The north of the Philippines: a possible route for English transpacific navigation in the 18th century, by Guadalupe Pinzón Ríos
September 26, 2025, 14:00 Central European Time. Online via MS Teams.
When Japan stopped trading with the Iberian monarchies, maritime connections with the northern Philippines were mostly local, and the Spanish authorities paid them less attention. However, from the end of the 17th century, the situation changed due to the presence of English and French navigation through the area. This was because the ships of those monarchies were increasing their incursions into the Pacific through South America, and they soon appreciated the strategic position of the north of the Philippines for connecting these journeys with China. Throughout the 18th century, it was the English who devised various plans to become involved in transpacific connections. In these plans, the northern part of the Philippines was considered more carefully. The aim of this presentation is to appreciate these English projects, maps and discussions from the 18th century.
Dr Guadalupe PINZÓN RÍOS holds a PhD in History from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México — UNAM). She is currently a researcher at the Institute of Historical Research and a professor at the same university. She is also a member of the National System of Researchers and a tutor on the Postgraduate History programme. Her publications demonstrate her focus on studying maritime port activities along the Pacific, particularly in New Spain.
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