Blas Ruiz
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Blas Ruiz de Hernán González or Blas Ruiz de Fernán González[1] was an explorer from Ciudad Real, Spain.
Travels
In the last decade of the 16th century, along with the Portuguese adventurer
Ruiz's journey to Laos started in
However, first both tried to negotiate with the usurper
Then, Ruiz and Veloso arrived in
They managed to drive out Ayutthaya forces from parts of Cambodia and create a new state but led the new Cambodian state into a brief period of chaos. Eventually Ruiz returned to the Philippines. It is not known whether he died there, Spain, or somewhere else.
In July 1593 king Satha I sent an embassy to Manila asking for Spanish military help to defend Cambodia. The embassy consisted of Portuguese Diogo Veloso, who had been living in his court since 1583, and Spanish Gregorio de Vargas Machuca. Satha I kept Spanish Blas Ruiz de Hernan Gonzalez as captain of his bodyguard. Veloso came back in February 1594, alone and without help. After Ayutthaya's attack on Cambodia, Veloso, Blas Ruiz and de Vargas Machuca found themselves in Manila. They continued to ask for help, and at last, Spanish Manila agreed to send 3 ships with 120 Spanish and Mexican soldiers, some Japanese and Filipino auxiliaries and some friars, under the commander Suarez Gallinato. The ship with Blas Ruiz was the only one that reached Cambodia. The one with Veloso was wrecked off the Mekong delta and Gallinato's ship was forced to go to Malacca due to the weather. Veloso rejoined Blas Ruiz at Phnom Penh in March 1596. At this point there is no evidence of their fate. They could be killed at Phnom Penh in July 1599 during a fight between Christians (Spanish and Filipinos) and Muslim Malay mercenaries of Barom Reacha II, who was Satha's son. Or they could return to Philippines. Satha had died in October 1597 after contracting disease after he fled to Lan Xang.
See also
- Lovek
- Cambodian–Spanish War
References
- ^ Miguel de Jaque de los Rios Manzanedo Viaje de las Indias Orientales y Occidentales (Año 1606)
- ^ "Blas Ruiz de Hernán González | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b News, C. N. E. (2019-12-14). "Intrigue In Longvek- Iberians in 16th Century Cambodia ⋆ Cambodia News English". Cambodia News English. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
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Bibliography
- Miguel de Jaque de los Rios Manzanedo Viaje de las Indias Orientales y Occidentales (Año 1606) REF.: LVI-5
- JOAQUIN MAÑES POSTIGO, LA QUIMERA DE UN REINO. DE LIBRUM TREMENS 2008. ISBN 978-84-935790-2-9- Historical novel based on the adventures of Blas Ruiz