Blas Ruiz facts for kids

Blas Ruiz de Hernán González or Blas Ruiz de Fernán González was an explorer from Ciudad Real, Spain. He was one of the first Europeans to visit Laos in the late 1500s. He traveled a lot in Southeast Asia, especially in Cambodia and the Philippines.

An Explorer's Journey

In the late 1500s, Blas Ruiz, along with a Portuguese adventurer named Diogo Veloso, became the first Europeans to set foot in Laos.

Their journey to Laos began in Cambodia. In Cambodia, Ruiz became friends with King Satha of Lovek. When the Ayutthaya Kingdom invaded Lovek, King Satha was overthrown. Ruiz had to escape to the Philippines, which was a Spanish colony at the time. This is where his adventures in Southeast Asia truly began.

Eventually, Ruiz returned to Lovek with Veloso, who had fled to Melaka, a Portuguese colony. When they arrived, they learned that King Satha had escaped to Lan Xang. Lan Xang was a large empire that included modern-day Laos and parts of other countries.

Ruiz and Veloso decided to travel to Laos. Their goal was to bring King Satha back to Lovek and help him regain his throne.

Arrival in Vientiane

Ruiz and Veloso reached Vientiane, the capital of Lan Xang, in the summer of 1596. They were greeted with a grand parade! The city showed off its great wealth. There were Asian Elephants, gold, sparkling jewels, and soft silk. They also saw exotic snakes, beautiful tropical flowers, and chanting Buddhist monks. The parade included ancient treasures, relics, and lively music. They were also welcomed with a huge feast.

Sadly, while in Vientiane, Ruiz and Veloso learned that King Satha had died. He had become ill on his journey from Cambodia to Laos.

Return to Lovek

Saddened and angry by the news, Ruiz and Veloso went back to Lovek. They started a rebellion to help one of Satha's friends become king. They also wanted to free Cambodia from Ayutthaya's control.

They managed to push Ayutthaya's forces out of some parts of Cambodia. They even created a new state. However, this new state soon fell into a short period of confusion and trouble. Eventually, Blas Ruiz returned to the Philippines. It is not known what happened to him after that. He might have died in the Philippines, in Spain, or somewhere else.

Seeking Help

In July 1593, King Satha I had sent a message to Manila in the Philippines. He asked for military help from Spain to defend Cambodia. This message was carried by Diogo Veloso and another Spaniard, Gregorio de Vargas Machuca. Blas Ruiz de Hernan Gonzalez was serving as captain of King Satha's bodyguards at that time.

Veloso returned alone in February 1594, but without the help King Satha needed. After Ayutthaya attacked Cambodia, Veloso, Blas Ruiz, and de Vargas Machuca all ended up in Manila. They kept asking for help. Finally, Spanish Manila agreed to send three ships. These ships carried 120 Spanish and Mexican soldiers, along with some Japanese and Filipino helpers and religious leaders.

Only the ship carrying Blas Ruiz reached Cambodia. Veloso's ship was damaged near the Mekong delta. The third ship was forced to go to Malacca because of bad weather. Veloso later met up with Blas Ruiz in Phnom Penh in March 1596.

What happened to them after this is not fully known. They might have been killed in Phnom Penh in July 1599 during a fight between Christians (Spanish and Filipinos) and Muslim soldiers. Or, they might have returned to the Philippines. King Satha had died in October 1597 after getting sick while fleeing to Lan Xang.

See also

In Spanish: Blas Ruiz para niños

• Lovek