This volume is the twentieth installment of a monumental 55-volume compilation of primary source documents detailing the history of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. It focuses on the years 1621 through 1624, a time of significant internal tension and external threat for the nascent Spanish colony. The documents illuminate the ceaseless conflicts within the colonial administration, particularly the power struggles between Governor Alonso Fajardo de Tença, the Royal Audiencia (judiciary), and the powerful religious orders—especially the Dominicans and Franciscans. The colony was under constant menace from the alliance of the Dutch and English forces, which preyed upon its commerce and threatened Manila itself. This compelled the Spanish government to impose heavy burdens on the native Filipino population, including forced labor for shipbuilding and defense construction. The records reveal the oppressive and harsh conduct of many Spanish officials and friars toward the natives, contrasting with the governor's efforts to administer justice and kindness. Notable events include a detailed report on the expedition to the gold mines of the Igorrotes in northern Luzon and an account of a dramatic personal tragedy involving Governor Fajardo and the slaying of his wife. These contemporaneous letters and official reports provide a vivid, unfiltered look at the political, religious, commercial, and social complexities of the Philippines in the early 17th century.
The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898 (Vol. 20, 1621–1624)