Introduction to the New Christian Presence in the Philippines
There appear to have been New Christians in The Philippines, largely connected to the lucrative Manila-Acapulco trade route.
Key Figures in Philippine Sephardic Jewish History
Antonio Báez de Acevedo
- Mayor of Pampanga, Philippines
- Arrested for judaising in 1647; case active until 1661
- Possible brother: Sebastian Báez de Acevedo
Related Figures
- Beatriz Vaz de Acevedo: Wife of licenciado Sebastian Mendez, a lawyer in Mexico
- Sebastian Vazquez de Acevedo: Possibly the same person as Sebastian Báez de Acevedo
Other Notable Mentions
- Beatriz de Acevedo: Widow of Alfonso Báez de Acevedo
- Nuño Rodríguez de Acevedo: Brother of Beatriz, died in Nicaragua (possibly Portuguese-born)
Manila Trade Connections
- Simon Vaez Sevilla (Mexico)
- Pedro de Campos (exporter of cacao from Caracas to Mexico)
Historical Context: The Manila Galleon Trade
- Annual trade route between Manila and Acapulco
- Chinese merchants from Fujian brought valuable goods
- Spanish silver was the primary exchange commodity
- Additional trade route via Malacca between Manila and India
Early Inquisition Cases in The Philippines
- Jorge and Domingo Rodriguez: New Christian brothers from Mexico
- Arrested in Manila, transported to Mexico
- Convicted in an auto-da-fe in Mexico City in 1593
- Possible family origins: Village of Acevedo near Pontevedra, Galicia
- Potential Portuguese connections through Nuño Rodríguez de Acevedo
Resources for Further Research on New Christians in The Philippines
- El tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición en las islas Filipinas (1899)
- Mexican Inquisition records in the Mexican National Archives
- Spanish colonial records of Yhe Philippines
- Empires and Entrepots: Dutch, the Spanish Monarchy and the Jews, 1585-1713 by Jonathan Israel