What Happened
This history documents the Philippines' evolution from a collection of decentralized seafaring communities into a unified Spanish colony. It begins with the migration of Malay peoples and the arrival of Islam, then follows the 16th-century Spanish expeditions that established Manila as a strategic link to Mexico and China. The account details how Spanish friars gained more administrative weight than soldiers, the brutal impact of the Dutch wars on the colonial navy, and the mid-19th-century economic boom that modernized the islands but ultimately fueled the revolution against Spanish authority.
Key figures
- Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
The first Spanish Adelantado who won the land and founded Manila.
- Juan Sebastian del Cano
Captain who completed the first global voyage via the Indian Ocean.
- Tidor
A Moluccan island where Spaniards established a trading-post for cloves.
- Manila
The capital and center for ecclesiastical, military, and commercial classes.
- Moros
Muslim inhabitants of the southern islands who fought Spanish and Dutch forces.
What it's really about
- Colonial Rivalry
- Maritime conflict between Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands over trade.
- Missionary Governance
- The dominance of Spanish friars in civilizing and controlling native populations.
- Economic Globalization
- The shift from isolation to exporting hemp, tobacco, and sugar.
Why it's memorable
- The Victoria ship returning to Spain with a crew of only sixty starving men.
- Spanish population statistics showing 13,000 deaths from the tropical climate in just twenty years.
Where it lands
The era of Spanish governance concludes with a rapid succession of military acting-governors as the islands transition toward American control.
For your book club
- How the union of Spain and Portugal led to the decline of both navies.
- The failure of slow reforms to prevent the eventual 1897 revolution.