Spanish East Indies chief consort, and his subjects. Seeking to develop trade between the East Indies and the Americas across the Pacific Ocean, Antonio de Mendoza encouraged the exploration of these Asian territories and commissioned the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542–1543. Miguel López de Legazpi set out from Mexico, and established the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines in 1565, which became the town of San Miguel in present-day Cebu. That same year, another member of the expedition, Andrés de Urdaneta discovered a maritime route from the Philippines to Mexico, across the Pacific, leading to the important
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Council called the "Volksraad" for the Dutch East Indies was installed in 1918. The "Volksraad", an infant form of democratic council, was limited to an advisory role and only a small portion of the population were able to vote for its members. The Council comprised 30 indigenous members, 25 European and 5 from Chinese and other populations, and was reconstituted every four years. In 1925 the Volksraad was made a semilegislative body; and the Governor-General was expected to consult the "Volksraad" on major issues. Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies () represented Dutch