Moraga Family

Moraga family
Current region	Spain; Chile; Alta California (United States)
Place of origin	Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain
Founded	15th century (documented presence)

The Moraga family is a documented lineage in Spain and Chile, with its presence recorded in historical, ecclesiastical, and governmental sources. According to available genealogical and historiographical literature, its documented continuity extends from Late Antiquity to the contemporary period, spanning approximately sixteen centuries.

Several authors have proposed hypotheses regarding a possible ancient origin of the surname, linking it to noble traditions of the Iberian Peninsula and, more remotely, to Late Roman ancestry. These interpretations have been published in genealogical and journalistic sources but do not constitute a definitive academic consensus.

Colonial Period

In the Chilean context, the documented presence of the family begins with the arrival in 1551 of Hernando Galindo de Moraga Gómez y Saavedra (1522–1604) to the Captaincy General of Chile, where he joined the forces of the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Villagra.

Chilean genealogical historiography includes the Moraga family among the so-called founding families of the early colonial period. According to these sources, the continuity of the surname in Chile was maintained in certain cases through matrilineal transmission, particularly through Mencía de Moraga, whose descendants preserved the surname within the Pérez de Valenzuela and Moraga lineages.

Alta California and the founding of San José

Members of the Moraga family played a documented role in the Spanish colonization of Alta California during the late eighteenth century, a period marked by the Crown’s efforts to consolidate territorial control over its northern frontier in North America. Within this context, José Joaquín Moraga (1745–1785), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator, emerged as the most prominent representative of the family in California and became directly involved in the establishment of early Spanish settlements.

San Jose, California, was founded by Francisco Moraga

José Joaquín Moraga was born into a military family with long-standing service to the Spanish Crown. He was the son of José Francisco Moraga, a captain who had served in northern New Spain, and belonged to a generation of officers tasked with supporting Spain’s expansion strategy in Alta California. This strategy relied on a network of presidios (military forts), missions administered by Franciscan friars, and civilian pueblos designed to supply food, labor, and logistical support to both institutions.

Moraga arrived in Alta California as part of the military forces assigned to secure and administer the region following the expeditions led by Gaspar de Portolá and Junípero Serra. He served in several military and administrative capacities, most notably as commander of the Presidio of San Francisco, one of the key defensive installations protecting the northern coast and San Francisco Bay. In this role, Moraga was responsible for maintaining military discipline, overseeing supplies, coordinating with missionary authorities, and managing relations with Indigenous populations in accordance with colonial policy.

His most enduring historical contribution, however, lies in his participation in the founding of San José, officially established in 1777 as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. San José holds particular significance in the history of California as the first civilian pueblo founded under Spanish rule, distinguishing it from the earlier mission and presidio settlements. The creation of a civilian town was intended to ensure agricultural self-sufficiency for nearby presidios and missions, especially those at San Francisco and Santa Clara.

Map of Rancho Buena Ventura

José Joaquín Moraga played a direct role in organizing and supervising the settlement process. This included selecting the site, overseeing the allocation of land to settlers, and ensuring that the new pueblo complied with Spanish colonial regulations governing town planning, land tenure, and governance. The settlers, drawn largely from mestizo and Indigenous populations of northern New Spain, were expected to cultivate crops, raise livestock, and supply foodstuffs to the military and ecclesiastical establishments of the region.

Moraga’s administrative responsibilities extended beyond the initial foundation phase. He was involved in the early governance of San José, contributing to the stabilization of the settlement during its formative years. His work required balancing the interests of military authorities, missionaries, civilian settlers, and Indigenous communities, all within the broader framework of Spanish imperial administration.

Through José Joaquín Moraga’s service in Alta California, the Moraga family became directly associated with one of the foundational episodes in California’s colonial history. The establishment of San José marked a turning point in Spain’s approach to colonization in the region, introducing a civilian model of settlement that would later influence urban development under Mexican and United States governance. As a result, the Moraga name occupies a recognized place in the historical narrative of early California, linked to the origins of one of its oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Legacy and place names

The historical presence of the Moraga family in California is reflected most visibly in regional toponymy, particularly in the name of the town of Moraga, located in present-day Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco Bay. This place name derives from Joaquín Moraga, a descendant of the Moraga family who was active during the Mexican and early American periods of California history. The survival of the family name in the geographic landscape illustrates the lasting imprint of Spanish and Californio families on the territorial organization and cultural memory of the region.

Joaquín Moraga belonged to the generation of Californios who inherited landholdings and social influence following the secularization of the Spanish mission system and the redistribution of land through Mexican land grants in the early 19th century. Members of the Moraga family were among those who transitioned from the structures of Spanish colonial administration to the Mexican system of governance after 1821, adapting to new political and legal frameworks while maintaining their status as local landowners and community figures. In this context, the Moraga name became associated with ranching, agriculture, and regional settlement patterns typical of the Californio elite.

The area that would later become the town of Moraga was originally part of large ranchos used primarily for cattle grazing, an economic activity that dominated much of Alta California during the Mexican period. These ranchos formed the backbone of local economies and social networks, linking prominent families through kinship, commerce, and shared political interests. The Moraga family’s association with these lands contributed to the persistence of their name in local usage, even as sovereignty over California shifted from Mexico to the United States following the Mexican–American War (1846–1848).

After California’s incorporation into the United States, the region experienced profound demographic, economic, and legal changes, particularly following the Gold Rush. Many Californio families faced challenges related to land ownership, including legal disputes, indebtedness, and the subdivision of large estates. Despite these transformations, certain family names endured through place names, roads, and settlements, serving as historical markers of the pre-American past. The town of Moraga thus stands as a toponymic reminder of the Spanish and Mexican eras of California history and of the families who played a role in shaping the region before and during those transitions.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area developed further as transportation routes expanded and residential communities emerged. Although the Moraga family no longer exercised the same level of economic or political influence, the retention of the name reflected an acknowledgment of historical continuity rather than contemporary ownership. This phenomenon is common throughout California, where many cities, counties, and geographic features preserve names linked to early Spanish explorers, missionaries, soldiers, and settler families.

