José Basco y Vargas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Most Illustrious
The Count of the Conquest of Batanes Islands
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| 53rd Governor-General of the Philippines | |
| In office July 1778 – November 1787 |
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| Monarch | Charles III of Spain |
| Preceded by | Pedro de Sarrio |
| Succeeded by | Pedro de Sarrio |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
José Basco y Vargas
c. 1733 Málaga, Granada, Spain |
| Died | 1805 (aged 71–72) Spanish East Indies |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain |
| Rank |  |
José Basco y Vargas (Spanish: José Basco y Vargas, primer conde de la conquista de las islas Batanes) was a Spanish naval officer. He served as the 53rd governor of the Spanish Philippines from 1778 to 1787. He was known for focusing on the economy of the Philippines. During his time, he tried to bring the Ivatan people of Batanes under Spanish rule. The Ivatan people, led by their hero Aman Dangat, bravely resisted this.
Governor of the Philippines
José Basco y Vargas was a governor who cared a lot about the economy. He started the Sociedad Económica de los Amigos del País. This means the Economic Society of Friends of the Country. This group helped bring back the tobacco industry in the Philippines.
He also helped the Philippines export more farm products. He allowed some foreign traders, mainly from England and North America, to trade in Manila. This helped the economy grow a lot. Basco wanted the Philippines to be more independent. He aimed to free it from too much control by New Spain (which is now Mexico).
He introduced new ideas to help the economy. He encouraged people to grow cotton, spices, and sugarcane. He also promoted mining and supported new scientific discoveries.
Taking Control of Batanes
In 1782, Basco sent a group to the Batanes islands. Their goal was to get the Ivatan people to agree to be ruled by the King of Spain. However, the Ivatan people, led by their elders and leaders like Aman Dangat, fought back against the Spanish.
Even with the resistance, the Spanish government declared Joseph Huelva y Melgarjo as the first governor of Batanes. This happened on June 26, 1783. The new area was called Provincia de la Concepcion. Governor General Basco was given the special title “Conde de la Conquista de Batanes.” This means "Count of the Conquest of Batanes." The main town in Batanes, Basco, was named after him.
On January 21, 1789, King Carlos III honored Basco for his many services. He officially gave him the title of Count of the Conquest of the Batanes Islands. Basco left his position as governor on November 22, 1787. Pedro de Sarrio took over from him.
See also
In Spanish: José Basco y Vargas para niños
