Spanish East Indies Totally Explained

Everything about Spanish East Indies totally explained

Spanish East Indies (Spanish: Indias Orientales Españolas), was a term used to describe Spanish possessions in Asia-Pacific which lasted over three centuries (1565 to 1898). It was used to describe Las Islas Filipinas (The Philippine Islands) and its dependencies including Guam, Mariana Islands, Palau and Caroline Islands. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, most of the islands were occupied by the United States while the rest were sold to Germany in the German-Spanish Treaty (1899). However, the kings of Spain (including the current monarch) still continued to use the title "King of the Spanish East Indies" as part of their traditional values.

History

Exploration and Settlement (1521–1643) Spanish contact began on March 6, 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan reached the Mariana Islands. He named Guam "Isla de Ladrones" (Island of Thieves) because some of his supplies in the galleon, "Trinidad" were stolen. Magellan's crew eventually left the island and reached the island of Homonhon in the Philippines on March 16, with only 150 crewmen. There, they met the indigenous peoples and were able to communicate with them because the Malayan interpreter, Enrique of Malacca, could understand the natives' language.
   Seeking to develop trade between the East Indies and the Americas across the Pacific Ocean, Antonio de Mendoza encouraged the exploration of Spain's new territories, as he commissioned the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542-1543. Miguel López de Legazpi established the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines in 1565, which became the town of San Miguel. Andrés de Urdaneta discovered an efficient sailing route from the Philippines returning to Mexico. In 1570, the native city of Manila was conquered and trade links soon began in the Manila-Acapulco Galleons.
   The Manila-Acapulco galleons shipped products gathered from both Asia-Pacific and the Americas, such as silk, spice, silver, gold and other Asian-Pacific islander products to Mexico. Products brought from Asia-Pacific were sent to Veracruz and shipped to Spain and, via trading, to the rest of Europe. While Spanish-Mexican colonist brought with them Spanish or indigenous Mexican customs, religion, languages, foods and cultural traditions to the Philippines, Guam and the Mariana Islands.
   In 1606, the Spaniards established some form of trade links with the Maluku Islands and remained until 1663. Contacts with Japan were also established and Sebastián Vizcaíno was sent as ambassador in 1611, until Japan closed it's trading post in 1630. On the north eastern coastal region near Taiwan, the Spaniards built Fort Santo Domingo near Keelung in 1626 and a mission in Tan-shui in 1628, which they occupied until 1642. Some Pacific islands were visited by Spanish ships in the 16th century, but they made no effort to trade with or colonize them, including New Guinea (by Yñigo Ortiz de Retez in 1545), Solomon Islands (by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa in 1568) and Marquesas Islands (by Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira in 1595).

The last Spanish Habsburgs (1643–1713)

In 1668, Diego Luis de San Vitores established the first mission in the Mariana Islands.

The Bourbon Reforms (1713–1898)

Spanish rule in the Philippines was briefly interrupted in 1762, when British troops invaded the capital city of Manila. Later, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas established the Economic Society of Friends of the Country.

Colonial government

For over 256 years, The Spanish East Indies was a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain which was governed from Mexico City between 1565 to 1821. Spain took direct control of the islands following the Mexican War of Independence in 1821. These regions were soon governed from Madrid until 1898.

Captaincy General

The Captaincy General of the Philippine Islands were an administrative government organization founded in 1565, and for over 333 years, it was governed by both the Real Audiencia of Manila, the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the Spanish crown.
Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, several lands of the Spanish East Indies were ceded to other countries.

Cultural Influence

Hispanic

Spain's influence on her former colonies in Asia-Pacific is significant and to this day, the majority of the people of the Philippines, Guam, Mariana Islands and Palau belong to the Roman Catholic faith. Many of these people also use Spanish names and surnames, their languages have many Spanish loanwords, and their national cuisine has much Spanish or Mexican influence. These nations also exhibit a small minority of native people descendants from Spaniard and Mexican settlers, known as mestizos, who form a tiny percentage of the populations.

Terms

The Spaniards named several places in the islands that are not currently used. These included "Gran Moluccas" (Great Molluccas) for the islands of Mindanao, "Nueva Castilla" (New Castile) for Luzon, and "Nueva Filipinas" (New Philippines) for the Caroline Islands.

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