From a historiographical perspective, the survival of the Moraga name in California place names illustrates how family legacies can persist beyond direct lineage control, becoming embedded in collective memory and regional identity. The town of Moraga functions not only as a modern municipality but also as a historical reference point connecting present-day California to its Spanish colonial and Mexican past. In this way, the Moraga family’s legacy in California is expressed less through ongoing political prominence and more through enduring geographic and cultural markers that reflect the layered history of the region.

Origins of the Moraga family

Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain

Historiographical sources place the peninsular origin of the Moraga lineage in the city of Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura, Spain. In the context of the conquest and colonization of Chile, the documented ancestor Hernando Galindo de Moraga Gómez y Saavedra received land grants, encomiendas, and military recognition, which enabled the early integration of the family into the economic and social structures of the colonial period. Through this process, the lineage became linked to rural property regimes and to the formation of haciendas in the Kingdom of Chile, particularly in Santiago and in the former Province of Colchagua.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Extremadura was a region characterized by its condition as a frontier territory following the prolonged process of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula. Historiography has noted that this context favored the formation of a social stratum of hidalgos with military experience, territorial mobility, and aspirations of social advancement—factors that influenced the participation of many people from Extremadura in the overseas expansion enterprises of the Spanish Crown.

Within colonial administration, members of the Moraga family held public offices and performed functions linked to civil and religious institutions. Among them was Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga, who was appointed mayor of Santiago in 1779 and later served as Treasurer of the Santa Cruzada in 1783. He was also the owner of the Hacienda de Nancagua in the Province of Colchagua and of the Hacienda de Chacabuco in Santiago, both considered rural estates of economic relevance for the period. According to the sources, he was a witness to events associated with the Battle of Chacabuco.

Independence of Chile was in 1818

During the process of Chilean independence, José María Moraga y Fuenzalida, an Augustinian presbyter, participated in relevant political and religious instances. He attended the Cabildo Abierto de 1810, which led to the First Government Junta of Chile, and signed the Provisional Constitutional Regulation of 1812. He also participated in the Te Deum celebrated after the Oath of Independence on 12  February 1818 in Santiago's Plaza de Armas and was the principal speaker at the reopening of the Instituto Nacional in 1819. After the Conquest period and subsequent Emancipation, the documented participation of the Moraga family is recorded in different spheres, including the administration of encomiendas and haciendas, the performance of ecclesiastical functions, and connections to rural traditions, including the historical development of the Chilean rodeo.

Despite the socioeconomic transformations that occurred in Chile during the 20th century—particularly those associated with the Agrarian Reform—the sources indicate that the lineage has maintained a presence in agriculture, with rural properties in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, the Maule region, and the O'Higgins region.

Overall, the historical trajectory of the Moraga family has been addressed by historiography as an example of the evolution of a Hispano-Criollo family in Chile, with documented participation in military, political, economic, religious, and cultural spheres from the colonial period to the contemporary era.

Origins of the Moraga Family

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The Province of Colchagua is known today for its wines

Historiographical and genealogical scholarship places the peninsular origin of the Moraga lineage in the city of Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura, Spain. Within the framework of the conquest and colonization of Chilean territory, the documented ancestor Hernando Galindo de Moraga Gómez y Saavedra received land grants, encomiendas, and military recognitions, practices customary within the colonial system of the period. These concessions enabled the early integration of the family into the economic and social structures of colonial society, linking it to regimes of rural property and to the formation of haciendas in the Kingdom of Chile, particularly in Santiago and in the former Province of Colchagua.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Extremadura was a region characterized by its condition as a frontier territory following the prolonged process of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula. Historiography has noted that this context contributed to the formation of hidalgo sectors with military experience, territorial mobility, and expectations of social advancement—factors that influenced the participation of numerous people from Extremadura in the overseas expansion enterprises promoted by the Spanish Crown.

Within colonial administration, various members of the Moraga lineage held public offices and performed functions associated with civil and religious institutions. Among them was Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga, who was appointed mayor of Santiago in 1779 and later served as Treasurer of the Santa Cruzada in 1783.

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Government Junta of Chile

The sources also identify him as the owner of the Hacienda de Nancagua in the Province of Colchagua and of the Hacienda de Chacabuco in Santiago, both recorded as rural estates of economic relevance within the colonial and early republican agrarian context. According to the available documentation, he was a witness to events associated with the Battle of Chacabuco.

During the process of Chilean independence, José María Moraga y Fuenzalida, a presbyter of the Order of Saint Augustine, participated in political and religious instances documented by historiography. He attended the Cabildo Abierto de 1810, which led to the First Government Junta of Chile, and subscribed to the Provisional Constitutional Regulation of 1812. He also took part in the Te Deum celebrated after the Oath of Independence on 12  February 1818 in Santiago's Plaza de Armas and was the principal speaker at the reopening of the Instituto Nacional in 1819.

After the period of the Conquest and subsequent Emancipation, the documented participation of the Moraga family is recorded in various spheres, including the administration of encomiendas and haciendas, the exercise of ministerial functions within the Church, and connections to rural traditions, among them the historical development of the Chilean rodeo.

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Alta California.

Despite the socioeconomic transformations that occurred in Chile during the 20th century—particularly those associated with the Agrarian Reform—historiographical sources indicate that the lineage has maintained a presence in the agricultural sphere, with rural properties recorded in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, the Maule region, and the O'Higgins region.

Within a broader Atlantic and imperial context, the early colonial trajectory of the Moraga family in Chile forms part of the historical background that later explains the participation of descendants of the lineage in other territories of the Spanish Empire, including Alta California, where members of the family would take part in military, administrative, and settlement processes during the late 18th century.

Taken as a whole, historiography has addressed the trajectory of the Moraga family as a representative case of the evolution of a Hispano-Criollo family in Chile, with documented participation in military, political, economic, religious, and cultural spheres from the colonial period to the contemporary era.

