Peruvian War of Independence

The Peruvian War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia del Perú) was a series of military conflicts in Peru from 1809 to 1826 that resulted in the country's independence from the Spanish Empire. Part of the broader Spanish American wars of independence, it led to the dissolution of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru.

Throughout the colonial period of Peru, there were early attempts of independence movements. The Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II, although not the first or the last, was the most significant and culminated in violent repression by the viceregal authorities. This uprising erupted in response to the Bourbon Reforms and was the first time that viceregal documents used the term "insurgents." It was also a movement that proclaimed the abolition of slavery in Peru. However, there is debate as to whether the purpose of this rebellion was truly independence or a revolution of the viceregal social order.

French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's 1808 invasion of Spain resulted in the abdications of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII in favour of Joseph Bonaparte. In Spanish America, autonomous governments arose in the power vacuum and instability of mainland Spain in Europe. Initially, Peru was a stronghold for royalists, with Viceroy José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa using Peru as a base for counterrevolutionary forces.

In 1820, the Liberating Expedition of Peru, under the command of Argentine General San Martín forced the viceroyalty to abandon Lima and fortify itself in Cusco. But conflict between San Martin and Simón Bolívar at the Guayaquil Conference divided patriot forces.

Aided by Bolivar fighting continued with the definitive defeat of the Spanish Army in 1824, with the surrender of the last major Spanish strongholds in 1826. The Battle of Ayacucho in 1824 secured the independence of Peru and of all nations in South America.

Some of the early Spanish conquistadors who explored Peru made the first attempts for independence from the Spanish crown. They tried to liberate themselves from the Viceroyalty, who governed on behalf of the king of Castile. Throughout the eighteenth century, there were several indigenous uprisings against colonial rule and their treatment by the colonial authorities. Some of these uprisings became true rebellions. The Bourbon Reforms increased the unease, and the dissent had its outbreak in the 1780–1781 uprising lead by Túpac Amaru II. Which was repressed, but the root cause of the discontent of the indigenous people remained dormant. It is debated whether these movements should be considered as precedents of the emancipation that was led by chiefs (caudillos), Peruvian towns (pueblos), and other countries in the American continent.

During the Peninsular War (1807–1814) central authority in the Spanish Empire was lost and many regions established autonomous juntas. The viceroy of Peru, José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa was instrumental in organizing armies to suppress uprisings in Upper Peru and defending the region from armies sent by the juntas of the Río de la Plata. After success of the royalist armies, Abascal annexed Upper Peru to the viceroyalty, which benefited the Lima merchants as trade from the silver-rich region was now directed to the Pacific. Because of this, Peru remained strongly royalist and participated in the political reforms implemented by the Cortes of Cádiz (1810–1814), despite Abascal's resistance. Peru was represented at the first session of the Cortes by seven deputies and local cabildos (representative bodies) became elected.^{[clarification needed]} Therefore, Peru became the second to last redoubt of the Spanish Monarchy in South America, after Upper Peru.

Despite the royalist tendencies of Upper Peru and overall lack of political unrest from the general public between the end of the Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II (which ended in 1783) and 1808, junta movements did emerge. Within this period, divisions between Upper Peru and Southern Peru were evident, especially through the mining industry within the country, with the South overall suffering economically due to discrimination which ultimately provoked bitter protest from mining deputies of Southern Peru in 1804. This was evidently the start of unrest and uprising of the junta movements between the divided country which caused royalist officials to become more aware and cautious of Cuzco and the southern parts of Perú as a whole. Political unrest amped up after the crumbling of the Peruvian government structure, and after being effected by the collapse of monarchy within Spain, the country that colonized Peru, in 1808.