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
Spanish West Indies closely tied to the Spanish Caribbean. During the period of Spanish settlement and colonization of the New World, the Spanish West Indies referred to those settlements in islands of the Caribbean Sea under political administration of Spain, as in the phrase "a 1765 cedula authorized seven sea ports, in addition to the port of San Juan, to trade with the Spanish Caribbean." Until the early 19th century these territories were part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. In a modern sense, the Caribbean islands of Venezuela and those of Colombia could be included in the Hispanophone Caribbean as well, due