MINIATURES

The statue of Queen Ysabel II . Inaugurated in Manila on 14, July 1860 (Lithograph by Ramirez y Giraudier)  Ysabel II About 150 years ago, the Philippines had a woman as its ruler, and our forefathers might have indeed shouted, "Viva la Reina!" She reigned during a turbulent and pivotal period, not only for Spain but also for its colonies, including the Philippines. Queen Ysabel II was highly unpopular and was deposed in a revolution led by some of her generals in 1868. Following the queen's downfall and subsequent exile in France, Spain dispatched a liberal Governor-General named Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada to the Philippines. He implemented extensive reforms for the colony and gained the affection of the Filipinos. Regrettably, the Spanish Cortes reinstated the monarchy and selected an Italian nobleman, Amadeo I, as the new king in 1871. De la Torre was recalled, and a new Governor-General named Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutiérrez took his place. Perhaps one of...