Doctor Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay (1559, Seville, Spain—July 21, 1636) was a lawyer and a high-ranking colonial official in the Philippines, New Spain and Peru. He was also a historian. He published the book Sucesos de las islas Filipinas in 1609, one of the most important works on the early history of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. He also led the Spanish in one naval battle against Dutch corsairs in the Philippines, in 1600. Events January 15 - Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey. ... Seville (Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain, irrigated by the river Guadalquivir (, ). It is the capital of Andalusia and of the province of Sevilla. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... Events February 24 - King Christian of Denmark gives an order that all beggars that are able to work must be sent to Brinholmen Island to build ships or as galley rowers March 26 - Utrecht University founded in The Netherlands. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

Education and service in the Philippines

He graduated from the University of Salamanca in 1574 and in 1578 received a doctorate in canon law. He taught briefly in Osuna, and then returned to Salamanca to study civil law. In 1580 he joined the government service. Among other positions in Spain, he held that of auditor general of the galleys. The University of Salamanca (Spanish Universidad de Salamanca), located in the town of Salamanca, west-northwest of Madrid, is the second oldest university in Spain (the first one is the university of Palencia, now disappeared), and one of the oldest in Europe. ...

In 1593 he was sent to Manila as lieutenant governor of the Philippines, the second most powerful position in the colony, after the governor-general. He arrived in Manila on June 11, 1595, from Acapulco, in New Spain. In 1598 he resigned as lieutenant governor to assume the office of oidor, or judge, in the newly re-established Audiencia of Manila. Manila (Filipino: Maynila) is the capital of the Philippines. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... Events January 30 - William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is performed for the first time. ... Acapulco (Officially: Acapulco de Juárez) is a city and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 300 km (190 miles) southwest from Mexico City, at . ... An Real Audiencia (Spanish: Royal Audiency) was a Judicial District that functioned as an Appeals Court. ...

Combat with Dutch corsairs

In 1600 Dutch corsairs under Olivier van Noort were preying on shipping entering Manila harbor. According to Morga's account, Governor Francisco de Tello de Guzmán and the Audiencia appointed Morga to go to Cavite and assemble, equip and supply a fleet to attack the Dutch (October 31, 1600). The ships available were the San Diego, the San Bartolome and some smaller vessels. Some refitting was necessary, since both the San Diego and the San Bartolome were cargo ships. According to Morga, this was done without drawing on the colonial treasury (i.e., at his own expense, perhaps with other private contributions). Olivier van Noort (1558 - 22 February 1627) was the first Dutchman to circumnavigate the world. ... 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. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 1597 1598 1599 - 1600 - 1601 1602 1603 |- | align=center colspan=2 | Decades: 1570s 1580s 1590s - 1600s - 1610s 1620s 1630s |- | align=center | Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century |} // Events January January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1st as being New Years Day February February 17 - Giordano Bruno burned at the...

Morga had had some military experience, being general of a Spanish fleet sometime previously and lieutenant of the captain general of the Philippines for some years, but he had never seen combat.

On December 1, 1600, Governor Tello appointed Morga captain general of the fleet, with orders to attack the Dutch. The two forces met on December 14, 1600. Unable to fire (because the gunports were closed), Morga ordered the San Diego to ram the Mauritius and grapple it. Thirty soldiers and some sailors then boarded it, taking possession of the forecastle and after-cabin and capturing the Dutch standard. The main and mizzen masts were stripped of sails and rigging. The Dutch retreated to the bows, where at first it seemed they were about to surrender. However, they soon renewed the fight with muskets and artillery. December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1597 1598 1599 - 1600 - 1601 1602 1603 |- | align=center colspan=2 | Decades: 1570s 1580s 1590s - 1600s - 1610s 1620s 1630s |- | align=center | Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century |} // Events January January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1st as being New Years Day February February 17 - Giordano Bruno burned at the... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1597 1598 1599 - 1600 - 1601 1602 1603 |- | align=center colspan=2 | Decades: 1570s 1580s 1590s - 1600s - 1610s 1620s 1630s |- | align=center | Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century |} // Events January January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1st as being New Years Day February February 17 - Giordano Bruno burned at the...

An intense, six-hour hand-to-hand battle ensued, and many were killed on each side. The Dutch were said to have very few men left, and then the Mauritius caught fire. Fearing the fire, the San Diego recalled its men and cast off. However, the Spanish ship was then seen to be taking on water and sinking, either from the ramming or from the artillery of the Mauritius. (Accounts differ.)

The Dutch took this opportunity to extinguish the fire and set sail with the foresail, the only one remaining, and with a skeleton crew. They eventually reached Borneo. The other Dutch ship, however, was captured by the San Bartolome. It was taken to Manila, where the captain and the surviving sailors were garroted on the orders of the governor.

