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Battle of San Salvador
Part of the Spanish-Japanese War
Attack on San Salvador (c. 1632), Oil painting by Andries van Eertvelt (1590–1652)
Date 5-6 November 1627 Location Keelung, Taiwan Result Shimabara Victory Japan establishes a foothold in Formosa
Belligerents
Spanish East Indies	Shimabara Domain Supported by: Dutch East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Juan Niño de Tabora	Matsukura Katsuie Cornelis van Nijenrode
Strength
40 Spanish and Filipino soldiers, and 30-35 aboriginal warriors	~250 Japanese soldiers, three large Dutch ships, and several smaller vessels

Battle of San Salvador

The Battle of San Salvador (台湾出兵, Taiwan Shuppei) was an expedition launched by the Japanese feudal domain of Shimabara against the Spanish in northern Formosa in 1632. The Japanese were supported by the Dutch East India Company under the command of Cornelis van Nijenrode. This battle was the first instance of all-out conflict between the Japanese and Europeans.

Background

Following the unification of Japan by Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he became the first shōgun of the newly formed Tokugawa shogunate. He perceived the Christian activities in Japan as a threat to his realm, but prioritised trade with the Spanish and Portuguese. However, the Dutch and English traders, in an attempt to take over the trade of Japan, told the shōgun that the Iberian nations did indeed seek territorial gains in Japan. The Tokugawa shogunate finally decided to ban Catholicism in 1614, and demanded the expulsion of all European missionaries and the execution of all converts. The Christians faced further persecution and many fled to the Spanish East Indies and Macau. After a Franciscan requested land to build a Spanish fort in 1615, suspicions grew further and further.

In 1624, a red seal ship, an authorized trade vessel, was captured and burned by the Spanish. The Spanish apologized, but after another of these trade ships was looted by Spanish in late 1626 the Japanese were fed up and shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu ordered an invasion of Spanish possesions in the Far East. Daimyō Matsukura Shigemasa had already been making plans for an invasion of the Philippines since 1624, when two ships belonging to his fleet were blown off course and stranded on the islands. They told Shigemasa of the existing mercantile trade on the islands and how he could personally profit from a military expedition to control it. He had already asked shōgun Iemetsu for permission to attack Spanish possessions in the region after the incident in 1624, but he was denied. He was granted permission in 1626 and started rallying up men and making battle plans immediatly. He requested help from the Dutch, whose loyalty was compared to that of daimyō. The Dutch, however, had no desire to attack the Spanish as Manila was one of the most heavily fortified areas in East Asia and their fleet was already busy with other ventures, such as the Dutch-Portuguese War. When Shigemasa gave them a dilemma where they either had to help his cause or risk losing their reputation as servant of the shōgun and possibly lose trade rights. VOC opperhoofd Cornelis van Nijenrode reluctantly agreed to help Shigemasa and sent three large ships and several smaller ships to support the lacking Japanese navy.

The Siege

The Spanish had founded the colony in 1624 and constructed a couple of forts in the area, however these were only lightly defended and only had a couple dozen men protecting them.

When Shigemasa set sail towards the Philippines, he took the route that went past the Ryukyu Islands and Formosa. When an expeditionary force was sent ahead they discovered a Spanish settlement. They had to be taken out before the Japanese would be able to 'safely' sail towards Manila. On the 5th of November Shigemasa reached the island.

The Spanish knew the Japanese would try to land at San Salvador, so they placed themselves strategically atop the hills in the area, from where they would attack the incoming warriors. The bowmen and projectiles couldn't deal much damage to the armored warriors however, and they steadily continued up the hills, where they would overwhelm the defenders with their numerical advantage. After two days of fighting the Spanish were driven off the island and any who were captured were executed.