Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta
Encyclopedia
Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta (sometimes spelled as de Espeleta) (Manila
, June 1701—Cebu
, July 1771) was a Spanish
Criollo
born in Manila
who served as the Bishop of Cebu
from 1757 until his death in 1771. Consequently, he assumed the position as the governor-general
from 1759 to 1761 during Spanish intervention to the Seven Years' War
and prelude to the occupations of Manila and Cavite.
in 1701. Though he was born to Spanish parents, he was often considered a Filipino rather than a Criollo
. During Spanish colonial days, a criollo is a natural Spanish that was born in the colonies.
On July 18, 1757 he was appointed as the bishop of the Diocese of Cebu
(now an archdiocese) and about a year later, he was ordained by the Archbishop of Nueva Cáceres Manuel de Matos to bishopric.
Upon the death of Governor-General
Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban
in 1759, the See of Manila
and the See of Nueva Segovia
are vacant, with de Ezpeleta as the Bishop of Cebu as the senior prelate of the islands. He assumed the post against the will of the Real Audiencia of Manila.
On July 22, 1759, the new Archbishop of Manila Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra
arrived in the country which made the occupation of de Ezpeleta to gubernatorial seat void. De Ezpeleta refused to step down of office after Rojo's orders. De Ezpeleta sought the support from the oidor
es of the Audiencia: two of the four oidores went to the side of de Ezpeleta while the other to Rojo. De Ezpeleta also raised the precedent of Juan Arrechedera, who previously had the same instance as him. They brought the question to the Council of the Indies through its prosecutor Francisco Léandro de Viana.
Later in 1759, he suppressed the armada of Fr. José Ducós, which was commissioned by Arandía to protect the Jesuit missionaries
converting Muslims in Iligan Bay
. One of the reasons of this suppression is that the Recollect missionaries in Caraga
and Butuan filed a complaint to de Ezpeleta that they are not well protected. Spanish historian and biographer José Montero y Vidal pointed out that this suppression has greatly accelerated the depredations caused by Muslim pirates in Luzon
and Visayas
.
Much of de Ezpeleta's administration was occupied by the prosecution of don Santiago Orendaín, former adviser of governor Arandía and was held responsible to the repression of the church. Orendaín sought refuge in an Augustinian convent but was later seized and imprisoned in Fort Santiago
.
In July 1761, a royal decree from Charles III of Spain
coming from Madrid
orders the stepping down of de Ezpeleta. He gave the administration of the colony to Archbishop Rojo afterwards.
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, June 1701—Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
, July 1771) was a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Criollo
Criollo people
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
born in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
who served as the Bishop of Cebu
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu is one of the ecclesiastical provinces of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines that is composed of the entire civil province of Cebu...
from 1757 until his death in 1771. Consequently, he assumed the position as the governor-general
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
from 1759 to 1761 during Spanish intervention to the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
and prelude to the occupations of Manila and Cavite.
Life and succession
Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta was born in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 1701. Though he was born to Spanish parents, he was often considered a Filipino rather than a Criollo
Criollo people
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
. During Spanish colonial days, a criollo is a natural Spanish that was born in the colonies.
On July 18, 1757 he was appointed as the bishop of the Diocese of Cebu
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu is one of the ecclesiastical provinces of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines that is composed of the entire civil province of Cebu...
(now an archdiocese) and about a year later, he was ordained by the Archbishop of Nueva Cáceres Manuel de Matos to bishopric.
Upon the death of Governor-General
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban
Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban
Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban was a Spanish knight and colonial official. He became the governor-general of the Philippines appointed from July 1754 to May 31, 1759.-Life:...
in 1759, the See of Manila
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila or Archdiocese of Manila is a particular Church or Diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. It is also considered as the primatial see of the country, currently headed by the Archbishop of Manila and it enjoys primacy over the other dioceses in...
and the See of Nueva Segovia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
-Introduction:The Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. It covers the province of Ilocos Sur, on the island of Luzon. The see of the archdiocese is the city of Vigan....
are vacant, with de Ezpeleta as the Bishop of Cebu as the senior prelate of the islands. He assumed the post against the will of the Real Audiencia of Manila.
On July 22, 1759, the new Archbishop of Manila Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra
Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra
Manuel Antonio Rojo del Rio y Vieyra was a Mexican friar who served as the Archbishop of Manila and Governor-General of the Philippines at the commencement of the 1762–1764 British occupation of Manila.-Early life:Rojo del Rio was born in Tula, Mexico on September 24, 1708...
arrived in the country which made the occupation of de Ezpeleta to gubernatorial seat void. De Ezpeleta refused to step down of office after Rojo's orders. De Ezpeleta sought the support from the oidor
Oidor
Oidor is the Spanish name of the member judge of the Royal Audiencias and Chancillerías, originally courts of Kingdom of Castile, which became the highest organs of justice within the Spanish Empire...
es of the Audiencia: two of the four oidores went to the side of de Ezpeleta while the other to Rojo. De Ezpeleta also raised the precedent of Juan Arrechedera, who previously had the same instance as him. They brought the question to the Council of the Indies through its prosecutor Francisco Léandro de Viana.
Administration
One of his initial actions against the previous administration of Arandía and the Real Audiencia was to revoke the reforms and decrees written by the ex-governor.Later in 1759, he suppressed the armada of Fr. José Ducós, which was commissioned by Arandía to protect the Jesuit missionaries
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
converting Muslims in Iligan Bay
Iligan Bay
Iligan Bay is a bay in Mindanao in the Philippines. It is part of Bohol Sea and cuts into the northern portion of the island of Mindanao. The provinces along its coast are Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, and Lanao del Norte. Iligan City is the most important port on Iligan...
. One of the reasons of this suppression is that the Recollect missionaries in Caraga
Caraga
Caraga is an administrative region of the Philippines, on the northeastern portion of the island of Mindanao. It is the newest region in the Philippines and is also called Region XIII. The Caraga Region was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 25, 1995...
and Butuan filed a complaint to de Ezpeleta that they are not well protected. Spanish historian and biographer José Montero y Vidal pointed out that this suppression has greatly accelerated the depredations caused by Muslim pirates in Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
and Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
.
Much of de Ezpeleta's administration was occupied by the prosecution of don Santiago Orendaín, former adviser of governor Arandía and was held responsible to the repression of the church. Orendaín sought refuge in an Augustinian convent but was later seized and imprisoned in Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
.
In July 1761, a royal decree from Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
coming from Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
orders the stepping down of de Ezpeleta. He gave the administration of the colony to Archbishop Rojo afterwards.