Origins in the Roman Empire

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Coin of Emperador Honorius

The earliest references associated with the Moraga lineage appear in genealogical and heraldic sources that place its initial mentions in the first millennium of the Christian era. Among these is a figure identified as Moragas or Moragues, described in such sources as a general in the service of Emperor Honorius (r. 395–423), within the context of the military campaigns of the Western Roman Empire during the conflicts arising from barbarian invasions and internal tensions of the Late Imperial period.

Various modern heraldic and genealogical repertories attribute to this lineage a high social status within the Late Roman framework, employing designations such as "equestrian" and "senatorial." These characterizations derive from later heraldic and genealogical literature and do not constitute an academic historiographical consensus; consequently, specialists generally regard them as part of the noble tradition associated with the surname rather than as demonstrable historical fact.

Following the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire, genealogical sources locate the consolidation of the lineage in various territories of the Iberian Peninsula, with documented presence in Catalonia, Mallorca, and Extremadura, as well as in American territories in later periods. These assertions are based primarily on heraldic and noble repertories compiled between the 19th and 20th centuries.

By the Middle Ages, genealogical tradition records the participation of Arias Moragas, a knight of Catalan origin, in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), a confrontation that culminated in the victory of the Christian kingdoms over the Almohad Empire and is regarded by historiography as a significant milestone in the process of the Reconquista.

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Battle of Navas

During the Late Middle Ages, documentary sources mention Lope de Moraga as a member of the knightly estate, a legal and social category characteristic of medieval Castile that implied possession of sufficient resources to maintain arms and horse, together with military obligations in exchange for certain fiscal exemptions. His social status is supported by his service as regidor of Cáceres in 1466, a municipal office typically reserved for members of families of recognized lineage and economic solvency. The documents also indicate that he owned land in the locality of Valdefuentes.

The principal house traditionally associated with the Moraga family in the city of Cáceres is located at number 55 Santa María Street, in the vicinity of the church of the same name. It is a building of medieval origin, identified in local bibliography as one of the lineage's ancestral houses.

Arrival and settlement

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The Town of Moraga

Historiographical sources identify Hernando Galindo de Moraga Gómez y Saavedra as the first documented member of the Moraga lineage established in the territory that would later become Chile. Born in 1522 in the city of Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura, he is associated with the so-called Casa de Moraga, a late-medieval building documented in the city, whose existence is recorded in genealogical and heraldic bibliography. These sources also mention Luis de Moraga, who served as a continuo of the Catholic Monarchs.

While Hernando Galindo de Moraga was traveling toward the Viceroyalty of Peru and later to the Captaincy General of Chile, other members of the broader family group remained in the Iberian Peninsula or moved to other territories of the Spanish Empire. Among them, sources mention José Joaquín de la Santísima Trinidad Moraga, a Spanish officer who relocated to Alta California. In California historiography and local institutional sources, his name is associated with Spanish settlement and administrative efforts in the late 18th century, including the establishment of the pueblo of San José (founded as San José de Guadalupe in 1777) and early development connected to the northern frontier establishments of the Spanish Empire.

The continuity of the Moraga name in California is also reflected in regional toponymy. The present-day municipality of Moraga in Contra Costa County is linked by local governmental history to the Californio ranching period and to the Moraga family's historical presence in the area, including the Moraga-related rancho and subsequent settlement history recorded in municipal and local heritage sources.

Before arriving in Chile, Hernando Galindo de Moraga took part in military campaigns in the Viceroyalty of Peru, joining forces loyal to the Spanish Crown during the conflict against the rebellion of Gonzalo Pizarro. Sources indicate his presence in military actions in the area of Callao and at the battle of Guarina.

According to documentation compiled by colonial historiography, he was at the Desaguadero of Callao under the royal standard and participated in the combat at Guarina, an engagement in which, according to chroniclers, substantial casualties occurred among the Spanish forces.

His military trajectory included earlier travels through Panama and the island of Puná, in the Guayaquil region, before joining the southern campaigns on a stable basis. He arrived in Chile in 1551 and took part in the period of the Conquest and in the Guerra de Arauco, forming part of Spanish expeditions that advanced into Mapuche territory. Among the actions in which he participated was the Batalla de Marihueño (1554), carried out under the command of Governor Francisco de Villagra.

Participation in the Arauco War

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Queen Luisa Fort in Osorno, Chile

Once established in Chile, Hernando de Moraga took part in the campaigns of conquest and occupation of the southern territories during the second half of the 16th century. The sources mention him among the participants in the founding of Valdivia in February 1552 and of Osorno in 1558. He also held positions in local administration, including those of ordinary alcalde of Osorno and alcalde of first vote in Valdivia on various occasions, according to preserved colonial documentation.

His participation in the Arauco War is documented in several military actions carried out under the command of Governor Francisco de Villagra. Among these was the Battle of Marihueño (1554), an engagement in which Spanish forces suffered a significant defeat, with heavy casualties among their ranks, as recorded by historiographical sources.

The Arauco War, formally initiated around 1550, constituted one of the longest-lasting armed conflicts of the colonial period in the Americas. Mapuche resistance, characterized by irregular warfare tactics and detailed knowledge of the territory, persistently limited the advance and consolidation of Spanish control south of the Biobío River.

Within this context, the sources indicate that Hernando de Moraga acted as one of the captains subordinate to Villagra, participating in defensive actions and contributing material resources—such as weapons and horses—for the maintenance of military campaigns in the southern territories.

He also received encomiendas in southern Chile, which granted him rights over indigenous tribute and labor in accordance with the prevailing colonial system, contributing to his economic and social integration within the colonial structure.

In 1561 he married in Santiago Elvira de Ribera Mendoza y Grijalva, of Spanish origin. From this union several children were born, among them Mencía de Moraga y Ribera (born 1562), a figure of relevance in the transmission of the Moraga surname in Chile through subsequent family lines.

Disaster of Curalaba (1598)

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He cured Disaster. Anganamon vs. Martín García, Loyola

On 23 December 1598, the Battle of Curalaba took place, an episode regarded by historiography as a decisive turning point in the development of the Arauco War. In this action, a Spanish column led by the Governor of Chile, Martín Óñez de Loyola', was ambushed and defeated by Mapuche forces commanded by the toquis Paillamachu, Pelantaro, Huaiquimilla, and Anganamón. The engagement ended with the death of the governor and the annihilation of his contingent, revealing the vulnerability of the Spanish defensive system in the southern territories.

