The War of Guaranis or Guerre of the seven reductions is the name given to the conflict having opposed the Spanish and Portuguese troops to the Indians Guarani S, following the treated of Madrid of 1750, of which one of the clauses expropriait the latter of their territory in a unilateral way.

Context

The Jésuites established their first contacts with the Guarani S at the end of the 16th century. In 1604, the king Philippe III of Spain gave them the administration of the territory guarani, including/understanding the Paraguay and the south of the Brésil. The Jesuits then transform the area into a true Christian republic where the Indians live protected from the draft of slaves, which practice Spanish and Portuguese colonists.

The Jesuits divide the area which was allotted to them in of about thirty " Reduction s". A " réduction" is an autonomous village managed by a council elected only composed of Indians. The territory itself is controlled and managed by the Jesuits who take care to keep his independence opposite the Spanish and Portuguese colonies close. Those, which believe to see their injured interests there, make pressure auxprès their respective governments in order to remove this irrefutable fact.

Following long negotiations, Ferdinand VI of Spain and Jean V of Portugal sign the treated of Madrid in 1750. The king of Spain then agree to make evacuate the seven reductions located at the east of the Rio Uruguay and to give this territory to the Portugal. The river then becomes the border between the two colonies. The seven reductions (San Miguel, Santos Angeles, San Lorenzo Martin, San Nicolas, San Juan Batista, Gonzaga San Luis and San Francisco de Borja) must be replaced in the west, and Guaranis are expelled of their territories.

The war

The Guarani S refuse to be moved on the other side of the Rio Uruguay and, with the assistance of part of the Jésuites, undertake a guerilla of resistance. At the beginning of 1753, the missionaries guaranis announce their decision not to leave the territory and start to prevent work of delimitation of the borders.

The Spanish and Portuguese authorities decide to counteract by sending MATER quotas the rebellion. In 1754, the Spanish troops, started from Buenos Aires and Montevideo, attack by the south, whereas the lusitano-Brazilian army, ordered by the general Gomez Freire, enters to the Paraguay by the Rio Jacuí. The two armies (approximately 3000 men) meet near the Paraguayan border.

The main leader guarani is the captain Sepe Tiaraju who justifies resistance towards the treaty in the name of the legitimate right remain on their own territories.

At the beginning of 1756, the colonial troops tackle face Guaranis which are quickly crushed. Thousands of Indians are then massacred and the survivors must take refuge in the forest.

Continuations

Following the pressures hispano-Portugueses, on the papal authorities, the Jesuits are expelled of abolished remaining reduction and South America in 1767. Guaranis have then other choice to only take refuge further in forest.

In 1777, Spain recovers part of the territory in the east of Rio Uruguay (which will become the Uruguay) at the time of the Traité of Ildefonso.

Anecdotes

These events were told in a fictionalized way in the film Mission , carry out out in 1986 by Roland Joffé and putting in the high-speed motorboat Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons.

See too

• Mission Jesuit of Paraguay

• Treated of Madrid (1750)
• São Miguel das Missões