Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 24, 2026

Ainavillo

Ainavillo, Aynabillo, Aillavilu or Aillavilú, was the toqui of the Mapuche army from the provinces of "Ñuble, Itata, Renoguelen, Guachimavida, Marcande, Gualqui, Penco and Talcahuano."

Last revised
Jun 24, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
309 w
Citations
4
Source
Ainavillo
AllegianceMapuche
Branch
Army
Rank
Toqui
Conflicts
Battle of Andalien

Ainavillo,1 Aynabillo,2 Aillavilu or Aillavilú, (in Mapudungun, ailla, nine and filu, snake) was the toqui of the Mapuche army from the provinces of "Ñuble, Itata, Renoguelen, Guachimavida, Marcande, Gualqui, Penco and Talcahuano."3

They tried to stop Pedro de Valdivia from invading their lands in 1550. He led about twenty thousand warriors in the surprise night attack on Valdivia's camp in the Battle of Andalien.
After his defeat in that battle he gathered more warriors from the allied regions of Arauco and Tucapel, south of the Bio-Bio River, for an attack on Valdivia's newly constructed fort of Concepcion at what is now Penco. He led an army of sixty thousand warriors in three divisions against the fort in the Battle of Penco.4 Ainavillo's command that had been previously defeated at Andalien, was recognized by the Spaniards and Valdivia picked it out for a vigorous charge by all their cavalry following a softening up by volleys of their firearms. It was broken at the first onslaught and fled with the Spanish in pursuit, followed by the retreat of the other two divisions of the Mapuche upon seeing the spectacle.

References

References

  1. Vivar, Crónica..., Cap. XCV, XCVII
  2. Lobera, Crónica del ..., Cap. XXXI
  3. Lobera, Crónica..., Cap. XXXI
  4. Vivar, Crónica..., Cap. XCVII
Sources

Sources