BENAVIDES, MIGUEL de. - Dominican missionary and prelate, b. at Carrión de los Condes (province of Palencia) in 1552, d. at Manila on 26 June 1605 or 26 July 1607 in a reputation for holiness. He became a friar in 1567, and after studying under Báñez and then teaching at the College of S. Gregorio in Valladolid, he joined the Venerable Giovanni Crisostomo in gathering missionaries for the Far East, becoming one of the founders of the Province of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines.
In the years 1586-1587 he undertook the journey to Manila, where he was the first Spanish missionary to learn Chinese in order to catechize the many Chinese residing there, for whom he also built the hospital of S. Gabriele. In 1589 he went to China, was imprisoned and expelled. Sent by his brethren and by Bishop Domingo Salazar of Manila, in 1590 he went to Madrid as procurator of the Philippine province and to conduct important business before the Real Consejo de las Indias. Appointed bishop of Nueva Segovia (Philippines) on 30 Aug. 1595, B. was consecrated in 1597 in Mexico. He continued his zeal for souls, his charity and exemplary poverty as archbishop of Manila from 7 Oct. 1602. He founded the distinguished College of S. Tommaso in Manila, which later became the celebrated university of the same name.
A *Vocabulario chino muy facil* is attributed to him (or to Giovanni Cobo); he wrote reports to the king and his Council, and to Clement VIII.