Spanish Colonization (1521 - 1898)

Early Spanish expeditions

Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines in 1521.
The Philippine islands first came to the attention of Europeans with the Spanish
expedition around the world led ! Portuguese explorerFerdinand Magellan in 1521.
Magellan landed on the island of "eu# claiming the lands for Spain and naming them
$slas de San %a&aro. 'e set up friendl! relations with some of the local chieftains and
converted some of them to (oman "atholicism. 'owever# Magellan was )illed !
natives# led ! a local chief named %apu*%apu# who go up against foreign domination.
+ver the next several decades# other Spanish expeditions were send off to the islands. $n
15,-# (u! %.pe& de /illaloos led an expedition to the islands and gave the name %as
$slas Filipinas 0after Philip $$ of Spain1 to the islands of Samar and %e!te. The name
would later e given to the entire archipelago.
Spanish colonization
The invasion of the Filipinos ! Spain did not egin in earnest until 152,# when another
expedition from 3ew Spain# commanded ! Miguel %.pe& de %egaspi# arrived.
Permanent Spanish settlement was not estalished until 1525 when an expedition led !
Miguel %.pe& de %ega&pi# the first 4overnor*4eneral of the Philippines# arrived in "eu
from 3ew Spain. Spanish leadership was soon estalished over man! small independent
communities that previousl! had )nown no central rule. Six !ears later# following the
defeat of the local Muslim ruler# %ega&pi estalished a capital at Manila# a location that
offered the outstanding haror of Manila 5a!# a large population# and closeness to the
sufficient food supplies of the central %u&on rice lands. Manila ecame the center of
Spanish civil# militar!# religious# and commercial activit! in the islands. 5! 1561# when
%.pe& de %egaspi estalished the Spanish cit! of Manila on the site of a Moro town he
had con7uered the !ear efore# the Spanish grip in the Philippines was secure which
ecame their outpost in the East $ndies# in spite of the opposition of the Portuguese# who
desired to maintain their monopol! on East 8sian trade. The Philippines was
administered as a province of 3ew Spain 0Mexico1 until Mexican independence 019211.
Manila revolted the attac) of the "hinese pirate %imahong in 156,. For centuries efore
the Spanish arrived the "hinese had traded with the Filipinos# ut evidentl! none had
settled permanentl! in the islands until after the con7uest. "hinese trade and laor were
of great importance in the earl! development of the Spanish colon!# ut the "hinese came
to e feared and hated ecause of their increasing numers# and in 12:- the Spanish
murdered thousands of them 0later# there were lesser massacres of the "hinese1.
The Spanish governor# made a vicero! in 159;# ruled with the counsel of the powerful
ro!al audiencia. There were fre7uent uprisings ! the Filipinos# who disli)ed the
encomienda s!stem. 5! the end of the 12th cent. Manila had ecome a leading
commercial center of East 8sia# carr!ing on a prosperous trade with "hina# $ndia# and the
East $ndies. The Philippines supplied some wealth 0including gold1 to Spain# and the
richl! loaded galleons pl!ing etween the islands and 3ew Spain were often attac)ed !
English freeooters. There was also troule from other 7uarters# and the period from 12::
to 122- was mar)ed ! continual wars with the <utch# who were la!ing the foundations
of their rich empire in the East $ndies# and with Moro pirates. +ne of the most difficult
prolems the Spanish faced was the defeat of the Moros. $rregular campaigns were
conducted against them ut without conclusive results until the middle of the 1;th
centur!. 8s the power of the Spanish Empire diminished# the =esuit orders ecame more
influential in the Philippines and otained great amounts of propert!.
+ccupation of the islands was accomplished with relativel! little loodshed# partl!
ecause most of the population 0except the Muslims1 offered little armed attle initiall!.
8 significant prolem the Spanish faced was the invasion of the Muslims of Mindanao
and the Sulu 8rchipelago. The Muslims# in response to attac)s on them from the Spanish
and their native allies# raided areas of %u&on and the /isa!as that were under Spanish
colonial control. The Spanish conducted intermittent militar! campaigns against the
Muslims# ut without conclusive results until the middle of the 1;th centur!.
