Bilis humano como ofrenda al Rey: Las costumbres de Champa a finales del siglo XVI según los documentos españoles y chinos

Abstract

El reino de Champa, llamado Linyi en lengua china antigua, prosperó por su ubicación dentro de las rutas de comercio de China y el sureste de Asia. Con el crecimiento de Vietnam durante el siglo XV su poder disminuyó y la gente se retiró al norte del Río Mekong para resistir los ataques de las fuerzas de Cochinchina. Como resultado, es poco lo que puede encontrarse sobre la historia de Champa en obras referidas al sureste de Asia a partir del siglo XVI. Sin embargo, el reino de Champa mantuvo una fuerza notable, incluyendo una confrontación con Portugal en Malaca en 1594, hasta la década de 1830 cuando Vietnam anexó Champa completamente. Este artículo explica la interacción entre España y el reino de Champa a través de un análisis de cartas y documentos históricos españoles. Investiga las expediciones españolas en Asia del sureste a partir de los 1590, especialmente aquellas en las cuales “fuerzas militares privadas” marcharon sobre Camboya, Siam y Champa. Desde un estudio comparado de la historia española y china, intentamos profundizar el entendimiento de la historia del reino de Champa.

The ancient Kingdom of Champa, known in ancient Chinese recorded as Linyi, became prosperous due to its pivotal location along the Chinese and Southeast Asian trade routes. Its status waned as the rise of Vietnam. During the 15th century, the people of Champa retreated to the north side of the Mekong River in Middle-south Vietnam, where they resisted the incursions of Cochinchina forces. As a result, when discussing the history of modern Vietnam, few references regarding Champa’s historical development were found in Southeast Asian historical works since the 16th century. Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Champa still possessed considerable strength and experienced several revivals. In 1594, Champa even sent troops to Malacca to confront the Portuguese. It was not until the 1830s that Vietnam completely annexed Champa, where little attention was paid afterwards by most historians. By analyzing the contents of several Spanish letters and historical material that were associated with Champa, this article re-examines Spanish expeditions conducted in Southeast Asia since the 1590s, especially those in Indochina, where “private military forces” marched into Cambodia, Siam, and the Kingdom of Champa. In doing so, we have gained a better understanding of the interaction between Spain and Kingdom of Champa. Through cross-referencing Spanish and Chinese materials, we may be able to catch a glimpse of the silhouette of this ancient Southeast Asian kingdom.