Prepared by Steffi Lamalan 3rd year

BEED- Generalist

THE LEGAZPI EXPEDITION

Who is Miguel Lopez de Legazpi?

Miguel López de Legazpi also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo (The Elder), was a Basque-Spanish navigator and governor who established the first Spanish settlement in the East Indies when his expedition crossed the Pacific Ocean from the Viceroyalty of New Spain in modern-day Mexico, arrived in Cebu of the Philippine Islands, 1565.

He was the first Governor-General of Spanish East Indies which included the Philippines and other Pacific archipelagos, namely Guam and the Marianas Islands. After obtaining peace with various indigenous nations and kingdoms, Miguel López de Legazpi made Manila the capital of the Spanish East Indies in 1571. The capital of the province of Albay in the Philippines, Legazpi City bears his name.

In 1564, López de Legazpi was commissioned by the viceroy, Luis de Velasco, to lead an expedition in the Pacific Ocean, to find the Spice Islands where the earlier explorers Ferdinand Magellan and Ruy López de Villalobos had landed in 1521 and 1543, respectively.

The expedition was ordered by King Philip II of Spain, after whom the Philippines had earlier been named by Ruy López de Villalobos. The viceroy died in July 1564, but the Audiencia and López de Legazpi completed the preparations for the expedition.

On November 19 or 20, 1564, five ships and 500 soldiers, sailed from the port of Barra de Navidad, New Spain, in what is now Jalisco state, Mexico (other sources give the date as November 1, 1564, and mention 'four ships and 380 men').

Members of the expedition included six Augustinian missionaries, in addition to Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta, who served as navigator and spiritual adviser,[2] Melchor de Legazpi (son of Adelanto de Legazpi), Felipe de Salcedo (grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi), and Guido de Lavezarez (a survivor of the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan).

López de Legazpi and his men sailed the Pacific Ocean for 93 days. In 1565, they landed in the Mariana Is-

lands, where they briefly anchored and replenished their supplies. There they fought with

Chamorro tribes and burned several huts.

ARRIVAL IN THE

PHILIPPINES

A chief of Bohol island, named Catuna gave information to Miguel Lopez of Sebu and, accompanied Lopez as a guide.

López de Legazpi's expedition anchored off the Indianized Rajahnate of Cebu on February 13, 1565, but did not put ashore due to opposition from natives.

On February 22, 1565 the expedition reached the island of Samar and made a blood compact with Datu Urrao.

The Spaniards then proceeded to Limasawa and were received by Datu Bankaw, then to Bohol, where they befriended Datu Sikatuna (or Catunao) and Rajah Sigala. On March 16, Legazpi made a blood compact with Datu Sikatuna.

On April 27, 1565, the expedition returned to Cebu and landed there. Rajah Tupas challenged the Spaniards, but were overpowered by them. The Spaniards established a colony, naming the settlements "Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesús" (City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) after an image of Sto. Niño in one of the native houses.

In 1569, due to scarcity of food provisions in Cebu, Legazpi transferred to Panay where they were peacefully welcomed by the people in the Kedatuan of Madja-as and they founded a second settlement on the bank of the Panay River.

In 1570, having heard of the rich resources in Luzon, Legazpi dispatched Martín de Goiti to explore the northern region. Landing in Batangas with a force of 120 Spaniards and 600 Visayans from Cebu and Panay islands, de Goiti explored the Pansipit River, which drains Taal Lake.

On May 8, they arrived in Manila Bay. There, they were welcomed by the natives. Goiti's soldiers camped there for a few weeks, while forming an alliance with the Muslim leader, Tariq Suleiman, who was a vassal under the Sultan of Brunei. Legazpi wanted to use Manila's harbor as a base for trade with China, but Sulayman refused.

On May 24, 1570, after disputes and hostility had erupted between the two groups, the Spaniards occupied the Islamized states of Tondo and Manila using scores of colonized Cebuanos and mercenary Illongos as the bulk of the Spanish army, those same Visayans having been at war with those Islamic states even before the Spaniards arrived.

In the same year, more reinforcements arrived in the Philippines, prompting López de Legazpi to leave Cebu to Panay and then to Luzon.

He recruited 250 Spanish soldiers and 600 na-tive warriors to explore the regions of Leyte and Panay. The following year he followed Goiti and Salcedo to Manila, after hearing the villages had been conquered.

During the early phase of the exploration of the northern part of the Philippines López de Legazpi had remained in Cebu, and had not accompa-nied his men during their colonization of Manila, because of health problems and advanced age.

In Manila, López de Legazpi formed a peace pact with the native councils as well as the local rulers, Tariq Suleiman and Lakan Dula. Both groups agreed to organize a city council, consisting of two mayors, twelve councilors and a secretary.

López de Legazpi established a settlement there on June 24, 1571 and he also ordered the construction of the walled city of Intramuros. He proclaimed the town as the island's capital, and the seat of the Spanish government in the East Indies.

LAST YEARS López de Legazpi governed the

Philippines for a year before dying suddenly in Manila on August 20, 1572. He died poor and bankrupt, leaving a few pesos behind[quantify], due to having spent most of his personal fortune during the conquest. He was laid to rest in San Agustin Church, Intramuros.

By the time of López de Legazpi's death, the parts of the Visayas had passed to Spanish rule. The Spanish met strong resistance from Muslim sultanates on the island of Mindanao, the Zambal tribes of Zambales, and the Igorot of the Cordilleran mountains, as well as some Wokou pirates from China and Japan.[

SIGNIFICANCE OF LEGAZPI’S EXPEDITION

Legazpi proved that by utilizing the friendly nature of the Filipinos, there is no need for much arms and battles to pacify the archipelago.

The archipelagic nature of the Philippines is another one.

In addition, Filipino’s technical know-how in the art of warfare seems to be no match to Spanish superiority in terms of arms and art of warfare.

The church through the different religious orders played a very important role in the period of pacification from 1565 to 1606.

The purpose of the Spanish colonization can be summarized by the 3G’s. God Gold Glory

Church Fort Houses for the inhabitants

Legazpi established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu, which was given the name San Miguel.

Later on, the name was changed to city of the most holy name of Jesus.

The settlement in Cebu was transferred to Panay.

BUREAUCRACY IN THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS

The Governor-General

The Governor-General was the head of the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines.

Chief executive and the commander in chief of the army.

Also has the power to make laws.