Spanish Formosa

Spanish Formosa was a small colony of the Spanish Empire set up in the northern part of the island now called Taiwan. Back then, Europeans called the island Formosa or "Isla Hermosa" in Spanish, meaning "beautiful island," because of its lovely views from the sea. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to see the island in 1544 and gave it the name Formosa.

In 1626, the Spanish began their colony there to protect important trade routes. They wanted to keep ships safe as they traveled between Manila in the Spanish Philippines, Ming China, and Japan. However, the colony didn’t last long. By 1642, the Spanish lost the colony to the Dutch Republic.

During their time there, Spanish Catholic friar missionaries helped local people learn about their faith. The Spanish also brought in traders and workers from many places, including China, Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines.

History

Background

In 1566, the Dutch stood up against Spanish rule in the Habsburg Netherlands. This started the Eighty Years' War. The Dutch, with help from England and France, attacked Spanish colonies. The Dutch wanted control of the valuable spice trade in the East Indies, which Spain managed through Lisbon. Because of this, the Dutch looked for new places to settle.

The Dutch tried to take over Spanish places in Asia, including the Philippines. In 1600, a Dutch group led by Olivier van Noort went to the Philippines and tried to disrupt trade near Manila. To stop Dutch threats, the Spanish decided to build their own settlement in the north part of an island called Formosa or "Isla Hermosa."

The early years (1626–1629)

The Spanish landed at Cape Santiago but moved to Keelung because it had a good harbor and was easier to defend. They named their first settlement Santissima Trinidad and built forts there. In 1629, they made a second base at Fort Santo Domingo in Tamsui.

First battle with the Dutch

In 1641, the Dutch wanted to take over the Spanish settlement in the north. Their leader, Paulus Traudenius, asked the Spanish to give up peacefully, but the Spanish refused. They had fought in many battles before and were ready to defend their forts.

Surrender to the Dutch

In 1642, with fewer soldiers in Formosa, the Dutch attacked again. After a six-day battle, the small Spanish group could not hold out any longer and had to give up. They returned to Manila. The loss was blamed on the leader of the Philippines, Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera. However, lack of resources also made it hard to keep the settlement.

Government

Formosa was led by a governor. This governor reported to the captain general in Manila. The captain general followed orders from the viceroy of New Spain in Mexico City. The viceroy was chosen by the king of Spain.

The governors of Formosa were:

• Antonio Carreño Valdés, 1626–1629
• Juan de Alcarazo, 1629–1632
• Bartolomé Díaz Barrera, 1632–1634
• Alonso García Romero, 1634–1635
• Francisco Hernández, 1635–1637
• Pedro Palomino, 1637–1639
• Cristóbal Márquez, 1639–1640
• Gonzalo Portillo, 1640–1642