The consequences of the disaster were immediate and far-reaching. Beginning in 1599, a widespread Mapuche uprising unfolded, leading to the destruction and depopulation of the principal Spanish cities located between the Biobío River and the Chacao Channel. Among the settlements abandoned or destroyed were Valdivia, Osorno, Villarrica, La Imperial, Santa Cruz de Oñez, and Angol. This process, known in historiography as the "destruction of the seven cities," forced the Spanish Crown to retreat its effective frontier north of the Biobío River, establishing a more restricted defensive line and marking the beginning of a new phase of the conflict.

For settlers and officials established in the south, the Disaster of Curalaba entailed the loss of properties, encomiendas, and administrative positions accumulated over decades. In this context, the sources indicate that Hernando de Moraga was compelled to abandon his interests in the southern region. Together with his wife, Elvira de Ribera Mendoza y Grijalva, and their minor children—including Lorenzo de Moraga—he relocated to Santiago de Chile toward the end of 1598 or the beginning of 1599, joining the flow of displaced population that sought refuge in areas under the effective control of the colonial administration.

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Batlle of Chacabuco, 1818

Following this retreat, colonial documentation indicates that the Moraga family gradually reintegrated into the economic structure of the central region of the kingdom. Over the subsequent decades, they consolidated rural properties and agricultural activities in the Provincia de Santiago, Chacabuco, and Colchagua. This process forms part of the territorial and social reorganization that followed the crisis triggered by the Disaster of Curalaba.

From a historiographical perspective, the impact of the Disaster of Curalaba not only redefined the course of the Arauco War but also exerted a structural influence on the social and economic composition of the Kingdom of Chile, directly affecting colonial families which, like the Moraga family, were forced to reorient their strategies of settlement and survival within the new frontier equilibrium.

Matrilineal transmission

The continuity of the Moraga surname in Chile encountered difficulties during the first colonial generations due to the limited number of male descendants who maintained the family name. Genealogical sources indicate that Hernando de Moraga had, in addition to his daughter Mencía de Moraga, three sons: Hernando Galindo de Moraga, Juan Galindo de Moraga, and Bernardino Galindo de Moraga. However, none of them left documented descendants who perpetuated the surname, either because of their entry into ecclesiastical life or due to the absence of recorded succession in the available sources.

In this context, the descendants of Mencía de Moraga assumed a central role in the transmission of the lineage. In 1580 she married Captain Francisco Pérez de Valenzuela y Buisa, a participant in the conquest and an encomendero in the Valdivia region. From this union three sons were born: Lorenzo, Juan, and Francisco Pérez de Valenzuela y Moraga, whose descendants are documented in Chilean genealogical historiography in later periods.

According to these sources, the firstborn son, Lorenzo Pérez de Valenzuela y Moraga Núñez (1597–1647), adopted the maternal surname Moraga, a decision that ensured the continuity of the lineage in Chile. From this generation onward, the descendants of this branch consistently used the surname Moraga, consolidating its presence in civil, ecclesiastical, and notarial records of the colonial period.

The adoption of the maternal surname in the absence of direct male heirs was not an exceptional practice within the legal and social context of the time. Historiography has documented similar cases in colonial Hispano-American society, where matrilineal transmission of surnames was employed as a mechanism to preserve the continuity of certain family lineages within prevailing social and patrimonial structures.

Through the marriage of Mencía de Moraga to Francisco Pérez de Valenzuela y Buisa, the Moraga lineage also became linked to other families of conquistador origin. The sources indicate that Francisco Pérez de Valenzuela was the brother of Julián de Valenzuela, identified as one of the co-founders of the City of Concepción. This connection reflects the family networks and marital alliances characteristic of the early colonial elite in Chile.

Consolidation in Colchagua and the central zone of Chile

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Church of Our Lady of Mercy, Nancagua, Chile

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Moraga lineage—already established under that surname from the generation of Lorenzo Pérez de Valenzuela y Moraga onward—became predominantly settled in the central zone of the Kingdom of Chile. Following the retreat from the southern frontier after the crisis caused by the Guerra de Arauco, various members of the family integrated into the colonial agrarian system, developing activities as rural landowners in territories south of Santiago. Economic and social historiography records the presence of the family in the former Province of Colchagua, where by the early 18th century they owned haciendas and estancias devoted to agricultural and livestock production.

The expulsion of the Society of Jesus from Chilean territory in 1767 led to a reconfiguration of the rural property regime, as numerous estancias and haciendas formerly owned by the order were auctioned. In this context, various families of the local elite gained access to these properties through public sales. Among them were the Hacienda de Chacabuco and the Estancia de Nancagua, which became associated with the Moraga lineage and with branches connected by marriage, according to the available historical documentation.

Colonial documentation identifies Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga (1726–1796), a descendant of the Moraga lineage through the maternal line, as one of the prominent owners of Nancagua. Together with his wife, María de la Concepción Mendieta Leiva, he administered the estate for several decades. This agricultural property, considered of significant size and production for its time, marked the presence of the family in various localities of the present-day Colchagua Valley, including Lolol, Pumanque, Santa Cruz, San Fernando, Vichuquén, Curicó, and San Pedro de Alcántara, as recorded by genealogical and economic sources.

The family's activities were not limited to the productive sphere. In 1789, Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga and his wife formalized the donation of land for the construction of the Parish Church of Nancagua, dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, reflecting the participation of rural landowners in the organization of urban and religious space during the late colonial period.

In the sphere of public administration, members of the family group held municipal offices and functions linked to ecclesiastical institutions. Among them was Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga himself, who was appointed alcalde of Santiago in 1779 and later named Treasurer of the Santa Cruzada in 1783, a position involving the administration of funds allocated to religious and charitable purposes in accordance with prevailing regulations.

