fbpx
Wikipedia

1593 transported soldier legend

December 15, 2023

A folk legend holds that in October 1593 a soldier of the Spanish Empire (named Gil Pérez in a 1908 version) was mysteriously transported from Manila in the Philippines to the Plaza Mayor (now the Zócalo) in Mexico City. The soldier's claim to have come from the Philippines was disbelieved by the Mexicans until his account of the assassination of Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas was corroborated months later by the passengers of a ship which had crossed the Pacific Ocean with the news. Folklorist Thomas Allibone Janvier in 1908 described the legend as "current among all classes of the population of the City of Mexico".[1] Twentieth-century paranormal investigators giving credence to the story have offered teleportation and alien abduction as explanations.

The Plaza Mayor, where the soldier allegedly appeared in 1593, pictured in 1836.

Story edit

On October 24, 1593, the soldier was guarding the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila in the Captaincy General of the Philippines. The night before, Governor Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas was assassinated by Chinese pirates, but the guards still guarded the palace and awaited the appointment of a new governor. The soldier began to feel dizzy and exhausted. He leaned against the wall and rested for a moment with his eyes closed.

When he opened his eyes a few seconds later, he found himself in Mexico City, in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, thousands of kilometres across the ocean. Some guards found him in the wrong uniform and began to question who he was. The news of the assassination of the Governor of the Philippines was still unknown to the people in Mexico City. The transported soldier was reportedly wearing the palace guards' uniform in Manila and knew of his death. (In fact, Pérez Dasmariñas was killed at sea some distance from Manila.)

The authorities placed him in jail for being a deserter and with charges of being a servant of the devil. Months later, news of the governor's death came to Mexico on a galleon from the Philippines. One of the passengers recognized the imprisoned soldier and said that he had seen him in the Philippines a day after the death of the Governor. He was eventually released from jail by the authorities and allowed to go back home.

Development edit

Thomas Allibone Janvier, an American folklorist living in Mexico, recounted the story as Legend of the Living Spectre in the December 1908 edition of Harper's Magazine, naming the soldier as Gil Pérez. The story was one of a series entitled Legends of the City of Mexico published in a collected volume in 1910. Janvier notes that similar motifs are common in folklore.[2] Washington Irving's 1832 book Tales of the Alhambra includes the story "Governor Manco and the Soldier", which bears similarities to the legend.[2][3]

Janvier's 1908 account was based on a Spanish version by Mexican folklorist Luis González Obregón [es], published in his 1900 collection México viejo: noticias históricas, tradiciones, leyendas y costumbres ("Old Mexico: historical notes, folklore, legends and customs") under the title "Un aparecido" ("An apparition"). Obregón traces the story to a 1698 account by Fray Gaspar de San Agustín [es] of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, which recounts the story as fact; San Agustin does not name the soldier and ascribed his transportation to witchcraft.[4]

Janvier says Obregón asserts that in 1609, Antonio de Morga had written that Pérez Dasmariñas' death was known in Mexico the same day, though de Morga expresses ignorance of how this came to be.[5][6] José Rizal notes many other miraculous stories from the Spanish Philippines of the time;[4] Luis Weckmann makes the same point in relation to Spanish Mexico.[7] A 1936 collection, Historias de vivos y muertos ("Stories of the living and the dead") by Obregón's successor Artemio de Valle Arizpe [es], included a version of the story entitled "Por el aire vino, por la mar se fue" ("He came by air, he left by sea").

Several writers have offered paranormal explanations for the story.[8] Morris K. Jessup[9] and Brinsley Le Poer Trench, 8th Earl of Clancarty,[10] suggested alien abduction, while Colin Wilson[11] and Gary Blackwood[12] suggested teleportation.

