In 1553, the Jesuits Anchieta and Nóbrega founded the city of São Paulo. Between these two regions, extended the unlimited control of huge forests, cut by large rivers Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay.

A few years before Pizarro conquered Peru, Sebastiano Caboto, to serve the king of Spain, landed on the coast of the beach that would be called after Buenos Aires. In 1536, Juan de Ayolas founded the city of Asuncion.

In this environment remained difficult to access the lands inhabited by tribes of the Guarani people, semi-nomad, had suffered the negative experience of the arrogance of the Spanish colonists and were nervously rebelled. Those lands were often the scene of bloody conflicts between the native Guarani and Tupi tribes.

During a certain period, this region suffered from the scourge of marauding attacks committed by the Mamluks (Mestizos), supported by Tupi Indians, captured the Guarani and sold them in the markets of São Paulo city.

In this endeavor, the three Jesuits were in contact with the settlers and the community for which they had been called to work, but contemporaneously, in advancing a contentious area, east of Asuncion - more precisely Guayrá; in contact with the natives there, learned to speak Guarani and the opportunity of communication was certainly one of the reasons for the success of the religious enterprise.

The relationship with the Spanish colonizers, conversely, is beginning to weaken. The reason was quite simple: the Jesuits did not admit that the natives were enslaved by them, and demanded full compliance with the protective laws issued by the Spanish crown.

But attritions was deteriorating to the point that the Society of Jesus admitted it appropriate to withdraw its missionaries in the region of Paraguay. What initially seemed a gesture of resignation was in fact a strategy for better and more diplomatically prepare the entry of the Jesuits in Paraguay.

Statue of St.Michael the Archangel in an "Reduction" in Paraguay

The first challenge was to face: Which the hinterland was actually right to Spain? And if they were sent the Portuguese Jesuits, instead of Spanish, the Spanish settlers and their might create problems? In fact, the Treaty of Tordesillas had traced a line of demarcation between the territories, but none of the two kingdoms recognized the treaty only to claims of actual or presumed rights - before, both ignored when it came to subjugate the rights claimed on the other side watching them or not the reason.
Concerning to the Society of Jesus, was Claudio Acquaviva, an Italian Jesuit who held the highest function, who put an end to the question, not recognizing that territory or Province of Peru or Brazil, set up a new region, where would be possible to send Missionaries from all provenance and ethnic groups: the Province of Paraguay.

The chief's role was essentially to control no one failed to fulfill its obligation within that society. The product of these activities from time to time, was divided equally among the members of the community. In the event of war, his authority was recognized coercively. And the war was not an uncommon fact. There was also the religious leader, the Paye (shaman), who attributed it was a name for babies and cured the sick with their practice of witchcraft.

Hierarchically above these groups, there was another authority, the Caravié, the great shaman. Errant and lonely sometimes appeared to remind everyone of the great truth: living in the land of evil, and that he must recover Ywy-ey-mara, land-without-the-bad, where the men lived with the Gods; that because of bad deeds of men, the Gods sent a flood, and raised the land-poor. The Guarani sighed the long-awaited land-without-the-evil, somehow search every change they did.

On November 26, 1609, Lieutenant-General of Paraguay and the River Plate, Captain Pedro de Anasco, exudes an order through which strictly forbade the entry of the Spanish in the region Guayra (Guaira), and forbade the recruitment of Indians to perform personal services. It was the beginning, at least from a legal standpoint, the "Riduzioni del Paraguay" (Reductions of Paraguay).

Father Marciel of Lorenzana and Father Francisco de San Martin to involve themselves in the midst of the forest in the south, in the region of Alto Parana. At the end of 1609, with the help of the other missionaries that they have joined, began the formation of a small community to which they gave the name of St. Ignatius.

