Before 1565, the highest court of Chile was the ''

justicia mayor Justicia mayor was a title bestowed upon a person in 19th century Spanish Empire which authorized him to perform law enforcement and judicial functions within a town, city of region. It is similar to the position of sheriff in some jurisdictions ...

'', whose sentences were appealed before the

Royal Audiencia of Lima The Real Audiencia and Chancery of Lima ( es, Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Lima, links=no) was a superior court in the New World empire of Spain, located in the city of Lima, capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It was created on November 20, 15 ...

. In 1560 local authorities formally requested the president of the Audiencia of Lima for the creation of an ''audiencia'' for Chile. It was argued that it would serve to control the actions of the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

s of Chile, improve royal treasury's collection of revenue and hasten the end of the

Arauco War The Arauco War was a long-running conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people, mostly fought in the Araucanía. The conflict began at first as a reaction to the Spanish conquerors attempting to establish cities and force Mapuche ...

. In 1565 King Phillip II ordered the creation of a Chilean ''audiencia'' in his decree of May 18. The ''audiencia'' had four ''

oidor An ''oidor'' () was a judge of the Royal ''Audiencias'' and ''Chancillerías'', originally courts of Kingdom of Castile, which became the highest organs of justice within the Spanish Empire. The term comes from the verb ''oír'', "to hear," referr ...

es'', one of them serving as president; a ''fiscal'' or public prosecutor; and the related subordinate officials, such as an ''alguacil mayor'' (greater bailiff) and his lieutenants, notaries public, an interpreter, a chaplain and a doorman. In cases when the office of the governor of Chile went vacant, the ''oidores'' of the Audiencia were to assume administration of the government. Due to various problems in its operation, the Audiencia was dissolved less than a decade later by the royal decree of August 26, 1573, which took effect on June 25, 1575, a month after it received notification of the decree. After it was dissolved the judicial functions of the Audiencia were entrusted to the lieutenant governor and capitán general of Chile.

Sources

* Barrientos Grandon, Javier (1993). "La Real Audiencia de Concepción (1565-1575)," in ''Revista de estudios histórico-jurídicos de la Universidad Católica de Valparaíso'', vol. 1992-1993, no. 15, p. 131-178 {{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Audiencia Of Concepcion Captaincy General of Chile Concepcion Legal history of Chile Viceroyalty of Peru 1565 establishments in the Captaincy General of Chile 1575 disestablishments in the Captaincy General of Chile 1565 establishments in the Viceroyalty of Peru 1575 disestablishments in the Spanish Empire