Another significant property associated with this lineage was the Hacienda de Chacabuco, located at a strategic point along the old route connecting Santiago with the northern regions of the continent through the Cuesta de Chacabuco. Its manor house and chapel, rebuilt in colonial style during the 18th century after the earthquake of 1730, constitute a rural architectural ensemble representative of the period and are currently recognized as a historic monument.

During the process of Chilean independence, the Hacienda de Chacabuco acquired historical relevance by serving as a logistical support point following the Battle of Chacabuco in February 1817. Sources indicate that the Army of the Andes, commanded by José de San Martín and Bernardo O'Higgins, made temporary use of the property as a place of refuge and for the care of the wounded, within the framework of the military operations of the independence campaign.

In the political sphere, Ignacio José de Aránguiz Mendieta, son of Francisco de Aránguiz y Moraga, served as lieutenant colonel of militia of the San Fernando Cavalry Regiment and is listed among the attendees of the Cabildo Abierto de 1810, together with his uncle José María Moraga, a member of the Order of Saint Augustine.

Aránguiz Mendieta also served as deputy for Huasco in the First National Congress of Chile in 1811, joining the first legislative body of the independence period. His marriage to María Mercedes Valdés Bravo de Naveda produced no descendants, a circumstance which, according to the sources, later contributed to the fragmentation of some family properties, including the Hacienda de Chacabuco.

The death of José Antonio Aránguiz Mendieta in 1832, which occurred in the manor houses of Chacabuco, opened a new process of succession. From his marriage to María del Carmen Fontecilla y Rozas were born eleven children, whose inheritance led to the subdivision of the patrimony and the formation of multiple estates in different regions of the country, including Santiago, Colchagua, Maule, and Biobío. This phenomenon reflects changes in the structure of Chilean rural property during the 19th century.

Fray José María Moraga y Fuenzalida: participation in the early stages of independence

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Coat of arms of the Order of Saint Augustine

The presbyter José María Moraga y Fuenzalida, a member of the Order of Saint Augustine in Chile, had a documented participation in the political and religious events that marked the beginning of the Chilean independence process. In his capacity as a clergyman and resident of Santiago, he attended the Open Cabildo of 18 September 1810, the assembly that gave rise to the First Government Junta of Chile. On that occasion, Governor Mateo de Toro-Zambrano y Ureta was appointed president of the Junta, simultaneously assuming the office of Captain General of the Kingdom.

Subsequently, Moraga y Fuenzalida appears among the signatories of the Provisional Constitutional Regulation of 1812, one of the earliest constitutional texts of the independence period, signing in representation of the regular clergy. His adherence to the patriot cause took place in a context of internal tensions within the Church, where royalist and autonomist positions coexisted, a situation widely documented by historiography addressing secularization and politics in Chile.

Within this framework, he wrote to the Government Junta denouncing the provincial of his order, José de Lasarte, whom he accused of exerting pressure on religious members who supported the new political order. In his correspondence, Moraga y Fuenzalida defended the legitimacy of the autonomous government that had emerged in Chile, arguing that the crisis of the Spanish monarchy justified a change in the political organization of the kingdom.

He also participated in symbolic ceremonies of the independence period. Sources indicate that he officiated, together with other members of the Order of Saint Augustine, the Te Deum celebrated in Santiago Cathedral following the Oath of Independence on 12 February 1818. Subsequently, in July 1819, he served as the principal speaker at the reopening of the Instituto Nacional, an event presided over by Bernardo O'Higgins, within the context of the reorganization of the educational system after the years of war.

In recognition of his academic and ecclesiastical career, and of his adherence to the new regime, he was awarded in 1819 the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology, granted by authorities of the patriot government. During that period, such distinctions were conferred upon religious figures considered supportive of the independence process.

Augustinian historiography has highlighted the participation of members of this order in the emancipatory cause. According to Víctor Maturana, numerous Augustinian friars served as military chaplains, parish priests in secularized territories, and collaborators of the Army of the Andes, while others faced persecution, banishment, or exile during the various stages of the political process.

Moraga family and Chilean rodeo

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Chilean Rodepo

Various sources related to the rural and cultural history of Chile record the participation of members of the Moraga family in traditional equestrian practices, particularly in the historical development of the Chilean rodeo. This association is framed within the context of livestock activities typical of the central valley, where the breeding and handling of horses formed part of the economy and everyday life from the colonial period onward.

The presence of this tradition is documented especially in rural localities of what is now the O'Higgins Region, such as San Pedro de Alcántara, Pumanque, Nilahue, Culencó, Quiahue, and Ranguilí—areas historically associated with the agricultural and livestock activities of the Colchagua Valley.

One of the best-known exponents of this tradition was Ramón Antonio Cardemil Moraga (1917–2017), a Chilean rider whose sporting career is widely cited in the historiography of rodeo. He was born in Ranguilí, a rural locality of the commune of Lolol, and was the sixth of fourteen children of the marriage between Ramón Cardemil Vallejos and Hortensia Moraga Moraga.

Cardemil Moraga won the National Rodeo Championship on seven occasions, competing alongside riders such as Ruperto Valderrama and Manuel Fuentes, in the years 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973, and 1981, according to official records of the sport. His sporting achievements were later recognized by the Chilean Rodeo Federation through honorary distinctions and the installation of a commemorative monument at the medialuna of Curicó.

National championships

• 1962 (Los Angeles): with Ruperto Valderrama on "Matucho" and "Manicero".
• 1963: with Ruperto Valderrama on "Envidia" and "Venganza".
• 1965: with Ruperto Valderrama.
• 1967 (Rancagua): with Ruperto Valderrama on "Percala" and "Pelotera".
• 1968 (Rancagua): with Ruperto Valderrama on "Manicero" and "Trappero".
• 1973 (Rancagua): with Manuel Fuentes on "Tabacón" and "Trampero".
• 1981 (Rancagua): with Manuel Fuentes on "Bellaco" and "Rival".

Another member of the family, Hugo Cardemil Moraga (1925–2019), younger brother of Ramón, also achieved recognition in the field of Chilean rodeo. According to official records, he won the National Championship on four occasions (1986, 1990, 1991, and 1993), placing him among the riders with the highest number of titles in the history of the discipline.