Two years later, replacing Lorenzana, Father Rocco arrives Gonzales of Santa Cruz. The Creole (son of settlers born in Asunción), dominates the local Guarani language and customs. This allows a successful approach with the Indians, teaching them music, dance, songs of coral, organization and tender care of children - something that won the hearts of adults. Architect, builder, carpenter, could do everything with their own hands. Thus was born the systematic organization of work of the Guarani, which proved to be proficient learners of any manual labor.

In 1628, the shaman Nezu, jealous of the ascendency which the missionaries were making with the natives, organized a revolt. On November 15, Father Roque Gonzales and Father AlfonsoRodriguez are slaughtered while they were building the steeple of the village, which later became known by the name of Martires (Martyrs). Two days later, similarly, was killed Father Giovanni del Castillo, in another village. The insurgency spreads, and for one month, threatens to overwhelm everything.

Dictionary in the Guarani language, composed by Father Antonio Ruiz sj, in 1639.

On December 29, in a battle with other Guarani led by the chiefs Neenguirù, Tabacambì, Nezu and see your shot and the revolt ended. Many of the rebels return to the villages, believing the capacity for forgiveness of the missionaries. This episode makes clear, at least discreetly, wear and physical and moral exhaustion faced by missionaries, alternating hope and disappointment in the realization historic that were the Reductions of Paraguay. At the end that year of 1628, in the Alto Parana region already had dozens of villages, roughly structured.

To the east of Asuncion, between the rivers Iguaçu and Paranapanema, the pioneers and Father Giuseppe Cataldino and Father simone Mascetti founded in record time the first Reduction (perhaps the first at all), and Italians who were as good, they gave to Reduction the name of Loreto. Other missionaries come together, the commitment is intense, and in 1628, Guayra already has 13 Riduzioni (Reductions).

In twenty years, the Jesuits - including particularly remember Father Antonio Ruiz de Montoya - were able to build 25 villages, with an estimated population of 50-60 thousand individuals. To those natives it meant a life very different from the previous primitive nomadism, individual and socially.
We ask ourselves how these missionaries could evangelize the native Indians - may have sensed that the "culture" which they practiced prevented true potential that each one their had was fully realized.

The desperate pleas of the Jesuits, the Spanish authorities responded with inefficiency, and the Portuguese with the connivance. Almost all Reductions Guayra were attacked and destroyed.

To the Jesuits it was time to take all necessary steps to save your work and the Guarani. Despite legal prohibitions, the provincial superior, Diego de Boroa , orders the creation of a veritable army Guarani, properly armed. Fathers and lay brothers, ex-military, provide instruction and education war.

Also is the beginning of a rudimentary production of firearms. In 1638, Ruiz de Montoya was called to Spain, he weighed about the responsibility of the existence of the Spanish colony of Rio de la Plata. Get of the crown, at least, the not prohibition of the formation of the army Guarani.

The following year (1639), Father Diego de Alfaro, chief of training Guarani destroys a route used by the Mamluks in their expeditions, under the astonished look of a column of neutral Spanish aid.

This was followed by two years of peace, but in 1641, comes an impressive and equipped army of São Paulo with three thousand men, 900 (nine hundred) canoes and a powerful weapon, whose objective was reach, in a decisive blow, the Reductions of the Jesuits and the presence of Spain in that territory. The expedition down the course of the Uruguay River. The Guarani, who did the surveillance, denouncing the approach and expect in the confluence of the Mbororé river with the Uruguay. It is March 11, 1641.

People of the São Paulo are caught in the river by a violent and unexpected attack of fire: a rudimentary cannon and three hundred rifles. With the protective curtain of fire, the Guaraní eighty canoes down upon the formation opposing destroying completely. The Mamluks trying to land, but are surrounded by the chief Nicolàs Neenguirù and his men.

The battle continued for hours, and ends with the complete annihilation of the invading army, who fell to earth over two thousand bodies. The remaining balance of 600 (six hundred) canoes, 400 ( four hundred) rifles and muskets were now in the hands of Guarani.