Toqui Explained

Toqui (or Toki) (Mapudungun for axe or axe-bearer) is a title conferred by the Mapuche (an indigenous Chilean and Argentinian^[1] people) on those chosen as leaders during times of war. The toqui is chosen in an assembly or parliament (coyag) of the chieftains (loncos) of various clans (Rehues) or confederation of clans (Aillarehues), allied during the war at hand. The toqui commanded strict obedience of all the warriors and their loncos during the war, would organize them into units and appoint leaders over them. This command would continue until the toqui was killed, abdicated (Cayancaru), was deposed in another parliament (as in the case of Lincoyan, for poor leadership), or upon completion of the war for which he was chosen.

Some of the more famous Toqui in the Arauco War with the Spanish introduced tactical innovations. For example, Lautaro introduced infantry tactics to defeat horsemen. Lemucaguin was the first Toqui to use firearms and artillery in battle. Nongoniel was the first Toqui to use cavalry with the Mapuche army. Cadeguala was the first to successfully use Mapuche cavalry to defeat Spanish cavalry in battle. Anganamón was the first to mount his infantry to keep up with his fast-moving cavalry. Lientur pioneered the tactic of numerous and rapid malóns into Spanish territory.

The greatest of the Toqui was the older Paillamachu, who developed the strategy, patiently organized and trained his forces and then with his two younger Vice Toqui, Pelantaro and Millacolquin, carried out the Great Revolt of 1598–1604 which finally expelled the Spanish from Araucania.

List of Mapuche Toquis

The following Mapuche leaders were at some time named as toquis:^[2]

• Malloquete^[3] 1546 †
• Ainavillo,^[4] Aynabillo^[5] or Aillavilú 1550 †
• Lincoyan 1551–1553
• Caupolicán 1553–1558 ††
  • Lautaro Vice Toqui 1553–1557 †
• Turcupichun^[6] 1557–1558 ††
• Lemucaguin^[7] or Caupolicán the younger^[8] 1558 †
• Illangulién,^[9] Quiromanite,^[10] Queupulien^[11] or Antiguenu^[12] 1559–1564 †
  • Millalelmo^[13] or Millarelmo^[14] or Antunecul^[15] 1562–1570
  • Loble^[16] or Lig-lemu^[17] or Lillemu^[18] Vice Toqui 1563–1565
• Paillataru 1564–1574
  • Llanganabal 1569
• Paineñamcu^[19] or Paynenancu,^[20] originally Alonso Diaz^[21] 1574–1584 ††
• Cayancaru or Cayeucura^[22] 1584
• Nongoniel or Mangolien^[23] 1585 †
• Cadeguala or Cadiguala^[24] 1585–1586 †
• Guanoalca or Huenualca^[25] 1586–1590
• Quintuguenu 1591 †
• Paillaeco 1592 †
• Paillamachu 1592–1603
  • Pelantaro Vice Toqui
  • Millacolquin Vice Toqui
• Huenecura or Huenencura^[26] 1604–1610
• Aillavilu, Aillavilú II,^[27] Aillavilu Segundo^[28] 1610–1612
• Anganamón,^[29] Ancanamon^[30] or Ancanamun^[31] 1612–1613
• Loncothegua 1613–1620
• Lientur 1621–1625
  • Levipillan Vice Toqui^[32]
• Butapichón or Butapichún^[33] 1625–1631
• Quepuantú or Quempuante 1631–1632 †
• Butapichón or Butapichún 1632–1634
• Huenucalquin 1634–1635 †
• Curanteo 1635 †
• Curimilla 1635–1639 †
• Lincopinchon 1640–1641
• Clentaru 1655
• Mestizo Alejo or Ñancú 1656–1661 @
• Misqui 1661–1663 †
• Colicheuque 1663 †
• Udalevi 1664–1665 †
  • Calbuñancü vice toqui 1664–1665 †^[34]
• Ayllicuriche or Huaillacuriche^[35] 1672–1673 †
• Millalpal^{[36] [37]} or Millapán 1692–1694
• Vilumilla 1722–1726
• Curiñancu 1766–1774
  • Lebian Vice Toqui^[38]

† Killed in battle or †† executed for rebellion or @ assassinated.