"hurch and state were inseparal! lin)ed in Spanish polic!# with the state assuming
responsiilit! for religious estalishments. +ne of Spain>s o?ectives in coloni&ing the
Philippines was the conversion of Filipinos to "atholicism. The wor) of conversion was
facilitated ! the asence of other organi&ed religions# except for $slam# which
predominated in the south. The pageantr! of the church had a wide plea# reinforced ! the
incorporation of Filipino social customs into religious oservances. The eventual
outcome was a new "hristian ma?orit! of the main Mala! lowland population# from
which the Muslims of Mindanao and the upland trial peoples of %u&on remained
detached and separated.
8t the lower levels of administration# the Spanish uilt on traditional village organi&ation
! co*opting local leaders. This s!stem of indirect rule helped create in a Filipino upper
class# called the principal@a# who had local wealth# high status# and other privileges. This
achieved an oligarchic s!stem of local control. 8mong the most significant changes under
Spanish rule was that the Filipino idea of pulic use and ownership of land was replaced
with the concept of private ownership and the granting of titles on memers of the
principal@a.
The Philippines was not profitale as a colon!# and a long war with the <utch in the 16th
centur! and intermittent conflict with the Muslims nearl! an)rupted the colonial
treasur!. "olonial income derived mainl! from entrepAt tradeB The Manila 4alleons
sailing from 8capulco on the west coast of Mexico rought shipments of silver ullion
and minted coin that were exchanged for return cargoes of "hinese goods. There was no
direct trade with Spain.
Decline of Spanish rule
Spanish rule on the Philippines was riefl! interrupted in 1622# when 5ritish troops
invaded and occupied the islands as a result of Spain>s entr! into the Seven Cears> Dar.
The Treat! of Paris in 162- rought ac) Spanish rule and the 5ritish left in 162,. The
rief 5ritish occupation wea)ened Spain>s grip on power and spar)ed reellions and
demands for independence.
$n 1691# 4overnor*4eneral =osE 5asco ! /argas founded the Economic Societ! of
Friends of the "ountr!. The Philippines ! this time was administered directl! from
Spain. <evelopments in and out of the countr! helped to ring new ideas to the
Philippines. The opening of the Sue& "anal in 192; cut travel time to Spain. This
prompted the rise of the ilustrados# an enlightened Filipino upper class# since man! !oung
Filipinos were ale to stud! in Europe.
Enlightened ! the Propaganda Movement to the in?ustices of the Spanish colonial
government and the Ffrailocrac!F# the ilustrados originall! clamored for ade7uate
representation to the Spanish "ortes and later for independence. =osE (i&al# the most
celerated intellectual and essential illustrado of the era# wrote the novels 3oli Me
Tangere and El Filiusterismo# which greatl! inspired the movement for independence.
The Gatipunan# a secret societ! whose primar! principle was that of overthrowing
Spanish rule in the Philippines# was founded ! 8ndrEs 5onifacio who ecame its
Supremo 0leader1.
The Philippine (evolution egan in 19;2. (i&al was concerned in the outrea) of the
revolution and executed for treason in 19;2. The Gatipunan split into two groups#
Magdiwang led ! 8ndrEs 5onifacio and Magdalo led ! Emilio 8guinaldo. "onflict
etween the two revolutionar! leaders ended in the execution or assassination of
5onifacio ! 8guinaldo>s soldiers. 8guinaldo agreed to a treat! with the Pact of 5ia) na
5ato and 8guinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were exiled to 'ong Gong.
$t was the opposition to the power of the clerg! that in large measure rought aout the
rising attitude for independence. Spanish in?ustices# pre?udice# and economic oppressions
fed the movement# which was greatl! inspired ! the rilliant writings of =osE (i&al. $n
19;2 revolution egan in the province of "avite# and after the execution of (i&al that
<ecemer# it spread throughout the ma?or islands. The Filipino leader# Emilio 8guinaldo#
achieved considerale success efore a peace was patched up with Spain. The peace was
short*lived# however# for neither side honored its agreements# and a new revolution was
made when the Spanish*8merican Dar ro)e out in 19;9.
