Juan Cerezo de Salamanca
Encyclopedia
Juan Cerezo de Salamanca was interim Spanish governor of the Philippines from August 2, 1633 to June 25, 1635.
Cerezo de Salamanca was named interim governor of the Philippines by the viceroy of New Spain
, Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, marqués de Cerralvo
to replace Juan Niño de Tabora
, who had died in office July 22, 1632. Cerezo sailed from Acapulco
on April 5, 1633, arriving at the Philippines on July 8. Calm did not enable his flagship to reach Cavite
, near Manila
. Instead the new governor landed at Mindoro
and was transported to the capital by an oared vessel. He arrived in Manila and took possession of the government on August 2, 1633.
. The governor sent his first report on August 14, 1633, less than two weeks after taking over the government. It consisted of three letters on different subjects, which included the following information.
The Spanish army in the Philippines consisted of 19 companies. Six of them garrisoned the city of Manila and another one the fort at Cavite. Six were in Ternate
(the Moluccas) and three in Formosa
(Taiwan). The islands of Oton, Cebu
and Caraga
each had one company. One company of volunteers was also stationed at Cebu. The Philippines, part of the colony of New Spain, extended from northern Formosa to the Moluccas, in what is now eastern Indonesia.
Cerezo reported that the former trade of the Philippines with China had been largely replaced by the Portuguese in Macao. The Portuguese then brought the Chinese goods to Manila for resale. Cerezo recommended that the Portuguese be prohibited from doing that, in order to restore some or all of the direct trade with China. (This was in spite of the fact that Portugal and Spain were allies. Philip IV was still king of both countries.)
Cerezo also mentioned royal Visitador (Inspector) Francisco de Rojas, who was in the middle of a two-year tour of inspection (1632–33) in the Philippines. Among other things, Rojas had suspended two of the four oidores (judges) of the Audiencia.
The treasury was still in debt, to the amount of 88,800 pesos owed to the inhabitants of Manila. Cerezo intended to repay those loans with the aid he had brought with him from New Spain.
The persecution of Christians was continuing in Japan. Cerezo reported that although the king had prohibited priests from entering Japan, that edict was very difficult to enforce because of their zeal to convert the country.
Cerezo sent his second annual report to the king on August 10, 1634. In this document he reported the arrest of three high treasury officials in Manila. They had refused to accept the new regulations issued by the recent royal inspector, Francisco de Rojas, and were appealing them to Spain. In the meantime they had refused to enforce them. Cerezo had them arrested to force compliance. Nevertheless, the governor also reported that some of the new regulations were impractical.
Four more companies of soldiers had been sent to the Philippines by the viceroy of New Spain. Anticipating possible trouble from the Dutch, Cerezo ordered repairs in the wall along the land side of Manila. This was done without funds from the treasury. The Chinese community (outside the city walls) was motivated "by suitable methods" to pay 40,000 pesos from their communal treasury.
The resupply ships for Terrenate from Manila (two galleons) had engaged a Dutch galleon trying to prevent their arrival there, but the Dutch ship was defeated.
A near revolt had occurred in Terrenate, occasioned by a priest banning the "crime against nature" and ordering the Spanish soldiers there who had engaged in it (said to be many of them) to seek absolution. The governor of Terrenate, Pedro de Heredia, had arrested 150 persons, burning and garroting eleven of them. Others had died in prison. The 40 survivors were sent back to Manila when the resupply ships returned. Governor Cerezo stated that although the charges against them were insufficiently substantiated, because of the danger of their infecting the rest of the army with their vice, they should nevertheless be punished with great severity.
. The fort was intended to disrupt persistent Moro pirate attacks from Mindanao
and Sulu on the Spanish on Visayas
and Luzon
.
Cerezo served as governor until June 25, 1635. Thereafter the new (not interim) governor, Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
took over the administration.
Cerezo de Salamanca was named interim governor of the Philippines by the viceroy of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
, Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, marqués de Cerralvo
Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, marqués de Cerralvo
Don Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio de Toledo, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo was a Spanish nobleman, inquisitor of Valladolid, and viceroy of New Spain. He held the latter position from November 3, 1624 to September 16, 1635.-Early career and appointment as viceroy of New Spain:Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio was...
to replace Juan Niño de Tabora
Juan Niño de Tabora
Juan Niño de Tabora , was a Spanish general and colonial official. From June 29, 1626 until his death on July 22, 1632, he was governor of the Philippines.-Early life:Juan Niño de Tabora was born in Galicia...
