Cañete (Chile)

Cañete is a city and commune in Chile in Arauco Province, Biobío Region. It is located 135 km to the south of Concepción. Cañete is known as the "Historic City" (Spanish: ciudad histórica), due to this it is one of the oldest cities of Chile, the Battle of Tucapel and Pedro de Valdivia's death happened near the current city's ubication, and has been a recurrent place in Arauco War.HistoryEtymologyCañete was founded by Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza as Cañete de la Frontera, in honor of his father, Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, 3rd Marquis of Cañete. His title has its origins in Cañete, in Crown of Castile.Before its founding, the place was known as Tucapel, which means taking by force in Mapudungun.Currently, Cañete is known as an Historic City (Spanish: ciudad histórica) by mass media.Fort TucapelIn 1552, Pedro de Valdivia founded the Fort Tucapel, next to the present city of Cañete. In 1553, after destroying the fort, the native Mapuches defeated the Spanish army here in the Battle of Tucapel and killed Pedro de Valdivia.