Raid of Visayas

Last updated
Raid of Visayas (1599–1600)
Part of Spanish–Moro conflict
Date1599–1600
Location
Result First raid: Maguindanao victory
Second raid: Spanish victory
Belligerents
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Flag of Maguindanao.svg Sultanate of Maguindanao
Sultanate of Buayan
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Juan Garcia de SierraFlag of Maguindanao.svg Datu Sali
Datu Silongan
Strength
First raid:
Unknown
Second raid:
70 men
First raid:
3,000 men
50 caracoas
Second raid:
4,000 men
70 caracoas
Casualties and losses
Many killed
All ships in river burned
800 captured
Unknown

The raids of Visayas took place in 1599 and 1600. The allied Moro fleets of Maguindanao, Buayan and Sulu conducted two raids on the Spanish-held islands of Visayas.

Contents

Background

After the unsuccessful Mindanao expedition in 1596, Juan Ronquillo was sent to Mindanao to lead the Spanish camp. He engaged in battles against the Mindanaons, who had allied with the Ternateans, and managed to defeat the Moro army. Encouraged by this victory, the council of war instructed Juan to inflict as much damage as possible. However, Juan disagreed and refused to abandon his camp.

Around the same time, Sulu had already submitted to the Spanish in 1598, and 30 soldiers were sent there for supplies. One of the Mindanao chiefs, the brother-in-law of the Sulu sultan, attacked and killed 13 Spanish soldiers. In response, an expedition of 600 men led by Juan Pacheco was launched to punish the Sulus, but they were repelled, resulting in a loss of 30 soldiers, including Pacheco. [1]

In 1599, news arrived that English ships had been sighted in Java and Ternate, with 400 men on board. The Spanish council of war decided to withdraw their fort in La Caldera to prevent the English from capturing it. [2] However, the Spanish governor, Francisco de Tello de Guzmán, held a council to discuss the fate of the fort. Despite the audience advising against withdrawal, the governor ordered the garrison of La Caldera to burn the fort and retreated. [3]

Raid of 1599

After the Spanish had withdrawn from Mindanao, in July 1599, the Mindanao Moros assembled a fleet of 50 caracoas carrying 3,000 men armed with arquebuses, swords, and shields. They set sail towards the Oton and Panay islands, passing the Negros islands and arrived at the Panay River. Five leagues away from the chief settlement, where the Alcalde mayor and some Spanish were residing, they landed and proceeded to sack the settlement.

Houses and churches were burned, and numerous native Christians, including men, women, and children, were taken captive. The attackers pursued their victims more than 10 leagues up the river, destroying all the crops in the process. Additionally, the Spanish vessels on the river were set on fire, and the Moros departed with captured goods and prisoners, including 800 individuals.

Similar raids were carried out on other islands and towns they encountered, such as Cebu and Negros. Afterward, the Moros returned to Mindanao with their spoils, consisting of goods, gold, and captives. [4] [5] [6]

Raid of 1600

The Mindanao and Sulu forces returned with a formidable fleet of 70 well-equipped ships and 4,000 men. Led by the same commanders and some Sulu Chiefs, their objective was to capture and sack the Spanish town of Arevalo, which was under the governance of Captain Juan Garcia de Sierra, the Alcalde Mayor of the province.

Upon receiving news of the advancing Moro fleet, Captain Juan Garcia de Sierra gathered the Spanish residents in the town, secured the area, and repaired the wooden fort. Alongside 70 men, Juan awaited the enemy's arrival.

The Moros landed near the settlement with a force of 1,500 men and advanced towards the town. The Spanish forces divided into troops, launched a counterattack, and opened fire on the enemy, forcing them to retreat. This successful defense caused confusion among the Moro ranks. As a result, the Moros suffered heavy losses and decided to halt at Guimaras before eventually returning to Mindanao. [7] [5]

Aftermath

The attack by the Mindanao Moros inflicted significant damage on the Visayas islands. The Spanish authorities kept the natives subjugated, paying tributes, and disarmed. The Spanish neither protected them from the Moros nor allowed them to defend themselves. As a result, many natives revolted, seeking refuge in the mountains and refusing to return to their homes. However, the Spanish managed to appease them with promises and gifts. [8]

While Manila regretted the injuries caused by the Moro raids, they were ill-equipped to prevent future attacks due to a lack of ships and other resources. The Moro raids on the Visayas islands escalated to the point where they were expected to reach Manila itself, plundering and devastating the area. This prompted an expedition in 1602 that ended in failure. [9]

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulu Archipelago</span> Islands in the Philippines

The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean, in the southwestern Philippines. The archipelago forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea and southern limit of the Sulu Sea. The Sulu Archipelago islands are within the Mindanao island group, consisting of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; hence the archipelago is sometimes referred to as Basulta, derived from the first syllables of the three provinces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military history of the Philippines</span>

The military history of the Philippines is characterized by wars between Philippine kingdoms and its neighbors in the precolonial era and then a period of struggle against colonial powers such as Spain and the United States, occupation by the Empire of Japan during World War II and participation in Asian conflicts post-World War II such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Philippines has also battled a communist insurgency and a secessionist movement by Muslims in the southern portion of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabela, Basilan</span> City in Basilan, Philippines

Isabela, officially the City of Isabela, is a 4th class component city (separate) and de facto capital of the province of Basilan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 130,379 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultanate of Sulu</span> 1405–1915 state in Southeast Asia

