History of University of Santo Tomas - Spanish Monarchs

Spanish Monarchs

The series of benefices, favors and privileges granted to UST by the Spanish monarchs started in 1609 when Philip III issued a royal cédula requesting from the governor and the audencia a report on the projected college. He petitioned Pope Paul V for the granting of faculties of Philosophy and Theology. These faculties were implemented by order of Philip IV in 1624, and three years later this monarch petitioned Rome for the extension of these faculties for an additional ten years. He was the same monarch who petitioned the Pope to elevate the college to the level of a university in 1645.

King Charles II, in 1680, added to this list of benefices already granted by his predecessors, when in Royal Cedula he formally declared that the University be placed under his royal patronage.

Another Royal Cédula of Charles II, with two others from Philip V, his successor, resulted in 1733 in the creation of the Faculties of Civil and Canon Laws. At the same time, the Holy See granted the university faculties to give academic degrees in those two disciplines and in others that might eventually be established.

In 1781 King Charles III authorized the University to prepare its own statutes, independent of those of the University of Mexico through, which, up to that time, the University was governed.

When, in 1762, Manila was occupied briefly by the British, the Rector of the University, Fr. Domingo Collantes, organized four companies of university youth to help in the defense of the city. Acknowledging this act of fidelity and patriotism, the same King Charles III, in his Royal Cédula of March 7, 1785, expressed his "gratitude and benevolence," and renewed his protection and patronage, and granted the University the title of "Very Loyal", as well as the title and honors corresponding to it, as a "Royal University".

In 1865 Queen Isabel II declared the University of Santo Tomas the center for public education throughout the Philippines, and affiliated to her all colleges and schools throughout the country, and constituting the Rector of the University the supervisor and inspector of all the centers of learning so affiliated to the University.

In 1871 the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy were established, and three years later, by authority of a Royal Order given by Alfonso XII, the School for Notaries was created.

In 1649, in response to the expressions of royal concern shown over its welfare, the university community addressed Philip IV, saying that the University "requests Your Royal Highness that you keep her within your Royal Solicitude, because she has been, from her very beginnings, a fruit of your royal bounty, and from the desire that she should grow and progress ever through efforts so Royal and so Catholic."

In expression of gratitude for the nearly 300 years of royal benevolence and to establish a continuous affinity between Spain and UST, the University bestowed the title of Royal Patron to King Juan Carlos (Royal House of Bourbon) of Spain in February 1974 (then Prince of Spain).