The Spanish*8merican war started in 19;9 after the HSS Maine# sent to "ua in
connection with an attempt to arrange a peaceful resolution etween "uan independence
amitions and Spanish colonialism# was sun) in 'avana haror. 8fter the H.S. naval
victor! led ! "ommodore 4eorge <ewe! defeated the Spanish s7uadron at Manila 5a!
on Ma! 1# 19;9# the H.S. invited 8guinaldo to return to the Philippines# which he did on
Ma! 1;# 19;9# in the hope he would rall! Filipinos against the Spanish colonial
government. 5! the time H.S. land forces had arrived# the Filipinos had ta)en control of
the entire island of %u&on# except for the walled cit! of $ntramuros Manila# which the!
were esieging. +n =une 12# 19;9# 8guinaldo declared the independence of the
Philippines in Gawit# "avite# estalishing the First Philippine (epulic under 8sia>s first
democratic constitution. Their dreams of independence were crushed when the
Philippines were transferred from Spain to the Hnited States in the Treat! of Paris 019;91#
which closed the Spanish*8merican Dar.
"oncurrentl!# a 4erman s7uadron under 8dmiral <iedrichs arrived in Manila and
declared that if the Hnited States did not gra the Philippines as a colonial possession#
4erman! would. Since Spain and the H.S. ignored the Filipino representative# Felipe
8goncillo# during their negotiations in the Treat! of Paris# the 5attle of Manila etween
Spain and the H.S. was alleged ! some to e an attempt to exclude the Filipinos from
the eventual occupation of Manila. 8lthough there was sustantial domestic opposition#
the Hnited States decided neither to return the Philippines to Spain# nor to allow 4erman!
to ta)e over the Philippines. Therefore# in addition to 4uam and Puerto (ico# Spain was
forced in the negotiations to hand over the Philippines to the H.S. in exchange for
HSI2:#:::#:::.::# which the H.S. later claimed to e a FgiftF from Spain. The first
Philippine (epulic reelled against the H.S. occupation# resulting in the Philippine*
8merican Dar 019;;J1;1-1.
Departure fro !sia
Spain in the "hilippines and East !sia in the #ineteenth and $%entieth Centuries
8lthough the $erian Peninsula led the European arrival to the 8sia*Pacific region and
Spanish coloni&ation of the Philippines dated from the sixteenth centur!# the role of
"ontemporar! Spain in this d!namic region has een ver! limited. +ne of the most
significant changes in the 8sia*Pacific region during the nineteenth centur! was the
decline of SpainKs position. 'aving once en?o!ed the status of one of the main Destern
powers in the region# Spain ecame the first colonial power to e expelled after defeat at
the hands of the Hnited States in the war of 19;9. Since that time# Spain has not een ale
to recover from that episode and 8sia has commanded little interest in the national
ps!che.
For centuries# 8sia has commanded little attention from Spanish decision ma)ers. SpainKs
general decline as a world power and its domestic prolems can explain it onl! partiall!L
its presence in 8sia has een characteri&ed ! its own independent d!namic that can e
traced even to its earl! da!s. The anormall! small presence of Spain in 8sia can e
attriuted to several ver! different factors# such as histor!# domestic hegemonies#
international politics# or colonial perception# ut this article will focus the stud! of the
Spanish presence on the da!s when the Philippines was still ruled from Mexico# until the
present times# when Spain has attempted to regain some of the lost ground. The focus will
e in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries# considering the forced departure from the
region in 19;9 merel! as one lin) in the chain. Furthermore# the course of events is
anal!&ed through an interdisciplinar! perspective# which the author considers most
effective for full! explaining the events.
