• Hi Guest!

    The costs of running this forum are covered by Sea Lion Press. If you'd like to help support the company and the forum, visit patreon.com/sealionpress

Kingdom of the Philippines

Abdul Hadi Pasha

Active member
If the independence movement had succeeded in throwing off Spanish rule without a Spanish-American War, presumably the plan would be to declare the Philippines a republic. That is probably not a good idea as I don't think any of the powers would be keen to have an Asiatic people throw off colonial rule and govern themselves, and such a state would be an inviting target for colonization. However, the Powers agreeing on who gets it wouldn't be easy in the late 19th c or beginning of the 20th. Much like happened with the Congo, could there be a conference that decides it will be allowed to be independent, but as a (probably constitutional) monarchy with a European prince as King? That's a more stable situation internationally, if not internally. Many of the revolutionary leaders would hate it, but I think the populace and local leaders wouldn't be bothered much, and the clergy would probably be supportive.

The advantages are European recognition and making an outside conquest problemmatic, access to European administrative and technical expertise, and possibly some troops. (The idea of Bavarian units in the Philippine army sounds odd, but no more strange than giving the king of Belgium a gigantic portion of a continent as a personal estate.)

If so, who would be chosen king, and could anyone be convinced to take the throne?

My thinking was a Wittelsbach of the "Spanish branch", like Prince Ludwig Ferdinand (Luis Fernando I?), who has the attraction of native fluency in Spanish. But it was hard enough to get someone to be king of Greece, let alone someplace halfway around the world with a non-European population - on the other hand, some people like to be king, and there are a lot more prospective options for a Catholic monarchy.

There are a lot of problems with a scenario like this, like do you separate the Muslim south, could a sufficiently capable army be established to keep control, etc., but at this point I'm interested in opinions on whether or not the premise is viable at all.
 
The issue is the illustrados, the gentry (and descendants of the pre-Hispanic nobility). By this time they had in large part gone republican. The US managed to secure their cooperation, but of course the US is a republic.

A monarch of the Philippines would probably be drawn from the native gentry.
 
Why would being a republic be a major sticking point? All the other former Spanish and Portuguese colonies were republics, with Brazil having become a republic in 1889.
Exactly, it's implausible that the Philippines would be both independent and have a European dynast. Closest you could get is a native monarchy, but that would be unworkable IMO.
 
I assume a monarchy would have to come from an Abalos/Aranda type plan of the Spanish Monarchy somehow being smart enough to see the writing on the wall and appoint one, or in the 1820s, if one can somehow foster an Independence Movement then or have the Great Powers meddle like in Greece.

Or have a madman like Napoleon III think it’s a good idea to put a Habsburg there, that’s always good for a laugh.
 
Back
Top