References edit

Sources edit

  • de Morga, Antonio (1890) [1609]. Rizal, José (ed.). Sucesos de las islas Filipinas (in Spanish). Paris: Garnier hermanos. pp. 31–36. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  • de San Agustin, Gaspar (1698). "12: De los Embaxadores que llegaron à Manila, enviados por el Emperador del Japon, y del Rey de Camboxa, y del lastimoso fin del Governador Gomez Perez Dasmariñas". Conquistas de las Islas Philipinas (in Spanish). Vol. 3. Madrid: Manuel Ruiz de Murga. p. 465. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  • González Obregón, Luis (1900). "Un Aparecido" (PDF). México viejo: noticias históricas, tradiciones, leyendas y costumbres (in Spanish). Paris; Mexico City: Librería de la Vda. de C. Bouret. pp. 181–185. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
    • Obregón, Luis González (1937). The Streets of Mexico. Translated by Blanche Collet Wagner. San Francisco: George Fields.
  • Janvier, Thomas Allibone (December 1908). "Legends of the City of Mexico". Harper's Magazine. 118 (703): 63–66. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  • Janvier, Thomas Allibone (1910). "Legend of the Living Spectre". Legends of the city of Mexico. New York, London: Harper & Brothers. pp. 96–107, 159–162. Retrieved 18 January 2016.

Citations edit

  1. ^ Janvier 1908, p.66
  2. ^ a b Janvier 1910, p.159
  3. ^ Irving, Washington (1835). "Governor Manco and the Soldier". Tales of the Alhambra. Standard Novels. Vol. XLIX. London: Richard Bentley. pp. 196–212.
  4. ^ a b de Morga 1890, p.31 (fn.2)
  5. ^ Janvier 1910, pp.159–160
  6. ^ de Morga 1890, p.36 (fn.1)
  7. ^ Weckmann, Luis (1992). The Medieval Heritage of Mexico. Fordham Univ Press. pp. 272–273. ISBN 9780823213245. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  8. ^ Ocampo, Ambeth R. (1993). Aguinaldo's breakfast & more Looking back essays. Anvil Publishing. pp. 8–9. ISBN 9789712702815.
  9. ^ Jessup, Morris K. (1955). The Case for the UFO (1st ed.).
  10. ^ Trench, Brinsley Le Poer (1975). Mysterious visitors: the UFO story. Pan Books. pp. 32–33. ISBN 9780330242523.
  11. ^ Wilson, Colin (1976). Enigmas and mysteries. Doubleday. p. 29. ISBN 9780385113212.
  12. ^ Blackwood, Gary L. (1999). Extraordinary Events and Oddball Occurrences. Benchmark Books. ISBN 9780761407485. Retrieved 19 January 2016.

