Spanish Taiwan/Formosa possible or not?

[mosodake]

So Spain could get the island without large scale warfare..well that's new.
With that answered how would Formosa develop under Spanish rule. Wasn't Taiwan barely settled during the time with the Chinese concentrated in the coastal regions whi the natives are inland. How culture, religion and the island as a whole develop.

Spain would be able to control part of the island without large scale warfare. They probably would not be able to control the whole island. Remember, no one had control of the interior of the island until the Japanese, and that took modern weapons and aircraft to achieve.

Taiwan did not have a large population, but that doesn't mean it was barely settled.

Actually, Formosa would be one of the Philippine Islands, albeit one with a large Chinese population. If Spain managed to hang onto it, Formosa would pass to the United States with the Philippines in 1898 too.

Why would there be a large Chinese population? There were very few Chinese present on the island until the Dutch came, and unless the Spanish encouraged Chinese immigration, there wouldn't be many on Taiwan. In fact, there were probably just as many Japanese people as there were Chinese.

By the way, what could be the lingua franca of Formosa if Spain controlled it?

If not Spanish then probably one of the more widespread aboriginal languages. Siraya would be a good bet, since they had the largest population and occupied the most area.

Culturally there would be a lot of people of Chinese decent in this formosa. They would be predominantly christian. Would speak in either, mandarin, spanish, tagalog or kapampangan.

Again, why would there be a lot of Chinese people? And why would they speak Mandarin? If any Chinese language were present, it would be one of the southern languages. Probably Hokkien like in OTL Taiwan. Taiwan was by no means crowded, but it did have a significant population before Chinese migration. To say that they wouldn't make up an important part of Spanish Formosa is ridiculous.

 

[ramones1986]

If not Spanish then probably one of the more widespread aboriginal languages. Siraya would be a good bet, since they had the largest population and occupied the most area.

How about the northwest corner (approximately OTL Taiyuan County)? Who'll settle there?
(In the map, the area was colored white):

 

[free115]

So assuming the Spanish-American Ear still happens as otl what type of changes would happen with the US controlling the gate way to South East Asia?

Also once independence happens what would the relationship between Formosa and the Philippines?

 

[caloysky]

So assuming the Spanish-American Ear still happens as otl what type of changes would happen with the US controlling the gate way to South East Asia?

Also once independence happens what would the relationship between Formosa and the Philippines?

Either Formosa becomes a part of a greater Philippines, which consist of Formosa, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and Sabah. Or it is given to blue China who would eventually lose to Mao. Or it would become something like Guam.

I'd go for a greater better militarised Philippines getting Formosa to setup a future conflict between China and the Philippines for control of the south east asian sea.

 

[jach79]

Could Spain have colonized the island of Taiwan during the height of the Spanish Empire? If at what point could Spain have taken/purchase it from China. Also assuming that Spain keeps the island over more than a century how would culture develop.???

Definitely yes, the regional city was name Santisima Trinidad and the reasons to settle in Formosa (cede by the Portuguese) were to establish a trading post between Mexico and China (to extend the Acapulco-Manila Route) and to have a base for the Hispanic missionaries sent to japana and mainland China.

Since Formosa was scarcely populated at the time, a mixture of Filipinos , a few Castileans and Christians exiled from Japan could have settled in the island and Spanish would be the common language.

 

[mosodake]

Since Formosa was scarcely populated at the time, a mixture of Filipinos , a few Castileans and Christians exiled from Japan could have settled in the island and Spanish would be the common language.

Although overall population density was low, Formosa was hardly "scarcely populated".

 

[zeppelinair]

Although overall population density was low, Formosa was hardly "scarcely populated".

probably "scarcely populated" by Chinese standards.