Toqui (or Toki) (

Mapudungun Mapuche (, Mapuche & Spanish: , or Mapudungun; from ' 'land' and ' 'speak, speech') is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west-central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from ''mapu'' 'land' and ''che ...

for ''axe'' or ''axe-bearer'') is a title conferred by the

Mapuche The Mapuche ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who s ...

(an indigenous

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

an and

Argentinian Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...

people) on those chosen as leaders during times of war. The toqui is chosen in an assembly or

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

('' coyag'') of the chieftains (

lonco A lonko or lonco (from Mapudungun ''longko'', literally "head"), is a chief of several Mapuche communities. These were often ulmen, the wealthier men in the lof. In wartime, lonkos of the various local rehue or the larger aillarehue would gather in ...

s) 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 The Arauco War was a long-running conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people, mostly fought in the Araucanía. The conflict began at first as a reaction to the Spanish conquerors attempting to establish cities and force Mapuche ...

with the Spanish introduced tactical innovations. For example, Lautaro introduced infantry tactics to defeat horsemen.

Lemucaguin Lemucaguin a native of Andalicán was the successor to Turcupichun as toqui of the Moluche Butalmapu north of the Biobío River in 1558. He organized a detachment of arquebusiers from weapons captured in the Battle of Marihueñu. He continued t ...

was the first Toqui to use

firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

and

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during si ...

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 Anganamón, also known as ''Ancanamon'' or ''Ancanamun'',Vicente Carvallo y Goyeneche ''Descripcion histórico-jeográfica del Reino de Chile, TOMO I''; ''Coleccion de historiadores de Chile, Tomo VIII'', IMPRENTA DE LA LIBRERÍA DEL MERCURIO de A. ...

was the first to mount his infantry to keep up with his fast-moving cavalry. Lientur pioneered the tactic of numerous and rapid ''

malón ''Malón'' (from the Mapudungun ''maleu,'' to inflict damage to the enemy) is the name given to plunder raids carried out by Mapuche warriors, who rode horses into Spanish, Chilean and Argentine territories from the 17th to the 19th centuries, as ...

s'' into Spanish territory. The greatest of the Toqui was the older

Paillamachu Paillamachu (died 1604), was the Mapuche toqui from 1592 to 1603 in what is now Chile. Paillamachu replaced the slain Paillaeco, then organized and carried out the great revolt of 1598 that expelled the Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items f ...

, 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

leaders were at some time named as toquis: * Malloquete 1546 † *

Ainavillo Ainavillo, Aynabillo, 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." They t ...

, Aynabillo or Aillavilú 1550 † *

Lincoyan Lincoyan (c. 1519 Arauco - 1560 Cañete) was the Mapuche toqui that succeeded Ainavillo in 1550 after the defeat at the Battle of Penco. He tried to stop Pedro de Valdivia from invading and establishing fortresses and cities in their lands betwee ...

1551–1553 *

Caupolicán Caupolicán (meaning ‘polished flint’ (queupu) or ‘blue quartz stone’ (Kallfulikan) in Mapudungun) was a ''toqui'' or war leader of the Mapuche people, who led the resistance of his people against the Spanish Conquistadors who invaded the ...

1553–1558 †† ** Lautaro Vice Toqui 1553–1557 † *

Turcupichun Turcupichun was the toqui of the Mapuche Aillarehues in the vicinity of Concepcion, Chile and the Bio-Bio River valley from 1557 to 1558. García Hurtado de Mendoza landed in early June 1557 on the island of La Quiriquina at the mouth of the ba ...

1557–1558 †† *

Caupolicán the younger Caupolicán (meaning ‘polished flint’ (queupu) or ‘blue quartz stone’ (Kallfulikan) in Mapudungun) was a ''toqui'' or war leader of the Mapuche people, who led the resistance of his people against the Spanish Conquistadors who invaded the ...

1558 † * Illangulién, ''Quiromanite'', ''Queupulien'' or ''Antiguenu'' 1559–1564 † ** Millalelmo or ''Millarelmo'' or ''Antunecul'' 1562–1570 ** Loble or ''Lig-lemu'' or ''Lillemu'' Vice Toqui 1563–1565 *

Paillataru Paillataru was the toqui of the Mapuche from 1564 to 1574. He succeeded Illangulién in 1564 following his death in the Battle of Angol. Paillataru was said to be the brother or cousin of Lautaro. During the first years of his command he led raids ...

1564–1574 **

Llanganabal Llanganabal was a Moluche toqui who led the Mapuche army that defeated the Spanish led by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa in the Battle of Catirai in 1569. In 1560 Llanganabal is listed as one of the caciques heading an encomienda along the Bio Bio River. ...

1569 * Paineñamcu or Paynenancu, originally Alonso Diaz 1574–1584 †† *

Cayancaru Cayancura, or Cayeucura,Diego de Rosales, ''Historia..., Tomo II'', Capítulo LI was a Mapuche leader native to the region of Marigüenu, chosen as toqui in 1584 to replace the captured Paineñamcu. His one great operation was an attempted siege ...

or ''Cayeucura'' 1584 * Nongoniel or ''Mangolien'' 1585 † * Cadeguala or ''Cadiguala'' 1585–1586 † * Guanoalca or ''Huenualca'' 1586–1590 * Quintuguenu 1591 † *

Paillaeco Paillaeco was elected Toqui in 1592 in place of Quintuguenu after Quintuguenu's defeat and death. Paillaeco did not think his forces were now sufficient to oppose the Spanish in the open field and decided to draw them into an ambush. The Spanish ...

1592 † *

1592–1603 ** Pelantaro Vice Toqui ** Millacolquin Vice Toqui * Huenecura or ''Huenencura'' 1604–1610 * Aillavilu, Aillavilú II, Aillavilu Segundo 1610–1612 *

, ''Ancanamon'' or ''Ancanamun'' 1612–1613 * Loncothegua 1613–1620 * Lientur 1621–1625 ** Levipillan Vice Toqui * Butapichón or ''Butapichún'' 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 Alejandro de Vivar (1635–1660), better known as Mestizo Alejo, was a Chilean mestizo, who fought in the Arauco War. He was the son of the Mapuche cacique Curivilú and the Spanish Isabel de Vivar y Castro who was captured during a Mapuche raid ...

or ''Ñancú'' 1656–1661 @ * Misqui 1661–1663 † * Colicheuque 1663 † * Udalevi 1664–1665 † ** Calbuñancü vice toqui 1664–1665 † * Ayllicuriche or Huaillacuriche 1672–1673 † * Millalpal or ''Millapán'' 1692–1694 * Vilumilla 1722–1726 * Curiñancu 1766–1774 ** Lebian Vice ToquiClaudio Gay, Historia fisica y politica de Chile, Toma IV, Primera parte, Capítulo XVIII, En casa del autor, 1848, p. 223 † Killed in battle or †† executed for rebellion or @

assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

References

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. {{authority control Mapuche History of Chile * Titles of national or ethnic leadership Mapuche words and phrases