Spanish East Indies Spanish Empire in the East Indies, that had the Governor-General of the Philippines as its "ex officio" highest judge. Both institutions were created by Royal Decree from King Felipe II Law XI (Audiencia y Chancillería Real de Manila en las Filipinas) of Title XV (De las Audiencias y Chancillerias Reales de las Indias) of Book II of the "Recopilación de Leyes de los Reynos de las Indias" of 1680—which compiles the original decree and the one of —describes the limits and functions of the Audiencia and its president. "In the city of Manila on the Island of Luzon, Head of
East Indies theatre of the French Revolutionary Wars French Convention had abolished slavery in August 1794 almost plunged the island into civil war, and only the intervention of Governor Malartic prevented conflict. The Dutch Empire held the Dutch Cape Colony, Dutch Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies. The latter, now Indonesia, was governed by the Dutch East India Company from the highly lucrative port of Batavia. Batavia was the centre of East Asian trade, reaching as far as Nagasaki in Edo period Japan, supported by other towns and ports including Sourabaya and Griessie. The Cape Colony at the Southern tip of Africa was far less significant, acting principally