Lequios
The Lequios may refer to certain inhabitants of Ophir, which the Spaniards considered to be the Philippine Islands before its colonization.[1] The inhabitants of the Ryukyu Islands were also referred to as Lequios by Tomé Pires.[2][3]
This same volume also contains the official documents regarding the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan. It also contains the logbook of Francisco Albo, the chief pilot of the ship Victoria. This logbook is also one of the main references regarding the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan.
Ophir was "…in front of China towards the sea, of many islands where the Moluccans, Chinese, and Lequios met to trade…"
Jewish Settlements
Along the route described by Document No. 98 are locations of old Jewish settlements.
It would not be surprising for that was the procedure used by King Solomon's fleet.
Settlements were established at selected places to trade and process the gold and silver. The ships collected the gold and silver and brought it to King Solomon. To the credit of the Hebrew people, their settlement remained true to the Jewish faith even for thousands of years. Settlements were found in India, Burma, Sumatra, and Vietnam (Annam and Cochin China). Jewish settlements then, even extended to the Philippines, which was Ophir proper.
In association with these records, Spanish books mention of a mysterious people known as Lequios. Modern historians variously identified them as Okinawans, Koreans, or Vietnamese. They were favorite targets of Spanish ships during the time of General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi because the ships of the Lequios were always laden with gold and silver.
Also, according to Documents 98, the Lequios were big, bearded, and white men. They were only interested in gold and silver when trading at Ophir. Okinawans, Koreans, and Vietnamese people are not big nor are they white. Their beards are just small goatees and could not satisfy the word "bearded". Therefore, they were not the Lequios. The Lequios were thus deemed to be the remnants of Hebrews and Phoenicians who have made enclaves in their trade with Ophir proper.[4]
These Lequios were scattered among the islands of the Philippines. Eventually, they too were converted to Christianity: along with the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Animists of the Pre-Hispanic Philippine states after active Hispanic settlement via the Americas became uninterrupted in the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
References
- ↑ Compañía General de Tabacos de Filipinas. Colección general de documentos relativos a las Islas Filipinas existentes en el Archivo de Indias de Sevilla. Tomo III--Documento 98, 1520-1528. pp. 112–138.
- ↑ Diffie, Bailey Wallys. Foundations of the Portuguese Empire, 1415-1580.
- ↑ Saraiva, Luís. History of Mathematical Sciences: Portugal and East Asia II.
- ↑ Número de documento Noventa Ocho "delante de China hacia el mar, las islas donde muchos de los moluqueños, chino, y se reunió con el comercio Lequios"