Vol. 139 No. 3 (2025): Imperialismo informal en el siglo XIX
Dosier

Al servicio de su Majestad: Los cónsules británicos en Filipinas y Borneo y el desarrollo del imperialismo informal en Asia

María Dolores Elizalde
INSTITUTO DE HISTORIA, CSIC

Published 2025-07-07

Keywords

  • Philippines,
  • consuls,
  • Informal imperialism

How to Cite

Elizalde, M. D. (2025). Al servicio de su Majestad: Los cónsules británicos en Filipinas y Borneo y el desarrollo del imperialismo informal en Asia. Ayer. Revista De Historia Contemporánea, 139(3), 103–128. https://doi.org/10.55509/ayer/2816

Abstract

This article analyses the role of the first British consul in Manila, who served for twenty years, from 1844 to 1864, during key years of expansion into China and Southeast Asia, and questions to what extent it can be said that he played a role as an agent of informal British imperialism in the region. Based on documentation from the British National Archives, complemented by other sources and bibliography, the article places the issues analysed within a framework of global history; it also highlights the close relationship of the consul in Manila with the British authorities in Borneo, the Straits Settlements and the Metropolis, as well as his role as a source of information and influence in defining British policy in the area.

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