8t the height of Spanish imperial power# 8sia was a crucial target# ut onl! for a short
time. 8fter settling in the Philippines in the 156:s and ?oining hands with Portuguese in
the 159:s in the Hnion of the $erian "rowns# Spainundertoo) pro?ects of con7uest
in "hina and expeditions to "amodia in the 15;:s. These reflected the hope of
expanding and stimulating a second wave of exploitation and con7uest in East 8sia#
similar to that in the 8mericasdecades efore. Those efforts failed and the cooperation
with Portuguese soon dwindled. 8fter the turn of the seventeenth centur!# the profitale
silver route of galleons from Mexico to Manila# despite its enormous value# was a remote
affair to Madrid and the Spanish imperial crown.
MiN
From the perspective of Madrid# 8siaKs
significance was limited to a strategic area to defend the galleon route from <utch
attac)s# considerations which were no dout ehind the con7uest of the onl! two regional
outposts Spain occupiedB Taiwan 0riefl!1 and Micronesia# especiall! the island of 4uam.
The "atholic "hurch was the greatest enefactor of this diminishing role of the Pacific
outposts. Missionar! orders used their unusuall! prominent role in the Philippines to
expel most la! Spaniards settled permanentl! in the islands# especiall! hacenderos out
of Manila that could alance "hurch influence over the islanders. The! effectivel! spread
the gospel and# at the same time# enhanced their own influence. 8s a colon! governed in
essence ! another colon! 0Mexico1# the Philippines never received great attention
from Madrid# which did little to challenge the friarsK excessive power. Moreover# the
colonial administration in the Philippines remained faithful to the power of the "atholic
"hurch# which was never counteralanced ! an! other interest group on the islands#
much less the governor or the small ureaucrac!.
Profit from the silver trade diminished in the middle third of the seventeenth centur!# and
for the next centur! the nature of Spanish presence in the Philippines would change little
until a new ree&e rought ! Enlightenment was felt. The two*!ear 5ritish occupation
of Manila egun in 1622 served to reinvigorate the Spanish government in the Philippine
capital. $t suse7uentl! opened the first direct lin) across the $ndian +cean to the Spanish
peninsula and imposed a new tax s!stem designed to ma)e the colon! self*financing. The
nineteenth centur!# then# rought new ideas and the possiilit! of a direct lin) to the
peninsula for a colon! in a remote area that had stagnated throughout most of its
existence. There was a chance for a new eginning for Spain in 8sia if the longstanding
pattern of la&iness and unmitigated church dominance could e overcome.
The Nineteenth Century

The overall context of European presence in the 8sia Pacific region changed dramaticall!
after the turn of the nineteenth centur!. 8mong the European powers#
onl! 'olland# Spain# and Portugal maintained colonial possessions there# chiefl! in the
form of several coastal outposts with hinterlands of var!ing si&es. 3ew European powers
0mainl! France and England1 advanced from $ndia and settled closer to "hina and =apanB
"olonialism was ma)ing important inroads in the region. The impact of the galleon trade
in East 8sia susided after the rise of trade lin)s in several new commodities
etween "anton and European ports# which left the Philippines marginali&ed in the
region.
MiiN
Meanwhile# the main focus of colonial attention for the Spanish la! on the other
shore of the Pacific# that is# with the independence movements of the 'ispanic 8merican
colonies# with the exception of "ua and Puerto (ico. %i)e the "ariean island
colonies# the Philippines did not revolt and remained lo!al to the "rown# ut the
independence of 3ew Spain in 191: directl! affected its role in the diminished empire#
given that until then Manila depended oth politicall! and financiall! on the newl!
independent (epulic of Mexico. The events of the earl! nineteenth centur! therefore
gave rise to the possiilit! of a new role within the Spanish Empire for the Pacific
archipelago e!ond the secondar! position it had held under the Mexican vicero!s. Dith
three main island territories remaining under MadridKs control# and the galleon route a
memor!# the Philippines were in a position to further the reforms ta)en since the
Enlightenment and to forge a stronger colon!. 5ut this would not e an eas! tas).