1519

1521

Ferdinand Magellan sets out on the first circumnavigation of the world.

Magellan discovers Guam: On Wednesday, the 6th of March, Magellan's ships discovered a small island in the north-west direction, and two others lying to the south-west. Magellan's men were to port the largest island, however, before doing so, their ships were approached and boarded by islanders who according to Magellan's ship recoreds robbed them. The islanders supposedly stole everything - anything they could get their hands on, even a small boat called the skiff which was made fast to the poop of the captain's ship. It was because of this that Magellan became irritated and ordered his men to go to the island and retrive what was stolen. A result of this was many islanders killed and Magellan did not do further exploration on the islands before heading for the Philippines and the Spice Islands (current map of the islands). For the reason of the islands stealing Magellan's ship, the islands were called Ladrone Islands (Islands of the Thieves) which later was named Marianas by Fr. Sanvitores in honor of the Austrian-born Queen of Spain who had helped the first mission on the islands to be approved. The island in which Magellan's men landed, killed islanders, and retrived their stolen goods was Guam.

More Spanish discoveries of the Micronesian Islands: After Magellan's discovery of Ladrone Islands, many more Spanish exploreres followed: Loaysa, Saavedra, Villalobos, Legaspi, Arellano, and Pericon sailed to the Spice Islands and discovered other Micronesian islands such as the Marshall Islands. Other explorers such as Mendana and Quiros were not searching for the Spice Islands rather the Solomon Islands where it was said King Solomon's treasure was buried. Through their explorations, their ships discovered Pohnpei but attacked by the islanders.

Carolinians drifted and found on Samar: From 1664 to 1696, more than a dozen camoes from the Caroline Islands drifted and were found on the outer islands of the Philippines. It was through these castaways that tales and location of the Caroline Islands became known to Spanish Jesuits.

First mission in Micronesia: In 1668, Father Diego Luis de Sanvitores and eight other missionaries arrived at Guam to found the first mission in Micronesia. Along with the missionaries were Spanish troops who were to protect the Jesuits and also to enforce Spanish rule over the islands and people. At first, the missionwork was met by both acceptance and resistance by the indigenous people (Chamorro). With acceptance, many people both young and old were baptized, however, as the years went by, more and more resistance by the Chamorro people became apparent. After many years of mission work in the Marianas, Fr. Sanvitores was killed by a chief whose daughter was baptized without the approval of her father in 1672.

After six unsuccessful attempts to find the islands, the first Jesuits priests were finally put ashore of Sonsorol.

Captain Bernard de Egui reaches Ulithi and Palau: In this voyage, Egui and his crew of the ship Santo Domingo killed three Ulithians.

Woleaians came ashore of Guam: Reported that Carolinians traveling from Faraulep to Woleai, after a large storm, drifted onto the shores of Guam. Through their friendship with Father Cantova that the first map of the Carolines was created.

Father Cantova and a group of the Carolinians set out an expedition of the islands, shipwrecked by a storm, reached Philippines; only Fr. Cantova survived the journey.

Great typhoon hits the Caroline Islands; more than 900 Carolinians relocate to Saipan: This event is imported to note in the timeline of Spanish Contact because throught this event, many Carolinians living in Saipan and other parts of Mariana Islands, have been acculturated into the Spanish culture after decades of colonization by Spain in the marianas. Today, the descendants of these Carolinians have infused the Spanish, Chamorro, and Carolinian culture as their own.

Fr. Desire Maigret and Fr. Louise Bachelot (Picpus fathers) set-out to Pohnpei: Right after their arrival, Fr. Bachelot dies and is buried in Na while Fr. Maigret continues his mission work on the island of Pohnpei to 1838.

Both Spain and Germany claim the Carolines: The Protocol of Rome - signed by Pope Leo XIII in Dec. 17, 1885, issuing a declaration giving Spain ruling power over the Carolines but allowing Germany and Great Britain trading rights.

The Colony of Santa Cristina: On June 29, 1886, the first appointed governor of the Western Carolines, Manuel Elisa Vergara, arrived in Yap with his secretary, a company of troops, and six Capuchin missionaries. This group was the first Spanish government in the Carolines which was devided into to administrative areas: the Western Carolines, with Yap as its capital, and the Eastern Carolines, with its administrative center in Pohnpei.

Colony of Santiago and Spanish Wall established and begin construction. Father Llevaneras and Fr. Ambrosio de Valencina (Capuchin missionaries) arrives Pohnpei.

Second Pohnpeian uprising against Spanish rule. Force from Madelenihnw attacked a company of Spanish troops who were building a church in that district.

Spanish warship Quiros steamed into Chuuk to put an end to the warfare between the islands and to warn Japanese traders of trading guns with the Chuukese.

Religious warfare on Pohnpei. War broke out in U, between the districts in north, which had become Catholic and those Protestant areas in teh southern part of the island.

Spanish-American War. America wins - occupies Guam and Spain sells the Carolines and the Northern Mariana Islands to Germany. This officially ends Spain's Administration in Micronesia. (Certifcate of turnover of Western Carolines from Spain to Germany 1899)