Spanish History in Pasig Documents



There is much history to be found in documents, official seals, and letterheads of the past. One interesting discovery in the so-called "Tech Documents" of Pasig, dated 1836, revealed a seal and letterhead bearing the inscription: HISP. ET IND. R. FERD. VII D.G.—an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Hispaniarum et Indiarum Rex, Ferdinandus VII Dei Gratia (Ferdinand VII, by the grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies). However, the bottom inscription mentioned Isabel II, who was the reigning Spanish monarch at that time. How do we reconcile this document within its proper historical context?
Remarkably, the letterhead itself reflects the turbulent period in Spain’s history, the reign of Ferdinand VII --The years when Napoleon Bonaparte was also imposing his will across Europe. When Ferdinand VII’s father was deposed by Spanish Bonapartists, the French installed Ferdinand VII as king—effectively making him a puppet of Napoleon. Soon after, Ferdinand was deposed and replaced by Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother. He was later restored to the throne in 1814 after the French emperor was overthrown and expelled from Europe. However, the Napoleonic upheaval was followed by a succession crisis upon Ferdinand VII’s death in 1830.
Isabel II, Ferdinand VII’s daughter, was only three years old when her father died. Although Spain already had a law allowing female monarchs to rule, it had not yet been promulgated and tested in practice. Before Isabel’s birth, the next in line to the throne had been Ferdinand’s brother, Don Carlos María Isidro de Borbón. This dispute led to the Carlist Wars—a series of succession conflicts that also extended to Spain’s colonies, including the Philippines. The issue persisted even into the tenure of Governor-General Carlos de la Torre, who had previously served as an officer in the Carlist army.
At the time this document was prepared, Queen Isabel was turning six years old. Could a child truly govern the kingdom and its colonies? In reality, Isabel ruled under the regency of her mother, Maria Christina.
So, what about the document itself? It is a paper attesting to the sale for a parcel of land located in what is now Barangay San Jose. It is astonishing to consider that, even amidst political turmoil in Spain, the monarchy still had authority over the daily affairs of people living thousands of miles away. It highlights the role of absentee landlords—rulers who likely had no idea what their subjects looked like or how they lived.

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