History of the Philippines: Difference between revisions

 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzones Luzones], aristocrats and merchants from the kingdoms of Luzon, were heavily involved in trade and politics across the region. They participated in a [[Erawa|Burmese]] war against [[Siam]] and established commercial relations with the freshly conquered Portuguese stronghold of Malacca.

 

==== The exploratory period (1521-1565) ====

In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the area, claiming the islands for [[Spain]] and beginning the three century-long colonial era. Magellan was killed the same year in the Battle of Mactan and was subsequently betrayed by Raja [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Humabon Humabon] of Cebu. After many failed expeditions, noted explorer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Villalobos Villalobos] was successful in 1543. For the next two decades, the Spanish would spend their time preparing masses of soldiers and missionaries in order to conquer the Philippine islands.

 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_L%C3%B3pez_de_Legazpi Miguel López de Legazpi] arrived from Mexico in 1565, establishing the first Spanish settlement in the modern-day Philippines. By 1571, the Spanish had defeated the monarch of Manilla, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Sulayman Raja Suleiman III], and other local kings in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bangkusay Battle of Bangkusay]. Three years later, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captaincy_General_of_the_Philippines Captaincy-General] was formed with its capital in Manilla as a subordinate of New Spain, which would govern Spain's colonial possessions in the area for centuries. The Spanish began to invade several local states by employing the principle of divide and conquer, bringing most of what is now the Philippines into a more or less unified administration. Disparate barangays were deliberately consolidated into towns, where Catholic missionaries were able to convert the inhabitants. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_galleon Manilla Galleons] began, conducting consistent trade between the Americas and the Philippines. Several [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limahong pirate raids] and local insurgencies against the Spanish plagued the colonial government.

 

===== The Chinese and Japanese =====

 

During this period, five major revolts were put down by the Spanish. Numerous wars against the Moros, other Europeans, and pirates weakened the colonial administration and placed financial strain upon the Captaincy.