Spaniards and Chinese in the Philippines
Introduction
Spaniards and Chinese in the Philippines. The foundations of Manila Galeon trade. In this case we find a text by Antonio García-Abásolo, Professor of History of America at the University of Córdoba, for the XIV Conference of History in Lleanra, commemorating the fifth centenary of the discovery of the South Sea. This work talks about the relations between Chinese and Spanish during the 16th and 18th centuries in Manila.
Developing
As mentioned in other works, the Magallanes expedition ending Elcano opens a period of expeditions around the globe in search of new territories and trade routes that favor the growth and strengthening of the so -called Spanish Empire. The insistence on reaching the molucas or islands of the spices dates back to the fall of Constantinople (and closing the intercontinental route) and the Treaty of Tordesillas that divided the territory between Portugal and Spain;The current Philippines islands in Spanish territory being.
The Crown was established colonially in these islands from 1565 to 1898 with the well -known 98 disaster, which lighting a whole generation of artists (the generation of 98) concerned and aware of the critical situation lived in the war against the United States. Returning to the period that was a Spanish colony, these islands were conquered by López de Legazpi and, thanks to Andrés de Urdaneta, the current of the turning to the American continent is discovered (currently current from Kuroshio), main route in the Iberian Peninsula Iberian continent American-Asia and where the famous manila galleon passed from which this text is spoken. This ship connected Manila with Acapulco loaded with spices, fabrics, porcelain, etc. To sell the merchandise in Europe and brought, back, silver and gold from the American mines.
The author explains that a first moment Legazpi explorer did not know if the islands was going to be a definitive seat or an expansion platform to China. And during the first years, Legazpi prepared the land for a possible step to China that finally, after several failed attempts by diplomatic route and discarded the military, do not occur. Instead, Manila becomes a point of union between both civilizations: China and Spanish.
García-Abásolo states that he can hardly imagine the survival of the city of Manila without the Chinese presence because thanks to them the city of great variety of products was supplied in exchange for the American silver they wanted, producing a relationship of mutual dependence that, noAlways peaceful, it was longest than other European relations with this Asian world.
Philippines was structured as a province dependent on the Viceroyalty of New Spain (Mexico), although in practice the governed, given the long distance, acted independently. Madrid-Manila contacts, the author exemplifies, could take up to three years. The administration of justice was exercised by the audience and ecclesiastical administration an archbishop that, together with the governor, resided in Manila. The other districts were administered by local governors (or older mayors) and, even in the furthest areas, by missionaries.
Manila’s galleon was a great safe ship, although little agile, which needed to repair before crossing the Pacific in the two ports of his route (Acapulco and Manila). Manila’s departure used to be held between mid -June and mid -July with a whole starting ceremony in which the governor granted the corresponding licenses, the archbishop blessed the ship and a procession carried from the convent to the vacuum an image of the Virgin of the Virgin of therosary beads.
This complicated trip had the strength of the hurricane winds to push the gallon on their way, however, sometimes they caused shipwrecks and arrivals that gave rise to disastrous consequences for the population of Manila. The author explains that, for food on the long trip of approximately half a year, the vessel of large amounts of non -perishable foods, as well as live animals and fruits to at least the first part of the journey was necessary. In addition, he mentions that travelers entertained themselves with bets related to the crossing, as gambling and cards were prohibited, and representations organized by the crew consisted of in parodies of judgments of the Galeon authorities.
That said, it is worth mentioning that the relations between Spaniards and Chinese were not always peaceful. The Spaniards were debated between the need and fear of the Chinese, who were protagonists of several uprisings that ended their expulsion and progressive return to normal until, finally, it is decided to purge that Chinese population does not talk or mestizo tostrainer mode to prevent these uprisings and favor assimilation between people of completely different cultures. Officially, the expulsion process of non -Christian Chinese ended in 1755.
Conclusions
In Manila, a dependency relationship between Chinese and Spaniards was created that, despite being mainly peaceful, gave rise to tensions and uprisings that ended with the expulsion of the Chinese temporarily because they became an essential agent for the survival of the Filipina Island. By opting, given this situation, the exclusive measure of non -converts or mestizos on the island.
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