The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof, Volume 2 (of 2)

A vivid chronicle of early Spanish expeditions, this volume follows a small band of friars and soldiers as they set out from the Philippines in 1577, intent on reaching the mysterious realm of China. The narrative opens with the logistical feat ordered by the Viceroy of Mexico, the assembling of fleets, and the first encounters with the sprawling archipelago that would become their launching point. It weaves together the ambitions of the Catholic orders, the political motives of the crown, and the personal courage of the travelers who ventured into unknown seas.

The work is presented in three distinct sections, each detailing a different missionary’s route and observations, from the initial four‑month stay in China to the wider travels that claimed to circle the globe. Listeners will hear richly described customs, geography, and early encounters between European and Asian cultures, all filtered through the earnest, sometimes uneasy, eyes of 16th‑century observers. The account offers a window onto a pivotal moment of cross‑continental exchange without revealing later developments.