In the early 17th century the bishop of Santiago, Fray Juan Pérez de Espinosa, wrote to the King of Spain requesting a university for his city.

He emphasized the benefits to the provinces of Buenos Aires, Tucumán, and Paraguay, and the fact that Chileans who were traveling to study at the University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru, rarely returned to Chile.

[3] In a letter dated 2 December 1713 the mayor of Santiago, Francisco Ruiz de Berecedo, formally proposed to the cabildo (colonial council) to bring up to the King the request to authorize the creation of a university in Chile.

In 1724 the cabildo of Santiago named Manuel Antonio Valcarce Velasco as deputy procurator [es] of the city before the Court of Spain, to carry out the decree.

He organized courses, controlled the attendance of students and teachers, and was a tenacious opposer of the awarding of titles to those who did not meet academic requirements (buying degrees was common at that time).

This process led, in 1843, to the founding of the University of Chile, an institution which more closely adhered to cultural and educational ideals of republican society.

Bishop José Antonio Martínez de Aldunate y Garcés, Vice President of the Government Junta of 1810, was rector during a period of intellectual enrichment.

Many members of the open cabildo of 1810, in present-day Argentina, also pursued their studies there, including jurist and government official Miguel Mariano de Villegas [es].