Missionaries in frontier land: Franciscans of the Colegio de Chillán. Unpublished sources for their study

Abstract

The article reflects on the presence of the Franciscan missionaries from the Colegio de Chillán on the southern border of the Spanish empire during the second half of the 18th century. Rather than paying attention to the spiritual work of the missionary friars, it stops at the political and economic levels. The colleges of missions were part of the strategy of conquest of the Spanish Crown, so they had to assume a political role, as mediators in the conflicts that arose on the border. Among the roles played by the missionaries was the rescue of women on the border, where they acted not only as ministers of faith, but also by providing financial resources. The material was also an issue that the seraphic friars had to face in the midst of complex relationships, not always resolving with strict adherence to its provisions and regulations. The writing presents two unpublished manuscript documents that exist in the Franciscan archive of Santiago de Chile, which account for the political role and concern for the material of the missionaries of Chillán, in a border area towards the end of the 18th century.