Battle of Tucapel

Battle of Tucapel
Part of Arauco War
Date December 25, 1553 Location Vicinity of fort of Tucapel Result Mapuche victory
Belligerents
Spanish Empire	Mapuche
Commanders and leaders
Pedro de Valdivia	Toqui Caupolicán vice toqui Lautaro
Strength
55 Spanish soldiers[1] 2,000–5,000 yanakuna	more than 50,000 warriors according to Spanish sources, considered exaggerated, modern estimations 10,000[2]
Casualties and losses
All 55 Spaniards killed most of the yanaconas killed	Unknown, but not small[3]

The Battle of Tucapel (also known as the Disaster of Tucapel^{[citation needed]}) is the name given to a battle fought between Spanish conquistador forces led by Pedro de Valdivia and Mapuche (Araucanian) Indians under Lautaro that took place at Tucapel, Chile on December 25, 1553. The battle occurred in the context of the first stage of the Arauco War, named the "offensive war" within a larger uprising by Araucanians against the Spanish conquest of Chile. It was a defeat for the Spaniards, resulting in the capture and eventual death of Valdivia.