Pedro de Alfaro and the Struggle for Power in the Globalized Pacific, 1565-1644

Pedro de Alfaro's 1579 mission to Ming China reversed Spanish plans for a conquest, leading to a stable balance of power across the Pacific Ocean for two centuries, allowing the development of early modern globalization.

Format: Hardback
Length: 178 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

Pedro de Alfaro, a Spanish Franciscan missionary, embarked on a covert mission to Ming China in 1579, but it tragically ended in 1580 due to allegations of illegal entry and espionage. Despite being widely regarded as a failure by historians, this mission marked a significant turning point in the early modern history of trans-imperial relations between Spain and China. Alfaro's report on the vast size of China and its formidable military infrastructure, the first to be provided by a Spaniard with extensive experience in the Ming Empire, challenged previous Spanish plans for an armed invasion. This shift away from military conquest coincided with the Ming's revision of their tax code, significantly increasing the demand for Spanish silver. This, in turn, established a relatively stable balance of power across the Pacific Ocean, which persisted for the next two centuries. This period of stability allowed for the development of a peaceful and prosperous Pacific world, serving as the final component in the process of early modern globalization.

Pedro de Alfaro, a Spanish Franciscan missionary, embarked on a covert mission to Ming China in 1579, but it tragically ended in 1580 due to allegations of illegal entry and espionage. Despite being widely regarded as a failure by historians, this mission marked a significant turning point in the early modern history of trans-imperial relations between Spain and China. Alfaro's report on the vast size of China and its formidable military infrastructure, the first to be provided by a Spaniard with extensive experience in the Ming Empire, challenged previous Spanish plans for an armed invasion. This shift away from military conquest coincided with the Ming's revision of their tax code, significantly increasing the demand for Spanish silver. This, in turn, established a relatively stable balance of power across the Pacific Ocean, which persisted for the next two centuries. This period of stability allowed for the development of a peaceful and prosperous Pacific world, serving as the final component in the process of early modern globalization.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793618597