The Viceroyalty of Peru was a major administrative division of the Spanish Empire established in 1542. It encompassed a vast territory in South America, including present-day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Chile and Argentina. The viceroyalty was created to manage Spanish colonial interests, including the extraction of precious metals like silver from mines such as Potosí. The capital of the viceroyalty was Lima, which became a cultural and political center. The viceroyalty played a crucial role in the spread of Spanish culture and the Catholic faith in the region. It lasted until the early 19th century when independence movements led to its dissolution.