History of MinSuPala Mindanao State University - General Santos City

1. MORO RESISTANCE TO SPANISH OCCUPATION
HIS003
* Spanish colonial Aims was summarized under 3G
* 3G - God (spread Christianity)
Gold (outsource any material resources they can get from colonized territories)
Glory (expand territory under spanish crown)
* Crown was the need to spread Christianity throughout Spanish dominions
ex: celebration of Mass in Limasawa (Magellan's Expedition)
conversion of Rajah Humabon and his people in Cebu (same)
* With the aid of Christianized Cebuanos, the Muslim stronghold of Manila
was taken by the Spanish troops and Christianity was planted in the city
As a result, subsequent work of evangelism by the different religious orders from
Manila leads to the take-off of pacification.
* Colonized the country (Philippines) for 3 centuries (333 years)
* Spanish Moro Policy
Moro-Christian confrontation began in the 16th century when
Spain established her sovereignty in the Visayas and Luzon
and sought to extend it to Mindanao and Sulu as well.

2. Rajah Sulayman and his uncle, Lakandula were rulers of Manila and
Tondo
= these sultanates had relationship with the sultanate in Brunei
= they were relatives by kinship, inter-marriages and etc.
Islamization was in its early stages in the Manila area when Spaniards
conquered the town first in 1570 and permanently in 1571.
Gov. Gen. Francisco de Sande instructed Capt. Esteban Rodriguez de
Figueroa in May 1578 regarding Spain's basic policy to the Moros.
Spaniards want to accomplish the following aims:
1. Get them to acknowledge Spanish sovereignty over their territory
2. Promote trade with them, limiting their trade to the Philippine
islands and exploring natural resources of Moroland with a
view to their commercial exploitation.
3. Bring an end to MORO PIRACY against Spanish Shipping and an end
to Moro raids on the Christianized settlements of the Visayas
and southern Luzon
4. Hispanize and Christianize the Moros along the same lines followed
with respect to other lowland Flipino (Indio) groups.
(Rodriguez offended the Moros by saying that they must stop
admitting themselves to Muhammad and throw away their practices
as Muslims because there is only one God and that is the God
that Christians believe)

3. Moros responded to such designs with violence and warfare.
* Moro buccaneers harassed Spanish shipping and so were dubbed
PIRATES.
* Moro expeditions carried JIHAD (holy war) to the coasts of
the Visayas and Luzon where their war vessels were periodically
raided, killed and plundered Christian settlements.
* Spaniards were able to establish a string of fortified settlements on the north and
east coast of Mindanao and at Zamboanga.
* They sent punitive expedition against the Moros and sometimes succeeded in building
forts in the heart of Moroland - at Cotabato and Jolo.
* In the middle of 1811 century, there was even a Jesuit mission in Jolo which actually
achieved the conversion of Sultan Alimud Din I. However, his conversion was not that
successful because at the time of his conversion, he was brought to Manila and
imprisoned him because of treason. He reverted back to the faith of Islam.
*Spain's Moro Policy
Only the Spanish importation of vastly superior weapon notably steam gunboats
after 1848 - served to blunt the edge of the Moro-Chris.
1. By 1860, the Mindanao (Maguindanao) Sultanate had so deteriorated
that the Spaniards were able to impose their own politico-military
"Government” of Mindanao
2. In 1876, Jolo fell; it had been attacked 16x between 1570 and 1876
Because of these multiple attacks, the sultan was obliged to sign a
peace treaty which includes Spaniards to acquire protection from
the sultanate as well as allowing their Christian missionaries

4. (priests) to visit any places in exchange of retaining Sulu's customs,
beliefs, culture, etc.
3. By 1876, they had achieved setting up a garrison at Marawi and putting
two gunboats on the lake. However, this didn't last long as they had
withdrewn their garrisons to fight against the Americans.
* Juramentados was the term given by the Spaniards to the Moros who willingly gave
their lives just to protect their land and not being under the Spanish regime. They were
the terror of Spanish camps in Moroland until the end of the Spanish regime.
* Negative Result of the 3 centuries Moro-Spanish Warfare
MORO IMAGE
The picture of the Moro as cunning, cruel, treacherous, savage, a pirate,
raider, slaver.
That image to this day is operative in the minds of many if not most Christian
Filipinos whose forebears after all bore the brunt of the Moro jihad.
CHRISTIAN IMAGE
There's a negative "Christian image" in the Moros' minds.
Christians are coward, land-grabber when if he could, would destroy Islam.

