Real Audiencia of Concepción

Before 1565, the highest court of Chile was thejusticia mayor,whose sentences were appealed before theRoyal Audiencia of Lima.In 1560 local authorities formally requested the president of the Audiencia of Lima for the creation of anaudienciafor Chile. It was argued that it would serve to control the actions of thegovernorsof Chile, improve royal treasury's collection of revenue and hasten the end of theArauco War.

In 1565 KingPhillip IIordered the creation of a Chileanaudienciain his decree of May 18. Theaudienciahad fouroidores,one of them serving as president; afiscalor public prosecutor; and the related subordinate officials, such as analguacil 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, theoidoresof 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 andcapitán general of Chile.

Sources

• Barrientos Grandon, Javier (1993). "La Real Audiencia de Concepción (1565-1575)," inRevista de estudios histórico-jurídicos de la Universidad Católica de Valparaíso,vol. 1992-1993, no. 15, p. 131-178