Sources

• Juan Ignatius Molina, The Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, Vol II., Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, London, 1809
• José Ignacio Víctor Eyzaguirre, Historia eclesiastica: Politica y literaria de Chile, IMPRENTA DEL COMERCIO, VALPARAISO, June 1830 List of Toquis, pg. 162–163, 498–500.

Notes and References

1. Web site: "Argentina se fundó sobre un genocidio contra los mapuches" DW 22.08.2017. Welle (www.dw.com). Deutsche. DW.COM. es-ES. 2020-05-28.
2. [José Ignacio Víctor Eyzaguirre]
3. [Jerónimo de Vivar]
4. Vivar, Crónica..., Cap. XCV,XCVII
5. [Pedro Mariño de Lobera]
6. [Diego de Rosales]
7. Rosales, Historia general ..., Tomo II, CAPÍTULO XXI
8. [Juan Ignacio Molina]
9. [Alonso de Góngora Marmolejo]
10. Lobera, CRÓNICA DEL REINO DE CHILE, Libro Segundo, Capítulo XXII
11. Rosales, "Historia General del Reino de Chile", Flandes Indiano, Tomo II, Cap. XXX
12. Molina, The Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, Volume II, Book IV, Chap. 1
13. Góngora Marmolejo, Historia..., Capítulo XLV, Cap. XXXVI
14. Rosales, Historia general de el Reyno de Chile, Flandes Indiano, Tomo II
15. Molina, The Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, pg. 207–208
16. Góngora Marmolejo, Historia..., Capítulo XLV
17. [Vicente Carvallo y Goyeneche]
18. Molina, The Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, pg. 211
19. According to Rosales, Historia..., Tomo II, Capítulo LI, pg. 221.
20. Carvallo,Descripcion Histórico...
21. Lobera calls him Diego Díaz, Crónica..., Libro tercero, Parte tercera, Capítulo XXXII; Rosales and Carvallo call him Alonso Diaz
22. Diego de Rosales, Historia..., Tomo II, Capítulo LI
23. Rosales, Historia ..., Tomo II, CAPÍTULO LII
24. Lobera, Crónica ..., Cap. XXXV
25. [Claudio Gay]
26. Gay, Historia ..., Tomo II, Cap. XXXII.
27. [José Ignacio Víctor Eyzaguirre]
28. [Gomez De Vidaurre]
29. Rosales, Historia general ..., Tomo II
30. [Francisco Núñez de Pineda y Bascuñán]
31. Carvallo, Descripcion histórico..., TOMO I; Coleccion de historiadores de Chile, Tomo VIII, IMPRENTA DE LA LIBRERÍA DEL MERCURIO de A. y M. Echeverria, Morando Núm. 38., Santiago,1878
32. Molina, The Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, p.234
33. [Francisco Núñez de Pineda y Bascuñán]
34. Gay, Historia fisica y politica de Chile, Tomo III, CAPITULO XXVII
35. [Pedro de Cordoba y Figueroa]
36. https://books.google.com/books?id=PFADAAAAMAAJ Pedro de Cordoba y Figueroa, HISTORIA DE CHILE 1492–1717, Coleccion de historiadores de Chile Libro 7 Cap. 14
37. http://www.historia.uchile.cl/CDA/fh_sub_article/0,1395,SCID%253D5835%2526ISID%253D404%2526GRPR%253D4255%2526PRT%253D4263%2526JNID%253D12,00.html Vicente Carvallo Goyeneche, Descripcion Histórico Geografía del Reino de Chile, Tomo II, Primera parte, Capítulo LXIV
38. Claudio Gay, Historia fisica y politica de Chile, Toma IV, Primera parte, Capítulo XVIII, En casa del autor, 1848, p. 223