Reconsiderations on the « bad reputation » of Chile during the XVI th century

Abstract

This article examines the content of a source that has not been considered by the historiography, in order to study the “bad reputation” associated to the Chilean territory during the 16th century. Until now, the evidence of this perspective has mainly been analyzed through the work chroniclers and contemporaneous historians. This study researched data coming from another kind of sources: the proofs of merits and services made during the first three decades of the Spanish conquest (1535-1565). We suggest that these writings importantly contributed to the transmission of this “bad reputation.” These documents not only allow us to corroborate official references on this subject, but they also invite to reflect on how these ideas were able to circulate and crystallize as part of the imaginary of several different generations of Spaniards and Conquistadores.