British occupation of Manila

The Kingdom of Great Britain occupied the Spanish colonial capital of Manila and the nearby port of Cavite for eighteen months, from 6 October 1762 to the first week of April 1764. The occupation was an extension of the larger Seven Years' War between Britain and France, which Spain had recently entered on the side of the French.

The British wanted to use Manila as an entrepôt for trade in the region, particularly with China. In addition, the Spanish governor agreed to deliver a ransom to the British in exchange for the city being spared from any further sacking. However, the resistance from the provisional Spanish colonial government, established by members of the Royal Audience of Manila and led by Lieutenant Governor Simón de Anda y Salazar, whose mostly Filipino troops prevented British forces from expanding their control beyond the neighbouring towns of Manila and Cavite, led to the project's abandonment.

Background

At the time, Britain and France were belligerents in what was later termed the Seven Years' War but Spain remained neutral despite diplomatic approaches from both sides. The war began badly for the British but as it progressed the tide of the war turned strongly in their favour and the neutral Spanish government became alarmed that the string of major French losses was transforming the British into a major threat to Spanish overseas interests. France successfully negotiated a treaty with Spain known as the Family Compact which was signed on 15 August 1761. By an ancillary secret convention, Spain committed to making preparations for war against Britain. Britain first declared war against Spain on 4 January 1762, and on 18 January 1762, Spain issued their own declaration of war against Britain.