Sources emphasize that Hugo Cardemil Moraga was among the first riders to approach rodeo with systematic dedication, developing regular training routines and a prolonged competitive career—elements that contributed to the gradual professionalization of the activity during the 20th century.

Contemporary exponents

Various specialized sources in rural history and culture indicate that members of the Moraga family continue to be linked to Chilean rodeo in the contemporary period, participating as riders, breeders, and trainers within the national circuit. This presence is framed as a continuation of traditional equestrian practices developed in Chile's central valley.

Among the more recent exponents, sources mention Sergio Moraga, who has participated as a rider in official competitions alongside Nicolás Sepúlveda, representing the Criadero La Reserva del Jutre. Sporting records also document the participation of this collera in provincial and zonal rodeos of the federated calendar during the 2024–2025 season.

The involvement of other members of the lineage has likewise been documented in various roles related to rodeo. These include Luis Sergio Moraga Durán, a breeder of Chilean horses; Ulises Moraga, a participant in federated competitions during the 2025 season; and Francisco Moraga Ojeda, who has developed activity as a breeder and competitor in association with his brother Diego Moraga Ojeda. Both are listed as founders of the Criadero Valdebenito, a family-run establishment located near the locality of Alhué.

Chilean rodeo historiography emphasizes that the contribution of breeders and riders is not limited to sporting competition, but also includes the transmission of knowledge related to the handling, training, and breeding of the Chilean horse, elements regarded as central to the preservation of this traditional practice.

The union of two landed lineages

The historical association between the Moraga and Correa families represents one of the most significant genealogical connections within the Chilean colonial landed aristocracy, particularly visible in the region of Vichuquén during the 18th century. This relationship was established primarily through marital alliances that consolidated the territorial and social power of both lineages in colonial Chile.

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Pelayo Correa

The Correa family originated in Portugal, specifically in the district of Braganza, at Monte Fralaes, in the parish of the municipality of Barcelos, where its oldest ancestral residence, dating from the 12th century and known as "O Solar dos Correa," is located. The Correa lineage traces its origins to Count Pelayo Correa, a figure traditionally linked to the Battle of Covadonga in the year 722.

The Correa family formed part of the Portuguese nobility from the early stages of national history following independence from Castile in the 11th century, receiving noble titles and privileges. Among its members were army captains and founders of cities in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia.

The presence of the Correa family in the Americas was initially established in Peru, where they are recorded as merchants. Cayetano Esteban Correa de Sá Acosta i Padilla Sande (1673–1740), born in Lima and son of the Portuguese-born captain Antonio Correa y Acosta—an Extremaduran by origin, like Hernando de Moraga—and of the Lima-born Magdalena Padilla Sande, is regarded as the patriarch of the Correa family in Chile.

Cayetano Esteban married María Gertrudis Oyarzún Vélez del Pozo (born 1684) around 1701. From this union several children were born, among them Gregorio Correa y Oyarzún (Vichuquén c. 1703–1769), who gave rise to the Chilean branch of the family.

Gregorio Correa y Oyarzún, Maestre de Campo and Comisario, devoted himself to agricultural activities and the exploitation of saltworks. He inherited extensive properties from his parents, including 1,000 cuadras in Pichibudi (Monte Alegre), 300 cuadras in Concabén, 329 cuadras in the demasías of Pichibudi and Caucahuín, and 300 cuadras in the main estate of San Onofre.

The marriage of Gregorio to Agustina de Fuenzalida y Moraga (1718–1813), daughter of Cristóbal de Fuenzalida y Moraga and Leonor de Moraga y Ruiz de Peralta, represents the union between the Correa and Moraga families. Celebrated around 1737, this alliance brought together two prominent lineages of central Chile and the southern Maule region.

The marriage of Gregorio and Agustina was prolific, producing ten children who formed extensive descendant lines. However, the heir Gregorio Correa y Oyarzún died suddenly and intestate in 1769, leaving a legacy that included 30 grandchildren, who divided the family fortune and established new ties with other lineages of the local oligarchy.

Toro-Zambrano and Correa family

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Casa Colorada, Santiago, Chile

María Nicolasa Isidora de las Mercedes de Toro-Zambrano y Dumont de Holdre (1803–1877), known as Nicolasa de Toro y Zambrano, was the fourth Countess of the Conquest and lady of the Toro-Zambrano entail. She was the granddaughter of Don Mateo de Toro-Zambrano y Ureta, following the deaths of her two elder brothers during the Chilean War of Independence while fighting on the Royalist side.

She was the daughter of José Gregorio de Toro-Zambrano y Valdés (1758–1816), second Count of the Conquest, Knight of the Order of Santiago, colonel and captain of the Militia Company of the Prince of Asturias. Her mother was Josefa Dumont de Holdre y Miquel, a Spanish noblewoman descended from Flemish and Valencian families and associated with the Spanish court.

The title of Count of the Conquest was granted by Royal Decree of 6 March 1770 by Charles III to her grandfather, who later participated in the independence process. The Toro-Zambrano entail included properties of considerable value, such as the Casa Colorada in central Santiago—constructed between 1769 and 1779—and the extensive Hacienda de La Compañía in Graneros.

María Nicolasa married Juan de Dios Correa de Saa y Martínez (1801–1877), a Chilean conservative military officer and politician who was a prominent figure in national politics during the 19th century. He was the son of Roque Correa de Saa y Peñalosa and Teresa Seferina (Ceferina) Lazón y Sotomayor, and belonged to the Correa de Saa branch established in Chile since the 18th century, being a direct descendant of Cayetano Esteban Correa.

File:Juan de Dios Correa de Saa y Martínez.jpg

Juan de Dios Correa de Saa y Martinez

Juan de Dios entered the Chilean Army at a young age after serving in the Regiment of the Queen's Hussars. As an ensign, he participated in the Battle of Maipú (1818), the same engagement in which Manuel María de Toro-Zambrano was killed, while shortly beforehand his brother José de Toro-Zambrano y Dumont de Holdre had also died, both defending the Spanish Crown and later becoming his brothers-in-law.

