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( Spanish East Indies)
Spanish East Indies (Spanish Indias Orientales Españolas), was a term used to describe Spanish possessions in Asia-Pacific which lasted over three centuries (1565 to 1898). It encompassed the Philippine Islands (Las Islas Filipinas) and its dependencies including Guam, Mariana Islands, Palau, the Caroline Islands, and for a period of time, parts of Formosa (Taiwan), Sabah and parts of the Moluccas. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, most of the islands were occupied by the United States while the rest were sold to Germany in the German-Spanish Treaty (1899). The kings of Spain traditionally styled themselves "By the grace of God, king of […] the East and West Indies" (Por la gracia de Dios, rey […] de las Indias orientales y occidentales).[1] Spanish contact began on March 6, 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan reached the Mariana Islands. He named Guam "Isla de Ladrones" (Island of Thieves) because some of his supplies in the galleon Trinidad were stolen. Magellan's crew eventually left the island and reached the island of Homonhon in the Philippines on March 16, with only 150 crewmen. There, they met the indigenous peoples and were able to communicate with them because the Malayan interpreter, Enrique of Malacca, could understand the natives' language. Seeking to develop trade between the East Indies and the Americas across the Pacific Ocean, Antonio de Mendoza encouraged the exploration of Spain's new territories, as he commissioned the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542-1543. Miguel López de Legazpi established the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines in 1565, which became the town of San Miguel. Andrés de Urdaneta discovered an efficient sailing route from the Philippines returning to Mexico. In 1570, the native city of Manila was conquered and trade links soon began in the Manila-Acapulco Galleons. The Manila-Acapulco galleons shipped products gathered from both Asia-Pacific and the Americas, such as silk, spice, silver, gold and other Asian-Pacific islander products to Mexico. Products brought from Asia-Pacific were sent to Veracruz and shipped to Spain and, via trading, to the rest of Europe. While Spanish-Mexican colonist brought with them Spanish or indigenous Mexican customs, religion, languages, foods and cultural traditions to the Philippines, Guam and the Mariana Islands.
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