andrés de urdaneta (1508 – june 3, 1568) was a maritime explorer for the spanish empire of basque heritage, who became an augustinian friar. at the age of seventeen, he formed part of the loaísa expedition to the spice islands where he spent more than eight years. around 1540 he settled in new spain and became an augustinian friar in 1552. at the request of philip ii he joined the legazpi expedition for a return to the philippines. in 1565, urdaneta discovered and plotted an easterly route across the pacific ocean, from the philippines to acapulco in the viceroyalty of new spain. the route made it practical for spain to colonize the philippines and was used as the manila galleon trade route for more than two hundred years.
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