Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas facts for kids

Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas (born January 1, 1519 – died October 25, 1593) was an important Spanish leader and military man. He served as the seventh governor-general of the Philippines. He held this important job from June 1, 1590, until his death on October 25, 1593. Dasmariñas was also a member of the Order of Santiago, a special group of knights.

Early Life and Career

Pérez Dasmariñas was born in Betanzos, a region called Galicia in Spain. He started his career in government early. On January 30, 1579, he became the governor of León. While there, he helped build a meat market and improved the city with new fountains and streets. People liked his work, so he was promoted.

On September 27, 1584, he became a local leader (called a corregidor) for the cities of Murcia, Lorca, and Cartagena, Spain. He kept these roles until January 1, 1587. In 1589, King Philip II chose him for an even bigger job. He was named governor and captain general of the Philippines. The king also increased the salary for this position and made Pérez Dasmariñas a knight.

His main instructions from the king were to make some changes to the government in Manila. He also had to set up a group of 400 soldiers. These soldiers were paid by the king to defend the colony.

Pérez Dasmariñas began his journey on December 8, 1589. He sailed to New Spain (which is now Mexico). From there, he continued his trip, leaving Acapulco on March 1, 1590. He arrived in Manila in May, or on June 1, according to his own records.

As Governor of the Philippines

When Pérez Dasmariñas became governor, he quickly started making changes. He reorganized the government in Manila. He also set up the new group of soldiers as the king had ordered.

One of his biggest projects was building a strong stone wall around the city of Manila. This wall was almost finished by the time he died in 1593. He also rebuilt Fort Santiago, an important defense point. He made sure the main church (cathedral) in Manila was built with stone. He also encouraged people to build their own homes using stone.

During his time as governor, trade with China grew a lot. Communication between the Philippines and Spain also got better. He had some large ships (galleys) built to protect the coast. He also stopped a local uprising in Zambales.

He sent his son, Luis Pérez Dasmariñas, on a military trip to Cagayan. This trip explored parts of the island of Luzon that Spaniards had not seen before. He also tried to build a factory in Manila to make cannons. However, this project was not very successful because there weren't enough skilled workers.

In his first year, he sent some government officials back to Spain. However, one senior official, Pedro de Rojas, stayed in Manila. He helped with legal matters until he later moved to Mexico City.

In 1592, the governor received a letter from Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi was the powerful ruler of Japan at that time. He demanded that the Philippines become part of Japan and pay tribute. He even threatened to send his fleet and soldiers to attack the country. This back-and-forth communication lasted for several years. It finally ended when Hideyoshi died.

In 1593, the king of Cambodia sent a special message to the governor. A Portuguese man named Diego Belloso brought two elephants as a gift. He also offered friendship and trade. He asked for help against Siam, which was threatening Cambodia. Pérez Dasmariñas sent the king a horse and some jewels in return. He waited to reply to the request for help. This event later led to Spain getting involved in the kingdoms of Siam and Cambodia.

On May 12, 1591, a rich Spaniard named Esteban Rodríguez de Figueroa made a deal with the governor. Rodríguez would pay for an expedition to conquer Muslim Mindanao. In return, he would get to name the governor of that area for two generations.

Governor Pérez Dasmariñas also had disagreements with Bishop Salazar, who left for Spain in 1592.

Journey to the Moluccas

In 1593, Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas planned a big trip from Manila. His goal was to capture a fort in Ternate, which is in the Moluccas islands. Two earlier Spanish trips in 1582 and 1584 had failed. Pérez Dasmariñas had planned this trip secretly for a while. He only told people his plan after most of the preparations were done. He intended to lead the trip himself.

Before he sailed, he sent his son, Luis Pérez Dasmariñas, ahead. His son went with part of the fleet to a region called Pintado. The governor left the military affairs of Manila to Diego Ronquillo. He left the civil affairs to Pedro de Rojas.

After his son left, the governor stayed briefly in Manila. He made the final preparations. He prepared a large ship called La Capitana. This ship had 28 rowing benches. He hired skilled Chinese rowers for this ship. To keep the rowers happy, he did not chain them. He even allowed them to carry some weapons.

About 40 Spaniards were on this ship. A few smaller boats and ships also joined them. The whole fleet had about 200 ships in total. These included large galleys, smaller galliots, and other boats. More than 900 Spaniards joined this expedition.

The governor sailed from Cavite in October 1593. He was going to Pintados to meet his son's fleet. From there, they planned to go to the Moluccas.

Mutiny and Death

On the second day of the trip, the governor's fleet reached Caca Island. This island was about 24 leagues (a measure of distance) from Manila. It was just off the coast of Luzon. They found it hard to sail around a point of land called Punta del Azufre. This was because of a strong wind blowing against them. The governor ordered the ships to anchor there for the night. They would try to go around the point the next day.

The Chinese rowers had been planning for three days to take over the ship. This night gave them the perfect chance. In the early morning, just before dawn, they attacked the guards and the sleeping Spaniards. Most of the Spaniards were killed. A few managed to escape by swimming or by using a small boat.

When Governor Dasmariñas heard the noise, he thought the ship was drifting. He thought the men were just getting ready to row. He carelessly left his cabin without his helmet. Several Chinese rebels were waiting outside his door. They killed him there. Two Spaniards survived by staying hidden in their cabin. They were Juan de Cuellar, the governor's secretary, and Father Montilla. The rebels later released them on shore.

The rebels then tried to sail the captured ship to China. But they could not reach it. Instead, they ended up in Cochin China. The king there took the two cannons from the ship. He also took all the valuable items, like jewels and money. The rebels were sent to different places, and the ship was left behind. A few of the rebels were later caught in Malacca. They were sent back to Manila, where they faced justice.

Choosing a New Governor

After the governor's death, the colony was without a leader. Pérez Dasmariñas had a special order from the king. This order said he should choose a temporary successor if he died. He had shown this order to several important Spaniards in the colony. He made each of them think they were the chosen successor. Both the governor's son, Luis Pérez Dasmariñas, and Captain Estevan Rodríguez de Figueroa expected to be chosen. Both were on the trip to the Moluccas. They both quickly returned to Manila to take charge of the colony.

Meanwhile, the people and soldiers in Manila chose Pedro de Rojas as the new governor. But when Luis Pérez Dasmariñas returned, his father's instructions were found. These instructions clearly named his son as the new governor. So, Luis Pérez Dasmariñas became the next governor.

See also

In Spanish: Gómez Pérez das Mariñas para niños

• 1593 transported soldier legend