, who had died in office July 22, 1632. Cerezo sailed from Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
on April 5, 1633, arriving at the Philippines on July 8. Calm did not enable his flagship to reach Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
, near Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Instead the new governor landed at Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
and was transported to the capital by an oared vessel. He arrived in Manila and took possession of the government on August 2, 1633.
Report of August 14, 1633
Although the Philippines were legally part of New Spain, that colony did not have direct control. Cerezo was appointed from New Spain, but he reported directly to the king, Philip IVPhilip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
. The governor sent his first report on August 14, 1633, less than two weeks after taking over the government. It consisted of three letters on different subjects, which included the following information.
The Spanish army in the Philippines consisted of 19 companies. Six of them garrisoned the city of Manila and another one the fort at Cavite. Six were in Ternate
Ternate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....
(the Moluccas) and three in Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(Taiwan). The islands of Oton, Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
and Caraga
Caraga
Caraga is an administrative region of the Philippines, on the northeastern portion of the island of Mindanao. It is the newest region in the Philippines and is also called Region XIII. The Caraga Region was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 25, 1995...
each had one company. One company of volunteers was also stationed at Cebu. The Philippines, part of the colony of New Spain, extended from northern Formosa to the Moluccas, in what is now eastern Indonesia.
Cerezo reported that the former trade of the Philippines with China had been largely replaced by the Portuguese in Macao. The Portuguese then brought the Chinese goods to Manila for resale. Cerezo recommended that the Portuguese be prohibited from doing that, in order to restore some or all of the direct trade with China. (This was in spite of the fact that Portugal and Spain were allies. Philip IV was still king of both countries.)
Cerezo also mentioned royal Visitador (Inspector) Francisco de Rojas, who was in the middle of a two-year tour of inspection (1632–33) in the Philippines. Among other things, Rojas had suspended two of the four oidores (judges) of the Audiencia.
The treasury was still in debt, to the amount of 88,800 pesos owed to the inhabitants of Manila. Cerezo intended to repay those loans with the aid he had brought with him from New Spain.
The persecution of Christians was continuing in Japan. Cerezo reported that although the king had prohibited priests from entering Japan, that edict was very difficult to enforce because of their zeal to convert the country.
Events up to the report of August 10, 1634
A 1634 report by an anonymous writer gave an account of the situation with Christians in Japan. The emperor, who was suffering from leprosy, was said to have witnessed two signs which led him to transfer Christian priests from prison to his court. There he spoke with them, asking them to pray to their god that his leprosy be cured. The priests agreed to do this.Cerezo sent his second annual report to the king on August 10, 1634. In this document he reported the arrest of three high treasury officials in Manila. They had refused to accept the new regulations issued by the recent royal inspector, Francisco de Rojas, and were appealing them to Spain. In the meantime they had refused to enforce them. Cerezo had them arrested to force compliance. Nevertheless, the governor also reported that some of the new regulations were impractical.
Four more companies of soldiers had been sent to the Philippines by the viceroy of New Spain. Anticipating possible trouble from the Dutch, Cerezo ordered repairs in the wall along the land side of Manila. This was done without funds from the treasury. The Chinese community (outside the city walls) was motivated "by suitable methods" to pay 40,000 pesos from their communal treasury.
The resupply ships for Terrenate from Manila (two galleons) had engaged a Dutch galleon trying to prevent their arrival there, but the Dutch ship was defeated.
A near revolt had occurred in Terrenate, occasioned by a priest banning the "crime against nature" and ordering the Spanish soldiers there who had engaged in it (said to be many of them) to seek absolution. The governor of Terrenate, Pedro de Heredia, had arrested 150 persons, burning and garroting eleven of them. Others had died in prison. The 40 survivors were sent back to Manila when the resupply ships returned. Governor Cerezo stated that although the charges against them were insufficiently substantiated, because of the danger of their infecting the rest of the army with their vice, they should nevertheless be punished with great severity.
After the report of 1634
Cerezo began the construction of the great fortress, Fuerza de San José, on June 23, 1635 in Zamboanga, on the Zamboanga PeninsulaZamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
. The fort was intended to disrupt persistent Moro pirate attacks from Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
and Sulu on the Spanish on Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
.
Cerezo served as governor until June 25, 1635. Thereafter the new (not interim) governor, Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera was a Spanish soldier and colonial official. From 1632 to 1634 he was governor of Panama. From June 25, 1635 to August 11, 1644 he was governor of the Philippines. And from 1659 to his death in 1660 he was governor of the Canary Islands...
took over the administration.