The history of Tacna begins with the arrival of the famous Spanish conqueror Diego de Almagro along with several evangelizing friars. At this time the first denomination of the area appears as San Pedro de Takana.
It was going to be in 1565 when the region of Tacna, originally called Takana, was established as part of the San Marcos de Arica district, of which Árica and Tarapaca would also form part.
Tacna or "I hit in this place" according to the exact translation from Quechua, would be officially founded as a city in 1855 during the Republican era.
Spanish conquest and colonial times
This was named after the date's saints, in this case San Pedro de Takana, in the visit made by Diego de Almagro together with two evangelizing friars.
In 1565, the San Marcos de Arica township was established, and the geographical delimitation of Takana began to be established, which would finally be called Tacna by decision of the Spanish conquerors.
By 1572, the first Spanish settlements were established in what is currently known as the city of Tacna.
To achieve this objective, the viceroy of Toledo gave the order to the lawyer for the region Juan Maldonado de Buendía to reduce the indigenous population to make way for Spanish rule.
During several centuries the already denominated Tacna will be of total Spanish dominion, although with diverse unsuccessful attempts of revolt on the part of the indigenous communities in principle.
It will not be until Francisco Antonio de Zela starts the so-called Tacna Revolution in 1811, that the first steps of the independence of Peru are finally successfully achieved.
Republican era
Between 1811 and 1821, various battles were fought by the patriots who sought the definitive independence of Peru, which would be finally declared by José de San Martín on July 28, 1821.
Tacna would be named as the Heroic City by the recently established Congress of the Republic thanks to its important participation in independence.
Although the department of Tacna achieved its desired independence from Spain, its history would later be plagued by various attempts at occupation.
The first occupation occurs without success in 1841 by the Bolivian army at the hands of Colonel Manuel Rodríguez Magariños.
On June 25, 1855, the city of San Pedro de Tacna was refounded in an attempt to once again consolidate its membership in the Republic of Peru.
By 1880 with the battle of Alto de Alianza and the so-called Pacific War, Tacna, Tarata and Arica became part of Chilean territory.
This administration lasted for fifty years, ignoring the provisions of the Ancón Peace Treaty, until part of the department was returned in April 1929.
Emblematic figures of Chile, such as Salvador Allende, lived in the city of Tacna during the occupation by that country.
References
- Murua, M; Gaibrois, M. (1987). General history of Peru. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: espeleokandil.org
- Tacna. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: es.wikipedia.org
- Anello, G. (1998). History of the kingdom and provinces of Peru: Lima: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Villalobos, S. (2002). Chile and Peru: the history that unites us and separates us 1535-1883. Lima: Editorial Universitaria. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Everything about Tacna. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: enperu.org