The San Diego sank so quickly that the men for the most part were unable to disarm or abandon ship. Perhaps 350 men were lost. Morga himself swam for four hours, carrying the Dutch standard with him, until he reached a small deserted island, where a few others of the ship's company also arrived.

This is based on the account of Morga himself. He blamed the captain of the San Bartolome for the loss of the San Diego, because he had pursued the other Dutch ship rather than attacking the Mauritius. The Dutch account of these events was very different, accusing Morga of incompetence and cowardice.

French explorers led by Franck Goddio excavated the sunken San Diego with its treasure trove in 1992. Because of the astounding number of artifacts found with it (over 34,000), this was hailed as a great archaeological discovery. The artifacts included Chinese porcelain, celadon ware, Japanese katanas, Spanish casques, Portuguese cannons and Mexican coins. There is now an MV San Diego warship museum on Fortune Island, the island where Morga and the other survivors of the San Diego first reached land.^[1]

In New Spain and Peru

On July 10, 1603 he left Manila, in command of the ships sailing that year for New Spain. He became alcalde of criminal causes in the Royal Audiencia of Mexico City. He was also advisor to the viceroy on military matters and counsel for the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He served in Mexico until 1615, publishing there his famous history of the Philippines in 1609. (See below.) July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March - Samuel de Champlain, French explorer, sails to Canada March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James I of...

In 1615 he was named president of the Audiencia of Quito, within the Viceroyalty of Peru. He arrived in Guayaquil on September 8, 1615, having narrowly escaped falling into the hands of Dutch corsairs off the island of Santa Clara. He took up his office in Quito on September 30, 1615. During his administration, the textile industry advanced and the University of San Gregorio Magno was founded. This occurred, however, in a climate of confrontation between the civil and ecclesiastic powers and disputes between the Creole and Peninsular monks for control of the religious orders.^[2] Map of Ecuador showing location of Quito. ... Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) contained most of Spanish-ruled South America until the creation of the separate viceroyalties of New Granada (now Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela, the last-named previously in the Viceroyalty of New Spain) in 1717 and Río... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... Events June 2 - First Récollet missionaries arrive at Quebec City, from Rouen, France. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... Events June 2 - First Récollet missionaries arrive at Quebec City, from Rouen, France. ... The word Creole (and its cognates in other languages, such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ...

In 1625 Morga was investigated for corruption. He was arrested, but on September 18, 1627 he was cleared and his offices were restored to him. He died in 1636. Except for the period 1625-27, he held the position of president of the Audiencia of Quito from 1615 until the year of his death. September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ...

History of the Philippine Islands

Title page of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

Morga suffered important failures in both his military and political capacities. The same cannot be said for his work as historian. In 1609, he published the work for which he is now remembered — Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine Isles). This work, perhaps the best account of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines written during that period, is based partly on documentary research, partly on keen observation, and partly on Morga's personal involvement and knowledge.

The history was published in two volumes, both in 1609 by Casa de Geronymo Balli, in Mexico City. (The work had circulated for years before this in manuscript form.) New Spain Viceroy Luis de Velasco (hijo) authorized the publication and granted Morga the sole right to publish it for ten years, on April 7, 1609. On the same date, Fray García Guerra, archbishop of Mexico, approved the publication of the work. The history covers the years from 1493 to 1603. Political, social, and economic phases of life, both among the natives and their conquerors, are treated. Morga's official position allowed him access to many government documents. April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... // Events April 4 – King of Spain signs an edit of expulsion of all moriscos from Spain April 9 – Spain recognizes Dutch independence May 23 - Official ratification of the Second Charter of Virginia. ...

The work so impressed Philippine independence hero José Rizal (1861-96), himself a man of letters and of action, that he decided to annotate it and publish a new edition. He began work on this in London, completing it in Paris in 1890. He wrote: Dr. José Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896), variously called the Pride of the Malay Race, The Great Malayan, The First Filipino, The Messiah of the Revolution, The Universal Hero and The Messiah of the Redemption. ...

If the book (Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas) succeeds to awaken your consciousness of our past, already effaced from your memory, and to rectify what has been falsified and slandered, then I have not worked in vain, and with this as a basis, however small it may be, we shall be able to study the future.^[3]

An English translation by E.H. Blair and J.A. Robertson was published in Cleveland in 1907, and an edition edited by J.S. Cummins was published by the Hakluyt Society in 1971 (ISBN 0521010357). The Hakluyt Society is a society named after Richard Hakluyt. ...

External links

• History of the Philippine Islands by Dr. Antonio de Morga (1907). This work is also available at Project Guttenberg: [4]
• Some biographical details
• Account of the battle between the San Diego and the Mauritius, from a Dutch perspective
• Another account of the battle
• About Rizal's Morga
• Some notes on his responsibilities in Manila
• (Spanish) Historia general de la República del Ecuador], by Federico González Suárez, chapter 11, "El presidente don Antonio de Morga"