A cabildo abierto (open town council meeting) in Santiago accepted the resignation of the colonial governor and formed the First National Government Junta, marking the beginning of Chile’s autonomy movement under the wider crisis of the Spanish monarchy.
Chile’s first national legislative body opened in Santiago, creating an institutional counterweight to executive rule and accelerating political conflict among moderates, radicals, and royalists during the Patria Vieja.
A military movement led by the Carrera brothers forced changes in the composition of the First National Congress, pushing it toward more separatist positions and deepening divisions within the patriot movement.
The Reglamento Constitucional Provisorio established a constitutional framework for the revolutionary government, an important step in state-building during the Patria Vieja and a marker of increasing political separation from Spanish colonial authority.
A patriot victory in the 1813 campaign became closely associated with Bernardo O’Higgins’ conduct and helped shift leadership dynamics within the independence movement, intensifying rivalry among patriot factions.
Patriot and royalist forces concluded a truce at the Lircay River, temporarily suspending hostilities during a period of exhaustion and strategic uncertainty in the independence war.
Royalist forces defeated the patriots at Rancagua, a decisive loss that triggered the Spanish Reconquest period and forced many independence leaders and supporters into exile.
The Army of the Andes under José de San Martín, joined by Chilean patriots including Bernardo O’Higgins, defeated royalists at Chacabuco, reopening Santiago to the independence cause and ending the Reconquest phase in central Chile.
In the immediate post-Chacabuco political settlement, Bernardo O’Higgins assumed top executive authority as Supreme Director, consolidating a central revolutionary government during the Patria Nueva.
Chile’s Declaration of Independence—drafted in January 1818—was approved by Supreme Director Bernardo O’Higgins at Talca (though the text carried a Concepción date), formalizing the break with Spain and setting the stage for final military consolidation.
Royalist forces surprised and defeated the patriot army near Talca, briefly endangering the independence project before the patriots regrouped for a decisive counterstroke.
San Martín and O’Higgins won a decisive victory over royalist forces near Santiago, effectively ending major Spanish military operations in central Chile and consolidating the independence government’s control over the core territory.
A daring amphibious assault led by Thomas Cochrane took the heavily fortified Valdivia complex, removing a key royalist base on the mainland and shifting remaining Spanish strength to Chiloé.
During Ramón Freire’s 1826 campaign against Chiloé, Chilean forces captured royalist gunboats at Pudeto, enabling subsequent attacks against defenses around San Carlos de Ancud.
Chile’s victory at Bellavista near Ancud broke effective royalist resistance on Chiloé, creating the immediate conditions for capitulation and negotiated annexation.
Chilean and Spanish authorities signed the Treaty of Tantauco, ending the final major royalist holdout in Chile and formally incorporating the Chiloé archipelago into the Chilean state.
Chilean Independence Sequence: First Junta to Chiloé Annexation (1810–1826)
