Chile 5-ESCUDOS (KM199)¶
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Obverse Lautaro on HORSE
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Reverse Coat of Arms, Denomination
- Composition
- Copper-Nickel
- Country
- Chile
- Approx. Size
- 22.5mm
- Area
- South America
- Animal Class
- Mammals
- Species
- Horse
- KM#
- 199
The rider is Lautaro, the Mapuche amerindian who introduced the use of horses to his people. He was captured by Spanish conquerors when young, and learned military tactics through observation. After escaping as a young adult (mid 16th century), he united his people and led successful campaigns against the Spanish in the Arauco War. His military tactics are still studied in several war academies around the world.
Chile¶
- Area
- South America
Squeezed between the Andes Mountains and the South Pacific, Chile is the longest country in the world, stretching over 4,200 km from north to south. It's widest point is only 430 km, making it look like the thinnest country. Native Americans on the move started settling in Chile's fertile valleys about 10,000 years ago. The Inca Empire briefly extended into the northern part of the country, but the hostility of the local tribes and the remote area kept them at bay. Same thing happened to the Spanish when they tried to conquer the land in the early 16th century. European settlement of the land was slow and torturous, taking almost 300 years. It ended in the late 19th century with the brutal repression of the Mapuche Indians. Once Spain got entangled with Napoleon, the European colonists in Chile proclaimed independence in 1810, and secured it after eight years of bitter fighting. Chile developed a democratic society, but ran into all sorts of problems in the 20th century including dictatorships and run-away inflation. Chile is a large exporter of copper.