The Sultanate of Sulu was a Sunni Muslim state that ruled the Sulu Archipelago, coastal areas of Zamboanga City and certain portions of Palawan in the today's Philippines, alongside parts of present-day Sabah and North Kalimantan in north-eastern Borneo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tausūg people</span> Austronesian ethnic group of the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia

The Tausūg, are an ethnic group of the Philippines and Malaysia. A small population can also be found in the northern part of North Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Tausūg are part of the wider political identity of Muslim Filipinos of western Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago, and southern Palawan, collectively referred to as the Moro people. The Tausugs originally had an independent state known as the Sultanate of Sulu, which once exercised sovereignty over the present day provinces of Basilan, Palawan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga City, eastern part of Sabah and eastern part of North Kalimantan. They are also known in the Malay language as Suluk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jolo</span> Island southwest of the Philippines

Jolo is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has a population of approximately 500,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jolo, Sulu</span> Capital of Sulu province, Philippines

Jolo, officially the Municipality of Jolo, is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Sulu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 137,266 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butig</span> Municipality in Lanao del Sur, Philippines

Butig, officially the Municipality of Butig, is a 6th class municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 22,768 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisco de Tello de Guzmán</span>

Francisco de Tello de Guzmán was Spanish governor of the Philippines from July 14, 1596 to May 1602. He was a knight of the Order of Santiago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Bravo de Acuña</span>

Pedro Bravo de Acuña was a Spanish military officer and colonial official in the New World and the Philippines. From 1602 to 1606 he was the eleventh governor of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Basilan</span>

Basilan is an island province of the Philippines. It is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula. Its capital is Lamitan. Basilan is home to three main ethnic groups, the indigenous Yakans, and the later-arriving Tausugs and Zamboangueños. The Yakans and Tausugs are predomimantly Muslim, while the Chavacanos are mainly Christian. There are also a number of smaller groups.

Sultan Muwallil Wasit, is the 9th Sultan of Sulu and was also known as Rajah Bongsu I. His birth name was Pangiran Shahbandar Maharajalela, and was the youngest son of former Sultan of Brunei Muhammad Hassan. He reigned in Sulu after his uncle, Sultan Batara Shah Tengah died without an heir. He was most likely sent to Sulu to end dynastic troubles there, as he was begot of the marriage of Batara Tengah's Sister, and the Sultan of Brunei. On his coming to Sulu in 1609, he was brought by his father Sultan Muhammad Hassan brought along with his royal symbol's called as "Pulau Janggi" and "Sepong Janggi". This royal symbol was a symbol of brotherhood between the Sultanate of Sulu and the Sultanate of Brunei and as a royal proof that Raja Bongsu-I really belonged to the royal family of Brunei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish expedition to Balanguingui</span> 1848 amphibious campaign

The Balanguingui Expedition of 1848 was an amphibious campaign organized by Governor General Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa to capture Balanguingui Island in the Sulu Archipelago from the Moro Pirates, who were using it as a base for their piratical activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish–Moro conflict</span> Series of battles in the Philippines 1565–1898

The Spanish–Moro conflict was a series of battles in the Philippines lasting several centuries. It began during the Spanish Philippines and lasted until the Spanish–American War, when Spain finally began to subjugate the Moro people after centuries of attempts to do so. Spain ultimately conquered portions of the Mindanao and Jolo islands and turned the Sultanate of Sulu into a protectorate, establishing geographic dominance over the region until the Spanish-American War. Moro resistance continued.

The Spanish occupation of Jolo or Battle of Jolo was a military expedition in the 1630s to pacify the Moro of the Sulu Sultanate. The expedition, personally led by Sebastian de Corcuera, the then Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies was a follow-up expedition to the earlier successful campaigns against the Maguindanao Sultanate under Sultan Qudarat. It was initially successful, partly due to an epidemic within the Sultan Wasit's fort early in the campaign, resulting in the Sulu forces retreating to Tawi-Tawi.

Sultan Batara Shah Tengah was the 8th Sultan of Sulu. He reigned from 1596 to 1608. He was the son of the previous Sultan Muhammad ul-Halim, also known as Pangiran Buddiman.

In 1596, the Spanish army launched an expedition to the island of Mindanao to conquer and pacify it; however, the expedition ended in failure and they were forced to withdraw.

The Sulu Expedition of 1602 was an unsuccessful military campaign by the Spanish Empire to capture the island of Jolo. Launched from the Spanish Philippines to suppress Sulu pirates, the expedition ended in failure.

The Sulu Expedition of 1630 was an unsuccessful military campaign by the Spanish Empire to capture the island of Jolo. Launched from the Spanish Philippines to suppress Sulu pirates, the expedition ended in failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sino-Spanish conflicts</span>

The Sino-Spanish conflicts were a series of conflicts between the Spanish authorities of the Spanish Empire and its Sangley Chinese residents in Spanish Philippines between the 16th and 18th centuries, which led to massacres of the local Sangley Chinese residents due to generalized Anti-Chinese paranoia by the then ruling Spanish governor-generals.

References

  1. Saleeby 1908, p. 276.
  2. Saleeby 1908, p. 277.
  3. Saleeby 1908, pp. 279–80.
  4. Saleeby 1908, p. 280.
  5. 1 2 Department, United States War (1903). Annual Reports of the War Department. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 380.
  6. Hurley, Vic (2010). Swish of the Kris, the Story of the Moros (Authorized and enhanced ed.). Cerberus Books. p. 68. ISBN   978-0-615-38242-5.
  7. Saleeby 1908, pp. 281–2.
  8. Saleeby 1908, p. 281.
  9. Saleeby 1908, p. 283.