Correa was promoted to lieutenant of the Line Infantry Regiment in April 1818 and later became an officer of Bernardo O'Higgins's Directorial Escort in October 1818. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Army in 1822.

A family tradition recounts that during the Chilean War of Independence, the then Lieutenant Correa de Saa y Martínez was forced to hide to survive persecution in a mining shaft of indigenous and colonial origin located in Graneros, within the Hacienda de Rancagua, which had been auctioned by Mateo de Toro-Zambrano y Ureta in 1771 following the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from Chile.

After his escape and subsequent marriage to Nicolasa de Toro y Zambrano—owner of the Hacienda de Rancagua and therefore of the mining shaft where Juan de Dios had hidden during his independence campaigns—the newly formed Correa–Toro-Zambrano family preserved this anecdote. Over time, the shaft came to be known as the El Teniente mine, a designation associated with Correa de Saa's military ranks of lieutenant and lieutenant colonel.

Political career

Juan de Dios Correa de Saa y Martínez served as deputy for Rancagua to the Provincial Assembly of Santiago (1829; 1831–1833). He was a member of the Great Convention and a signatory of the Constitution of 1833. He later served as deputy for Rancagua (1840–1843) and as senator of the Republic in four consecutive terms: 1846–1855, 1855–1864, 1864–1873, and 1873–1876. He was Vice President of the Senate in 1866, President of the Senate of the Republic in 1867–1868, and senator for life for Santiago (1876–1879).

From the marriage between Juan de Dios Correa de Saa y Martínez and María Nicolasa Isidora de las Mercedes de Toro-Zambrano y Dumont de Holdre were born eleven children, who inherited the legitimate rights to the County of the Conquest and the assets of the family entail. These included the Casa Colorada in Santiago—constructed between 1769 and 1779 and declared a National Monument in 1977, currently the Museum of Santiago—the Hacienda de La Compañía in Graneros, and extensive properties in Vichuquén, Cauquenes, Linares, and Concepción, territories where the Moraga–Correa branch developed from the 18th century onward.

Moraga Correa Family in Santiago's Central Valley

The Moraga Correa are regarded as promoters of the locality of Nilahue, after settling on tracts of land located on the coast of what is now the Province of Colchagua, with Nilahue, Paillimo, and La Hornilla being the most prominent estates under their jurisdiction.

This territorial expansion occurred after the patrimonial consolidation of General Juan de Dios Moraga y Ruíz de Peralta, whose father was Mateo Gaspar Pérez de Valenzuela y Moraga, who in turn was the son of Lorenzo Pérez de Valenzuela y Moraga and Leonor Núñez da Silva.

Considered one of the patrimonial branches of the Moraga family, after its merger with the Correa de Saa y Martínez lineage it was strengthened by multiple marital alliances, which often relied on endogamy to ensure family control over the tracts of land it held in several areas of the country, such as the Santiago Valley.

Such is the case of the marriage between José María Moraga Vélez—son of Isidro Moraga Fuenzalida and grandson of Phelipe Quiterio Moraga y Correa (firstborn of Moraga y Ruíz de Peralta)—and Carmen Consolación Correa de Saa Martínez y Valenzuela. From this alliance was born Juan Bautista Moraga Correa (1896–1966), who, after marrying Margarita del Carmen Tapia Estay, gave rise to the Moraga Tapia family, which became established in Chacabuco Province in Santiago, Chile.

File:Garceta nivea, Humedal Batuco.jpg

Batuco Wetland, Chile

After moving permanently to the capital, Juan Bautista brought with him centuries of experience in land administration, agriculture, and livestock, as well as family objects of heritage value, revitalizing—together with his children—the properties located in the communes of Colina and Lampa, adding several hundred hectares in the country's capital and maintaining agricultural properties to this day in the 21st century, nearly five centuries after the Spanish Conquest.

The locality of Batuco, Lampa, Chacabuco Province, is where descendants of the Moraga Tapia family hold one of their properties: Fundo Moraga. Located beside the Cuesta Alto El Manzano, marking the boundary with the commune of Til Til, this extensive estate was characterized as a wheat and barley producer during the 20th century.

In the 21st century, the family has led a process of recovering its historical memory. The publication of works such as Historias de Maule by Patricio Moraga Vallejos and the genealogical book La Familia Moraga: de Cáceres al sur del Maule, presented this year by Rodrigo Moraga Guerrero, demonstrate an academic interest in documenting links to the conquistador Hernando de Moraga.

Origins in Cáceres

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City Hall of Caceres, Spain

In the heart of Cáceres, Extremadura, on the Castilian plateau, stands one of the region's oldest ancestral houses in the Kingdom of Spain. This lineage, said by some genealogists to be of Catalan origin, established its presence in Cáceres during the first decades of the 15th century, developing as a family within the region's social and administrative structure.

The current Moraga manor house (casa-palacio), located opposite the Church of Santa María, preserves its ancestral stone walls from the 15th century, bearing witness to centuries of tradition, power, and family continuity. Bernardino de Moraga Galíndez, born in this fortified city—walled by the Arabs in the 12th century—represents a relevant generation in the lineage's history. As the legitimate son of Juan de Moraga—formerly a resident of Valdefuentes—and Juana Galíndez, Bernardino inherited not only the surname and his family's social standing, but also a commitment to the Crown.

Married to Inés de Orellana, Bernardino de Moraga consolidated himself as a notable resident of Cáceres, where he testified to his final dispositions on 29 September 1541, recording his patrimony and descendants. This was the context in which his son was born: Hernando de Moraga, who would carry the family legacy across the Atlantic.

Military past

In addition, it was a witness to certain events of the pre-Hispanic era, due to its proximity to the Batuco Wetland, which is considered the largest natural reservoir in Chile's Metropolitan Region, and also a historic site of the earliest cultures developed in the Central Valley, such as the so-called Indios Pajareros and the later Inca period.

