Legazpi: Secondary Account of the Voyage by Fr. Medina

Levesque, Rodrigue (1992). "Legazpi: Secondary Account of the Voyage by Fr. Medina". History of Micronesia: A Collection of Source Documents. Volume 2, Prelude to Conquest, 1561-1595. Gatineau, Quebec: Éditions Lévesque. pp. 258–266. ISBN 0-920201-02-4.

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Abstract: Provides a historical recount of the discovery and colonization of the Philippine Islands as described by Fray Juan de Medina, an Augustinian missionary. Medina, drawing on eyewitness accounts, narrates the voyage led by Miguel López de Legazpi and includes references to religious figures such as Father Andrés de Urdaneta and others who accompanied the expedition. His narrative situates the mission within the broader context of Spanish expansion and religious activity.

Outlines the selection of missionaries, the challenges faced, and the route taken. Describes strategic decisions such as opening His Majesty’s sealed instructions and the course plotted through the islands of Los Reyes (Wotje) and Corales. Notes the discovery of islands in the Ladrones (Mariana Islands), named for the behavior of their inhabitants, and records the Spaniards’ encounters with local populations. Highlights the expedition’s role in enabling both religious and colonial influence in the region.

Reflects on the orders and roles assigned to missionaries and their impact on the local places they engaged with. Places special emphasis on Urdaneta, who later provided navigational information to the King of Spain and explained his motivations for serving both the Crown and the Church. This account illustrates the religious and exploratory efforts that marked the Spanish presence in Southeast Asia during the 16th and 17th centuries.