Juan Valdés

enjoys the distinction of being one of the first Spaniards that embraced the opinions of the Reformation, and the very first who made an effort to spread them. Ticknor, Span. Lit., II. 19. Val de Travers. See Travers. Valdez, Melendez. See Melendez Valdes . Valdez (Sp. pron. väl-deth') Island. An island belonging to British Columbia, situated in the Gulf of Georgia about lat. 50°-50°20′ N. Length, 24 miles. Val d'Hérens (väl dā-ron'). An Alpine valley in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, south of Sion. Valdi Demone (väl dē dā-mō'ne). The ancient northeastern division of Sicily. Valdieri (väl-de-ā'rē), F.Vaudier (vō-dyā'). A town and watering-place in the province of Cuneo, Italy, 12 miles southwest of Cuneo: noted for its sulphur-springs. Population (1881), commune, 3,120. Val di Genova (väl de jen'ō-vä). A valley in southern Tyrol, in the Adamello Alps. Val d'Illiez. An Alpine valley in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, west of St.-Maurice. Length, about 15 miles. Val di Mazzara (väl dē mät-sä'rä). The ancient western division of Sicily. Val di Non (väl de non). The lower part of the valley of the Noce, in southern Tyrol, north of Val di Noto (väl dē nōtō). The ancient southeastern division of Sicily. Val di Sole (väl de sõ'le). The upper part of the valley of the Noce, in southwestern Tyrol, southeast of the Ortler. Valdivia (väl-dēvē-ä). 1. A province in Chile, intersected by lat. 40° S. Area, 8,315 square miles. Population (1892), 62,020.-2. A town, capital of the province of Valdivia, Chile, on the Calle-calle River near the sea: its port, called the Corral, is at the mouth of the river. It was founded as a fort by Pedro de Valdivia in Feb., 1552; was a point of great importance during the wars with the Araucanians; and was destroyed by them in the great uprising of 1599. Rebuilt in 1644, it was strongly fortified; pronounced for independence in 1810, but fell into the hands of the Spaniards; and was finally taken by the patriots under Cochrane, after a three days' fight from fort to fort, Feb. 2-4, 1820. Population (1885), 5,680. Valdivia, Luis de. Born in Granada, 1561: died at Valladolid, Nov. 5, 1642. A Spanish Jesuit, mi ionary in Chile from about 1590 to 1621. He published several works on the Araucanian and other Indian languages, and histories of the Indian wars. Valdivia, Pedro de. Born near La Serena, Estremadura, 1498 or 1500: died near the fort of Tucapel, southern Chile, Jan. 1 (7), 1554. A Spanish soldier, conqueror of Chile. He served in the Italian wars; went to Venezuela about 1534; and in 1535 pa ed to Peru, where he served with Pizarro's forces at the battle of Las Salinas, April 26, 1538. After Almagro's death, Pedro Sanchez de Hoz, an incompetent man, was sent from Spain to complete the conquest of Chile; Pizarro a ociated Valdivia with him, and Hoz soon became a cipher in the expedition. Leaving Cuzco in March, 1540, with 150 Spanish soldiers and a large body of Indians, Valdivia marched by the coast deserts, defeated a large body of natives in the valley of Chile, and on Feb. 12, 1541, founded Santiago. The Indians soon rose against him, and he was closely besieged until the arrival of reinforcements from Peru in Dec., 1543. Val para i so was founded in Sept., 15644, and in 1546 Valdivia pushed into the Araucanian country to the river Biobio. In 1547-49 he was in Peru, serving with Gasca to suppre the rebellion of Gonzalo Pizarro: during his absence the country was ruled by Villagra. In 1550-51 the Spaniards continued their conquest of the Araucanian country, pa ing the Biobio and founding Concepcion, Imperial, Valdivia, etc. Late in 1553 there was a great uprising of the Indians. Valdivia, with fifty horsemen, started from Concepcion to relieve Tucapel, which was closely besieged; was attacked and defeated by the Indians; and was captured and put to death shortly after. Authorities do not agree as to the precise date of the battle and of Valdivia's death.