5. * Described as GUERRAS PIRATICAS or a fight against Moro pirates.
* Moros in these 3 phases had strong ties and were aided by their neighbouring
principalities and allies such as Brunei, Ternate and Dutch. These principalities had
exerted effort in fighting against the Western invaders.
* Phase 1: Brunei Cut-off
1. The first act of war was committed by the Spaniards, when in March 1565, they
captured a Bornean trading vessel in the vicinity of Bohol.
2. In 1569, nine Spanish tradings successfully engaged 20 vessels owned by
Borneans and Sulu.
3. The Spaniards took the opportunity to interfere in a dynastic dispute in Brunei
by supporting a person who was willing to accept Spanish sovereignty. To put
their man on their throne, they invaded Brunei in 1578 and forced Sultan Seifur-
Rijal to flee.
 Significant in this phase was that people of Brunei and Sulu were allies - their
Sultans were also brothers-in-law. The Spaniards believed that with Brunei out of
the picture, it would be only a matter before Sulu, Maguindanao and Buayan would
accept Spanish missionaries and sovereignty.
* Phase 2: Strongholds
1. In 1591, the Spanish government decided to colonize Mindanao and incorporate
it into its Philippine colony. Their main objective is to make it as their base as
well as Java and Borneo.

6. 2. In April 1596, the newly-designated governor of Mindanao, Esteban Rodriguez
de Figueroa landed in Cotabato where he failed to contact the Maguindanao
Sultan. In the interior, Rodriguez was struck on the head with a Kampilan. He
remained alive only for a few hours.
3. The Spaniards were able to build a fort around Sampakan (Tampakan), which
was midway between the Maguindanao and Buayan settlements. The
Maguindanao and Buayan Sultanates tried to dislodge the Spaniard. 800
warriors from Ternate, under the leadership of an uncle of the Ternate Sultan
came to help the Muslims, to no avail.
The Ternatan aid came not only on account of kinship relations between the
leading families of Mindanao and the Moluccas and religious ties but also because
Ternatans realized that the loss of Mindanao would mean that it could serve as a
base for Spanish operations against them. At least a strong Mindanao and Buayan
meant a strong defense line for Ternate.
* Phrase 3:Counter Attacks (by Moros)
1. It began in 1599-1600 when the Maguindanaon launched an offensive against
the Spanish forces in the Bisayas to the extent of competing with Spain for the
collection of tribute there.
2. Spaniards later on succeeded in conquering Ternate and in 1635 they
established a strong fort in Zamboanga.
1599-1600 The Rajahs of Maguindanao and Buayan made two devastating
raids on the Bisayas.
This expedition each invloved abot 3,000 warriors

7. 1602 The raid of the Rajahs had the help of Sulu, principally from Basilan.
A Spanish attack in Sulu didn't accomplish much except preventing
Sulu from cooperating with the Muslims in Mindanao in succeeding
raids.
1603 Attempted Spanish invasion of Ternate also failed.
Buisan, Rajah of Maguindanao attacked Bisayas towns.
1606 One of the biggest fleets fitted out the Spaniards went to Ternate
After a series of battles, the Ternatans lost and their Sultan was
captured.
1616 The presence of Dutch ships in the Philippine waters encouraged the
Sulu to attack settlement as far as Cavite and Camarines.
They burned the Cavite shipyard and captured some Spaniards for
ransom.
1627 Revenge for the humiliation of the Sulu Ambassador, Datu Ache
where he was imprisoned and pearls were confiscated. Out of rage,
his subjects sent 30 caracaos or vessels and boats bearing 2,000
warriors led by Sulu Sultan, Rajah Bungso.
1630 Another failed expedition by Spaniards.
1634 The rise of Katchil Kudarat as a leader of the Iranun and
Maguindanao.
Kudarat was strong enough to attack Visayas.

