Spanish Colonization of
the Philippines
1453 1492
Constantinople fell into the hands Italian Voyager Christopher Columbus
of the Ottoman Turks, barring the reached the Americas. He called the natives
Europeans from the trading routes there Indians believing that he landed in
to the East. India, a land in the Asian Continent.
1498 1511
Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese
sailor reached India by sailing Portuguese forces captured the
through the Cape of Good Hope in Muslim port of Malacca in
the southern tip of Africa. Southeast Asia.
March 21, 1521 1543
The Magellan expedition, after
The Villalobos expedition arrived in
passing through the South
the archipelago and gave it the
American continent and crossing
name Las Phelipinas in honor of
the Pacific Ocean, arrived in the
the then crown prince, Philip II.
central part of the archipelago.
1565 1571
King Philip II decided to colonize Manila was taken by Spanish and
the country and sent Miguel Lopez Visayan forces under the leadership of
de Legazpi. The Legazpi Martin de Goite. Legazpi transferred
expedition sailed from Mexico and from Panay island and made Manila the
arrived in Cebu. capital and base of further expeditions.
Excerpts from First Voyage
Around the World by Antonio
Pigafetta
Excerpts from “Instruction to Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi from the Royal
Audencia of New Spain”
Instruction of Royal Audencia to Legazpi
• Make discoveries by Sea (discovery of the Western
Islands toward the Malucos)
• The ships must not enter any Islands belonging to
the King of Portugal but they shall go to other
nearby islands (within the demarcation).
• Try to discover and examine the ports (Filipinas
Islands)
• Ascertain and learn the settlements therein and
their wealth.
• The nature and life of the natives; the trade and
barter among them.
• Make and establish sound friendship and peace
with the natives
• You must represent to them his majesty’s affection
and love for them.
• If the land is rich and of quality you should colonize
therein and establish colony in part and district that
appears suitable to you.
Excerpts from “Relation of the
conquest of the Island of Luzon”