María ( – ), better known as María la Grande or María Grande (English: María the Great), is the Christian name of a woman who served as the ''

cacica Cacica ( pl, Kaczyka, german: Kaczika) is a commune located in Suceava County, in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania. The commune is located in the central part of the county, from the town of Gura Humorului, from the city ...

'' of the southern

Tehuelche people The Tehuelche people, also called the Aónikenk, are an indigenous people from eastern Patagonia in South America. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Tehuelche were influenced by Mapuche people, and many adopted a horseriding lifestyle. Once a ...

who lived in the Strait of Magellan and the

Patagonian Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...

coast during the first half of the 19th century. Her direct domain was focused in the territory of the Bay of San Gregorio, in the present-day Chilean region of Magallanes, although she was called upon in other Patagonian regions when a conflictive situation required her judgment. María was a leader of great prestige and power among the Tehuelche people, known for her skills as a ruler and merchant with European settlers and explorers. She is considered one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Patagonia. Her influence covered the entirety of the Argentine Patagonia, from the Río Negro to the Strait of Magellan. During her rule, she came into contact with the expeditions of

James Weddell James Weddell (24 August 1787 – 9 September 1834) was a British sailor, navigator and seal hunter who in February 1823 sailed to latitude of 74° 15′ S—a record 7.69 degrees or 532 statute miles south of the Antarc ...

Phillip Parker King Rear Admiral Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN (13 December 1791 – 26 February 1856) was an early explorer of the Australian and Patagonian coasts. Early life and education King was born on Norfolk Island, to Philip Gidley King and Ann ...

Robert FitzRoy Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy (5 July 1805 – 30 April 1865) was an English officer of the Royal Navy and a scientist. He achieved lasting fame as the captain of during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, FitzRoy's second expedition to Tierra de ...

and

Luis Vernet Luis Vernet (born Louis Vernet; March 6, 1791 – January 17, 1871) was a merchant from Hamburg of Huguenot descent. Vernet established a settlement on East Falkland in 1828, after first seeking approval from both the British and Argentine autho ...

, among others. The epithet " the Great"—a reference to Catherine II of Russia—was given to María by the latter upon meeting her in the

Valdes Peninsula The Valdes Peninsula (Spanish: ''Península Valdés'') is a peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean in the Biedma Department of north-east Chubut Province, Argentina. Around in size (not taking into account the isthmus of Carlos Ameghino which connects ...

, in the present-day Argentine province of Chubut, in 1828. After being appointed as the commander of the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouze ...

(Spanish: ''Islas Malvinas'') in 1831 by the Argentine government, Vernet invited María to the islands for the purpose of establishing trade relations between their territories.

Notes

References

Tehuelche people Indigenous leaders of the Americas Indigenous women of the Americas 19th-century Argentine women 19th-century women rulers 1780s births 1840s deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain {{Argentina-bio-stub