8. 1635 The Spaniards built a fort in Zamboanga. The fort protects their
Catholic missions in Mindanao, it also serves as an outpost of
Spaniards if there are movements coming from the Muslim troops.
3,000 Spaniards and 1,000 Visayan allies came to Zamboanga.
* Phase 4: Fortress War
The task of Governor Corcuera:
= to conquer and capture Kudarat and put Spanish puppet in the
Maguindanao Sultanate;
= to capture the main cotta of the Sulu Sultan and establish colonies in Sulu;
= to invade Brunei once again and put it securely under Spanish sovereignty
1637 Kudarat's capital (Lamitan) and Ilihan fell to the invaders
The next year.
= 600 Spaniards and 1,000 native allies laid siege to the Sulu Sultan's
cotta in Jolo.
= The defense was superb and many of the invaders were killed, but an
epidemic in the cotta forced the sultan to surrender after 3 months.
= After a brief truce with Corcuera, the sultan went to the interior of
Mindanao to continue the struggle.
1645 Spaniards concluded a treaty with Sulu pledging to abandon all their
forts in Sulu.
1655 The peace with Kudarat was broken when the Spanish ambassador
was assassinated on account of his insistence to convert the sultan
which was considered to be a violation to their peace treaty
agreement. Spaniards in response pursued a policy by bestowing

9. Muslim orchards, sea crops, sea vessels which were very important
to their culture and livelihood. The JIHAD (holy war) was called by
the sultan and take an offensive attack as a form of protection for
Muslims.
* Phase 5
Because of the series of attacks, Spaniards changed their programs into
evangelization process of the Moros as they know how commercial activities are
important to them. They requested the sultanate to accept the preaching of
Christianity for them to go back to their commercial affairs. They assured them that
no one can go through the territory of Sultans without permission. The sultan came
to Manila but suffered the same faith with Alimu Din I which caused another battle
of revenge from the Moro. He have gotten to China and Otoman Empire to seek
help but British came for aid.
1720-1721 Attack of the Sulu and Iranun to dislodge the Spaniards from
the fort failed in spite of the use of hundreds of war vessels
and thousands of warriors.
The Sulu then tried to have peace treaties with their enemies
while dealing with the Dutch as a source of arms and
ammunition.
The wars during this phase reached a considerable proportion in terms of human
lives lost and property destroyed.

10. * Phase 6
Spaniards in this phase was at the advantage as the Moros were slowly
deteriorating their forces because of the advancement of weaponries by
Spaniards.
Spanish policy in the middle of the 19th century was once more to conquer the
Muslim Sultanates especially Sulu.
1845 The Balangingi expedition led to the depopulation of the Samales
island and the transfer of many survivors to Luzon in order to have
them converted there.
1851 The Spanish expedition forced the Sultan to a treaty.
1876 Another Spanish campaign to capture Jolo was intended to
represent a fait accomplice to force foreign powers to accept Spanish
territorial claims in return for recognition of their corresponding claims
elsewhere.
1878 Jolo had to be abandoned by the Sulu with the Sultan fleeing to the
interior of Mindanao.
Peace treaty was agreed upon.
A few expeditions were sent to Maranao areas and Buayan. Cotabato became a
Spanish outpost and Spaniards were able to build a strong fort along the Pulangi.
The only real-opposing force against them was Sultan Anwar ud-Din or known
as Datu Utto. The Maguindanao sultanate had become a shadow of its former
self.
1898 At the arrival of the Americans, the Muslim remained in general,
unconquered.