This volume, part of the extensive Blair and Robertson historical series, compiles primary source documents covering the Spanish administration of the Philippine Islands between 1583 and 1588. This period marks a critical phase in the early colonial history of the archipelago, characterized by the establishment of the Audiencia (high court) in Manila, which aimed to manage the increasingly complex political and legal affairs of the distant colony. However, the documents reveal a fragile Spanish presence: the native population was already decimated, and the Spanish colonists faced widespread poverty, a crippling shortage of supplies, and a chronic financial deficit in the royal treasury. The colony's small, unpaid, and often lawless military force was insufficient for defense or further conquest, leading to constant internal complaints and conflicts between the civil, military, and ecclesiastical authorities. The documents also detail the growing dependence on Chinese trade for survival, proposals for the economic welfare of the colonists, and audacious schemes advanced to King Philip II for the military conquest of China, driven by the lure of wealth and the desire to convert millions of souls to Christianity. This volume is an essential record of the political, economic, and religious struggles that defined the Philippines in the late 16th century.
The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898 (Vol. 6, 1583–1588)