This volume, part of a comprehensive collection of historical documents, covers a turbulent period in the Spanish colonial history of the Philippines from 1670 to 1700, a time characterized by significant ecclesiastical and political tension. The core of the volume is the detailed documentation of the intense and often bitter conflicts, known as the Camacho controversy, between the Archbishop of Manila, Don Diego Camacho y Ávila, and the powerful religious orders (regulars) over the issue of episcopal visitation and control of Indian curacies. This struggle was a perennial point of contention in colonial life, as the religious orders fought to maintain their autonomy and influence in the islands. The volume also incorporates the detailed history of the Augustinian Order in the Philippines for the years 1670-1694, which interweaves secular events, providing valuable insight into the political administration under governors like Manuel de León and Juan de Vargas Hurtado. Economic conditions, such as the flourishing foreign trade of Manila with China and India, and the resulting wealth and luxury of the capital city, are also documented. The collected papers, composed of contemporary books and manuscripts, thus illustrate the complex political, economic, commercial, and religious conditions of the Philippine Islands during the late 17th century.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 (Vol. 42, 1670-1700)