el lema “por la razón o la fuerza”,
todo en conformidad al referido modelo. Æ See illustration
in the head of this essay |
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The president’s
fl;ag is the successor of the Royal Arms from the time of Spanish Rule. The President’s
flag was introduced by order of the Ministry of the Navy of 7 July 1854. It consists of
the National Flag, charged in the center with the National Achievement.
President’s Flag and its measures, 1854. [6] When the
National Achievement was changed in
1920 the president’s flag was changed accordingly:
President’s flag 1920 - present [7] |
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Army |
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Navy |
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Air Force |
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Arms The motto QUAM CELERRIME AD
ASTRA means: As quickly as possible to the stars.
Pilot
Wings |
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Roundel |
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Policia de
Investigaciones |
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The the civil
police of Chile, the Policia
de Investigaciones de Chile, PDI was created in
1933.
Ancient
PDI badges
Present badge |
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Carabineros |
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The Carabineros de Chile (Carabiniers of Chile) were created on
27 April 1927 their mission is to maintain order and create public respect
for the laws of the country. |
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© Hubert de Vries 2013-01-26. Updated
2013-03-13
Heraldry of the World