These lands also witnessed more recent historical events, such as the use of their extensive espino and algarrobo woodlands for the manufacture of gun carriages and limbers to support the cannons used during the period known as the Patria Nueva, since this wood—being heavy and dense (hard)—was suitable to withstand the forces produced by artillery explosions.

The 1866 tests: after the bombardment of Valparaíso

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Valparaíso, Chile

After the Spanish bombardment of Valparaíso on 31 March 1866, Chile recognized the need to modernize its defensive capacity and artillery. In this context, Batuco was selected as a testing ground to evaluate rifled guns, which represented the technology available at the time.

The experiments carried out in Batuco were attended by the Minister of War and the Navy, Federico Errázuriz Zañartu, together with officers such as Colonels Justo Arteaga Cuevas and José Francisco Gana, Major Gana, and Military Engineers Captain Gorostiaga. These trials formed part of a plan to fortify Valparaíso that included the installation of 12 main batteries along the coast.

The guns evaluated included rifled models of various origins, mainly of Armstrong, Rodman, Parrot, and Blakely design, many of which were imported from the United States. The objective was to determine which artillery systems offered the best performance for the country's new coastal fortifications.

War of the Pacific (1879–1883)

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Krupp Cannon

The most militarily significant moment in Batuco's history occurred in January 1876, when the Chilean Army conducted comparative weapons trials with direct consequences for the future War of the Pacific. On this occasion, German-made steel Krupp field and mountain guns were tested, together with Gatling machine guns.

Colonel Marco Aurelio Arriagada was the officer responsible for evaluating these trials and issuing his technical assessment. After the tests, Arriagada concluded that German steel Krupp guns were superior to similar French-origin bronze guns, leading to a decisive recommendation: the sale of the bronze pieces and the adoption of German armament as the standard for the Chilean Army.

This technical decision, based on empirical evidence obtained at the Batuco field, had repercussions during the War of the Pacific campaigns carried out between 1879 and 1883. Krupp guns were used in land battles, providing the Chilean Army with artillery superiority according to Chilean sources regarding the allied Peruvian–Bolivian forces.

See also

• Captaincy General of Chile
• Arauco War
• Battle of Curalaba
• Pedro de Valdivia
• Francisco de Villagra
• Province of Colchagua
• Moraga (California)
• Ramón Cardemil

Bibliography

• Moraga Guerrero, Rodrigo; Retamal Ávila, Julio (2025). Hernando de Moraga, su descendencia al sur del Maule: Historia de una familia. Santiago: Ograma Ed.
• Thayer Ojeda, Tomás (1910). Los conquistadores de Chile. Santiago: Imprenta Cervantes.
• Medina, José Toribio (1906). Diccionario biográfico colonial de Chile. Santiago: Imprenta Elzeviriana.
• Barros Arana, Diego (1884–1902). Historia general de Chile. 16 vols. Santiago: Rafael Jover Editor.
• Encina, Francisco Antonio (1940–1952). Historia de Chile desde la prehistoria hasta 1891. 20 vols. Santiago: Nascimento.
• Silva Castro, Raúl (1968). Asistentes al cabildo abierto de setiembre de 1810. Santiago.
• Góngora, Mario (1970). Encomenderos y estancieros: Estudios acerca de la constitución social aristocrática de Chile después de la Conquista, 1580–1660. Santiago: Universidad de Chile.
• Jara, Álvaro (1971). Guerra y sociedad en Chile: La transformación de la Guerra de Arauco y la esclavitud de los indios. Santiago: Editorial Universitaria.
• Villalobos, Sergio (1983). Historia del pueblo chileno. Vols. I–II. Santiago: Zig-Zag.
• Bengoa, José (1988). Historia social de la agricultura chilena. 2 vols. Santiago: Ediciones SUR.
• Bauer, Arnold J. (1994). La sociedad rural chilena: Desde la Conquista española a nuestros días. Santiago: Editorial Andrés Bello.
• Bengoa, José (2003). Historia de los antiguos mapuches del sur: Desde antes de la llegada de los españoles hasta las paces de Quilín. Santiago: Catalonia.
• Hanisch Espíndola, Walter (1974). Historia de la Compañía de Jesús en Chile. Santiago: Editorial Francisco de Aguirre.
• Maturana, Víctor (1904). Historia de los Agustinos en Chile. 2 vols. Santiago: Imprenta Valparaíso de F. T. Lathrop.
• Serrano, Sol (2008). ¿Qué hacer con Dios en la República? Política y secularización en Chile (1845–1885). Santiago: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
• Lago, Tomás (1953). El huaso: Ensayo de antropología social. Santiago: University of Chile Press.
• Pereira Salas, Eugenio (1947). Juegos y alegrías coloniales en Chile. Santiago: Zig-Zag.
• Federación del Rodeo Chileno (2004). Historia del Rodeo Chileno. Santiago: Federación del Rodeo Chileno.
• Estado Mayor General del Ejército (1980–1985). Historia del Ejército de Chile. 11 vols. Santiago: Estado Mayor General del Ejército.
• García Carraffa, Alberto; García Carraffa, Arturo (1919–1963). Diccionario heráldico y genealógico de apellidos españoles y americanos. Madrid: Imprenta de Antonio Marzo (and later editions).
• de Cadenas y Vicent, Vicente (1987). Repertorio de blasones de la comunidad hispánica. Madrid: Hidalguía.
• Klein, Julius (1920). The Mesta: A Study in Spanish Economic History, 1273–1836. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Phillips, William D.; Phillips, Carla Rahn (1997). Spain's Golden Fleece: Wool Production and the Wool Trade from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

External links

• Archivo Nacional de Chile – Colonial, notarial, and judicial collections.
• Memoria Chilena – National Library of Chile, digitized collections.
• Portal de Archivos Españoles (PARES) – Access to historical archives of Spain (including Indies).
• Real Academia de la Historia – Spanish Biographical Dictionary.
• Historia Hispánica – Biographical database of the Royal Academy of History.
• Library of the National Congress – Political History – Biographical entries of parliamentarians and public figures.
• National Monuments Council of Chile – Records of historical and heritage monuments.
• SciELO Chile – Academic articles (history, social sciences).

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