- Micronations
- Founded November 17, 1860
- Dissolved January 5, 1862
- Capital Perquenco
- Main language Mapudungun
The Kingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia is the last remnant of an attempt to create a kingdom for the Mapuche people, the indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. Founded in 1860 by the French adventurer Antoine de Tounens, it intended to enlist the support of Napoleon III to create a vassal kingdom of France in Patagonia. In 1862 Antoine de Tounens was imprisoned and declared insane by the Supreme Court of Chile. He was expelled back to France and the Criminal Court of Paris ruled that Antoine de Tounens, first King of Araucania and Patagonia, did not justify his claim to the status of sovereignty of his kingdom. He died in poverty without any real successors. After his death many tried to conquer the kingdom, mainly as a way to sell stamps, the loss of the claim is seen as a lost opportunity by the Mapuche, who aim to get their land back via this lost kingdom.