#OnThisDay May 16, 1571, Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi (born c. 1502) landed in Manila and took possession of the kingdom. He was the first Governor-General of the Philippines, he was also known as El Adelantado (The Conqueror) and El Viejo (The Elder).
With a fleet of four ships and 380 men, Legazpi left Navidad, Mexico, on November 21, 1564. Sailing westward across the Pacific, he stopped at Guam, where he obtained fresh water and supplies. Continuing his voyage, he anchored near the island of Cebu on February 13, 1565. Unable to land at this island due to Cebuano hostility, he sailed to the neighboring islands. At Samar, he was welcomed by a friendly chief, Urrao, with whom he made a blood compact on February 22, 1565. On March 9, 1565, he landed at Limasawa, whose young king named Bankaw hospitably received him. Later, Legazpi landed at Bohol and befriended two native kings, Katuna (Sikatuna) and Gala (Sigala). On March 25, 1565, Legazpi and Katuna made a blood compact. A few days later, a similar pact was done by Legazpi and Gala.
From Bohol, Legazpi sailed to Cebu, arriving there on April 27, 1565. King Tupas of Cebu defied the Spaniards. Under cover of artillery fire, a Spanish assault force hit the shore and grappled furiously with the Cebuano defenders. Spanish artillery and muskets won the day. Tupas with his men retreated to the hills, leaving his kingdom in flames.
The next day, April 28, 1565, one of Legazpi’s men, named Juan de Camus, discovered the image of the Holy Child Jesus in an unburned Cebuano house. This was the image given by Magellan in 1521 to the Christian queen of Cebu. Legazpi regarded the discovery as a good omen. On receiving the image, he knelt on the ground, reverently kissed it, and raised it to heaven and prayed.
A Spanish settlement, the first of its kind in the Philippines, was established. A church for the Augustinian fathers was erected, and in this church was kept the historic image of the Child Jesus. Buildings were constructed for the soldiers, wells were dug to assure constant supply of water.
Affectionately, Legazpi named the settlement the “City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” in honor of the sacred image. Thus, Cebu City, which Legazpi founded in 1565, is the oldest city in the Philippines. More of a statesman than a conquistador, Legazpi tried to win the Cebuano king and people by a policy of attraction. He invited them to return and rebuild their homes and live in peace with the Spaniards. With the help of Cid Hamal (Sidamit), a Muslim Malay who was in Cebu at that time, Legazpi succeeded in winning the friendship of Raha Tupas and lesser datus.
As Legazpi was laying down the foundation of Spanish rule in Cebu, the Augustinian missionaries were busy sowing the seeds of Christianity. On March 21, 1568, King Tupas accepted baptism with Legazpi as godfather. He was named Felipe in honor of Philip II. His son, Pinsuncan, Cebu’s crown prince, was likewise baptized and was named Carlos, with Captain Felipe de Salcedo (grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Juan de Salcedo) as godfather. Following the example of their king and prince, the Cebuanos accepted Christianity.
Owing to the shortage of food in Cebu, Legazpi moved to Panay in 1569. On the bank of the Panay River, he founded the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines. This settlement is now the town of Panay in Capiz Province.
At the beginning, the Panay Filipinos were hostile. But, owing to the apostolic labors of Fr. Juan de Alba and other Augustinian missionaries, they were pacified and became friendly to Legazpi. Two chiefs of Panay, Datus Macabaog and Madidong, were converted to Christianity by the Augustinian missionaries and became good friends of Legazpi. With Cebu and Panay as bases, the conquistadores and missionaries, working side by side, successfully extended Spanish rule and Christianity to other islands.
On May 8, 1570, a Spanish expedition to Manila left Panay under the command of Marshal Martin de Goiti. At that time, Manila was a Muslim kingdom under Raha Sulayman. It was a civilized outpost of Islam. Sulayman, refusing to submit to Spanish vassalage, defended his kingdom from the Spanish invaders. On May 24, 1570, Goiti and his men captured Maynilad (Manila’s originally name, derived from that of the nilad plant) after a hard fight. Sulayman and his warriors retreated across the river, leaving their kingdom in flames – this was the first conquest of Manila.
After his victory, Goiti left Maynilad and returned to Panay. He told Legazpi of the existence of the Muslim kingdom by the shore of Manila Bay, which was called Maynilad. It was a rich kingdom because of its trade with the Chinese, Borneans, Siamese and other foreign merchants.
Fascinated by Goiti’s tale, Legazpi decided to colonize Maynilad. The next year, he gathered a stronger expedition consisting of 27 vessels, 280 Spaniards and 600 Visayan allies. He left Panay and reached Manila Bay in the middle of May, 1571.
The second conquest of Manila was a bloodless event. Lakan Dula, last king of Tondo and Sulayman’s uncle, realized that it was useless to resist the powerful Spaniards. He paddled out to Manila Bay and welcomed Legazpi. He also persuaded his valiant nephew, Raha Sulayman, and Raha Matanda (Sulayman’s uncle) to submit peacefully to Legazpi. Thus, Legazpi landed at Manila without a fight.
On June 24, 1571, the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, Legazpi proclaimed Manila as capital of the Philippines and established its city government. Over the ashes of Raha Sulayman’s Muslim kingdom, Legazpi built the Spanish city of Manila. Years later, King Philip II, by his Royal Decree of June 1, 1574, named Manila the Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad (Distinguished and Ever Loyal City). Later, by his Royal Decree of March 20, 1596, the same king conferred a beautiful coat-of-arms on Manila. On August 20, 1572, Legazpi, the first Spaniard governor general and adelantado of the Philippines, died of heart attack in Manila, Guido de Lavezaris succeeded Legazpi in 1572 as governor general.
Miguel López de Legazpi’s greatest career was his successful colonization of the Philippines, and established Spain’s dominion over the Philippines that lasted for 333 years.
Sources and References:
1. Gregorio F. Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide, History of the Republic of the Philippines, Metro Manila, 1983, 1987, pp. 64–69
2. Coleccion de documentos ineditos de ultramar, Vol II, pp. 101–106, English translation in Blair and Robertson, Vol II, pp. 134–136
3. Relacion de la Conquista de la isla de Luzon, by an unknown member of Legazpi expedition. Vol. IV, pp. 37, for English translation in Blair and Robertson, Vol. III, pp. 141–172.
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