December 15, 2023
1593, transported, soldier, legend, folk, legend, holds, that, october, 1593, soldier, spanish, empire, named, pérez, 1908, version, mysteriously, transported, from, manila, philippines, plaza, mayor, zócalo, mexico, city, soldier, claim, have, come, from, phi. A folk legend holds that in October 1593 a soldier of the Spanish Empire named Gil Perez in a 1908 version was mysteriously transported from Manila in the Philippines to the Plaza Mayor now the Zocalo in Mexico City The soldier s claim to have come from the Philippines was disbelieved by the Mexicans until his account of the assassination of Gomez Perez Dasmarinas was corroborated months later by the passengers of a ship which had crossed the Pacific Ocean with the news Folklorist Thomas Allibone Janvier in 1908 described the legend as current among all classes of the population of the City of Mexico 1 Twentieth century paranormal investigators giving credence to the story have offered teleportation and alien abduction as explanations The Plaza Mayor where the soldier allegedly appeared in 1593 pictured in 1836 Contents 1 Story 2 Development 3 References 3 1 Sources 3 2 CitationsStory editOn October 24 1593 the soldier was guarding the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila in the Captaincy General of the Philippines The night before Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas was assassinated by Chinese pirates but the guards still guarded the palace and awaited the appointment of a new governor The soldier began to feel dizzy and exhausted He leaned against the wall and rested for a moment with his eyes closed When he opened his eyes a few seconds later he found himself in Mexico City in the Viceroyalty of New Spain thousands of kilometres across the ocean Some guards found him in the wrong uniform and began to question who he was The news of the assassination of the Governor of the Philippines was still unknown to the people in Mexico City The transported soldier was reportedly wearing the palace guards uniform in Manila and knew of his death In fact Perez Dasmarinas was killed at sea some distance from Manila The authorities placed him in jail for being a deserter and with charges of being a servant of the devil Months later news of the governor s death came to Mexico on a galleon from the Philippines One of the passengers recognized the imprisoned soldier and said that he had seen him in the Philippines a day after the death of the Governor He was eventually released from jail by the authorities and allowed to go back home Development editThomas Allibone Janvier an American folklorist living in Mexico recounted the story as Legend of the Living Spectre in the December 1908 edition of Harper s Magazine naming the soldier as Gil Perez The story was one of a series entitled Legends of the City of Mexico published in a collected volume in 1910 Janvier notes that similar motifs are common in folklore 2 Washington Irving s 1832 book Tales of the Alhambra includes the story Governor Manco and the Soldier which bears similarities to the legend 2 3 Janvier s 1908 account was based on a Spanish version by Mexican folklorist Luis Gonzalez Obregon es published in his 1900 collection Mexico viejo noticias historicas tradiciones leyendas y costumbres Old Mexico historical notes folklore legends and customs under the title Un aparecido An apparition Obregon traces the story to a 1698 account by Fray Gaspar de San Agustin es of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines which recounts the story as fact San Agustin does not name the soldier and ascribed his transportation to witchcraft 4 Janvier says Obregon asserts that in 1609 Antonio de Morga had written that Perez Dasmarinas death was known in Mexico the same day though de Morga expresses ignorance of how this came to be 5 6 Jose Rizal notes many other miraculous stories from the Spanish Philippines of the time 4 Luis Weckmann makes the same point in relation to Spanish Mexico 7 A 1936 collection Historias de vivos y muertos Stories of the living and the dead by Obregon s successor Artemio de Valle Arizpe es included a version of the story entitled Por el aire vino por la mar se fue He came by air he left by sea Several writers have offered paranormal explanations for the story 8 Morris K Jessup 9 and Brinsley Le Poer Trench 8th Earl of Clancarty 10 suggested alien abduction while Colin Wilson 11 and Gary Blackwood 12 suggested teleportation References editSources edit de Morga Antonio 1890 1609 Rizal Jose ed Sucesos de las islas Filipinas in Spanish Paris Garnier hermanos pp 31 36 Retrieved 18 January 2016 de San Agustin Gaspar 1698 12 De los Embaxadores que llegaron a Manila enviados por el Emperador del Japon y del Rey de Camboxa y del lastimoso fin del Governador Gomez Perez Dasmarinas Conquistas de las Islas Philipinas in Spanish Vol 3 Madrid Manuel Ruiz de Murga p 465 Retrieved 18 January 2016 Gonzalez Obregon Luis 1900 Un Aparecido PDF Mexico viejo noticias historicas tradiciones leyendas y costumbres in Spanish Paris Mexico City Libreria de la Vda de C Bouret pp 181 185 Retrieved 18 January 2016 Obregon Luis Gonzalez 1937 The Streets of Mexico Translated by Blanche Collet Wagner San Francisco George Fields Janvier Thomas Allibone December 1908 Legends of the City of Mexico Harper s Magazine 118 703 63 66 Retrieved 18 January 2016 Janvier Thomas Allibone 1910 Legend of the Living Spectre Legends of the city of Mexico New York London Harper amp Brothers pp 96 107 159 162 Retrieved 18 January 2016 Citations edit Janvier 1908 p 66 a b Janvier 1910 p 159 Irving Washington 1835 Governor Manco and the Soldier Tales of the Alhambra Standard Novels Vol XLIX London Richard Bentley pp 196 212 a b de Morga 1890 p 31 fn 2 Janvier 1910 pp 159 160 de Morga 1890 p 36 fn 1 Weckmann Luis 1992 The Medieval Heritage of Mexico Fordham Univ Press pp 272 273 ISBN 9780823213245 Retrieved 19 January 2016 Ocampo Ambeth R 1993 Aguinaldo s breakfast amp more Looking back essays Anvil Publishing pp 8 9 ISBN 9789712702815 Jessup Morris K 1955 The Case for the UFO 1st ed Trench Brinsley Le Poer 1975 Mysterious visitors the UFO story Pan Books pp 32 33 ISBN 9780330242523 Wilson Colin 1976 Enigmas and mysteries Doubleday p 29 ISBN 9780385113212 Blackwood Gary L 1999 Extraordinary Events and Oddball Occurrences Benchmark Books ISBN 9780761407485 Retrieved 19 January 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1593 transported soldier legend amp oldid 1177226737, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.