Patria Nueva (''New Fatherland'') was a period in the

history of Chile The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 3000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory was a colony between 1540 and 1818, when it gained independence from ...

that began with the victory of

Ejército de los Andes The Army of the Andes ( es, Ejército de los Andes) was a military force created by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Argentina) and mustered by general José de San Martín in his campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire. In ...

in the

Battle of Chacabuco The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, led by Captain–General José de San Martín, defeated a Spanish fo ...

on 12 February 1817 and ended with the resignation of

Bernardo O'Higgins Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy landowner of Basque-Spanish and Irish ancestry. Alth ...

as Supreme Director in 1823.

Government of Bernardo O'Higgins

First measures as Supreme Director

Not long after becoming the

Supreme Director of Chile The Supreme Director of Chile was the head of state and government of Chile following the independence from Spain in 1810, until 1826. Several juntas also ruled the country during this period. List ;Political parties See also *President of ...

, O'Higgins sent the ''Aguila'', a ship captured in the port of Valparaiso, to rescue

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

and patriots stranded on the

Juan Fernández Islands The Juan Fernández Islands ( es, Archipiélago Juan Fernández) are a sparsely inhabited series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean reliant on tourism and fishing. Situated off the coast of Chile, they are composed of three main volcanic ...

. O'Higgins formed an army to face the Spanish Empire forces hidden in the port of

Talcahuano Talcahuano () (From Mapudungun ''Tralkawenu'', "Thundering Sky") is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile. Geo ...

and the ''montoneras'' (traitor patriots, natives and bandits), who were on the shore of the Bio-Bio River. He created the ''Vindication Tribunal'', a legal apparatus that granted patriots the right to reclaim goods taken by the Spanish during the Reconquest. He also ordered the

exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...

of priests advocating for continued fealty to the Spanish throne.

The surprise of Cancha Rayada

The independent people waited in

Talca Talca () is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region (7th Region of Chile). As of the 2012 census, the city had a population of 201,142. The city is an importan ...

for the royalists, but the royalists took another path. San Martin and O'Higgins were caught by surprise. In

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...

fear had spread with the defeat of the Ejército de los Andes and the Chilean army. Many people in Santiago were already going into self-imposed exile again in Mendoza. Rumors of the deaths of O'Higgins and San Martin spread rapidly. In these circumstances, in the cabildo of 23 March, Manuel Rodríguez yelled "We still have our homeland, citizens!" and proclaimed himself the supreme director. He created a squadron called

Húsares de la Muerte {{Use dmy dates, date=July 2021 The Hussars of Death ( es, Húsares de la Muerte) were a paramilitary group founded by Chilean guerrilla Manuel Rodríguez Erdoíza after the Second Battle of Cancha Rayada, on March 23, 1818. Their uniform was i ...

. It attracted many "carreristas", swearing to die before seeing the homeland in the hands of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

again. Knowing this, O'Higgins went back to Santiago against medical advice and accompanied by San Martin. Both were welcomed with cannon shots on the sunrise of 24 March.

Consolidation and progress of the Independence Movement

Despite having signed the Declaration of Independence,

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...

experienced unstable independence attributable to the presence of the Royalists in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

. San Martín continued his planned invasion of Peru with the added support of O'Higgins. Organized in 1820 by the government of Chile, the Freedom Expedition of Peru, led by Commanding General

José de San Martín José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (25 February 177817 August 1850), known simply as José de San Martín () or '' the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru'', was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and centr ...

and Lord Thomas Cochrane, was one of the central forces leading to the

Peruvian War of Independence The Peruvian War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia del Perú, links=no) consisted in a series of military conflicts in Peru beginning with viceroy Abascal military victories in the south frontier in 1809, in La Paz revolution ...

. In 1822, San Martin retired from the campaign, resigning as Protector of Peru. Simon Bolivar took his place, backed by the

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

n government, and continued to fight for Peru's independence. Cochrane would settle the decisive blow to the Royalists in Chile when, in 1820, he seized the

Valdivian Fort System The Fort System of Valdivia ( es, Sistema de fuertes de Valdivia) is a series of Spanish colonial fortifications at Corral Bay, Valdivia and Cruces River established to protect the city of Valdivia, in southern Chile. During the period of Span ...

, the most fortified place in South America at the time. Cochrane succeeded in the

Capture of Valdivia The Capture of Valdivia ( es, Toma de Valdivia) was a battle in the Chilean War of Independence between Royalist forces commanded by Colonel Manuel Montoya and Fausto del Hoyo and the Patriot forces under the command of Thomas Cochrane and J ...

using a surprise land assault. He then sent a small force in charge of

Jorge Beauchef Jorge Beauchef (1787 in Velay, France - June 10, 1840 in Santiago, Chile) was a French military who participated in the Napoleonic Wars. He is best known in Latin America for his participation in the Chilean War of Independence, where he won man ...

to pursue the Royalist army fleeing from Valdivia to Chiloe and, in the process, conquered the cities located further south of Valdivia - including Me Río Bueno and Osorno. After the capture of Valdivia, Lord Cochrane left Colonel

as commander and governor of Valdivia. On 6 March 1820, Colonel Beauchef overcame the royalists during the

battle of El Toro The Battle of El Toro (March 6, 1820) was a battle fought near Maullín, Chile between Chilean patriots and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence. Background After the capture of Valdivia, Lord Cochrane departed, leaving C ...

. From Valdivia, Cochrane went to Chiloe. He failed in a ground attack on

Ancud Ancud () is a city in southern Chile located in the northernmost part of the island and province of Chiloé, in Los Lagos Region. It is the second largest city of Chiloé Archipelago after Castro. The city was established in 1768 to function as ...

and was forced to retreat. After the battle of El Toro, he began to consolidate his army's presence in the southern Chilean region, excluding Chiloé.