| Battle of Bankusay Channel | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kapampangan natives of Hagonoy and Macabebe | Explorers in the service of Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Torik Sulayman or Rajah Sulayman (Conflicting accounts) | Miguel López de Legazpi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 40 caracoas (warships),"more than 200 warriors" | 27 vessels, 280 Spaniards, 600 native allies | ||||||
The Battle of Bankusay on June 3, 1571 marked the last resistance to the occupation of Manila by the Spaniards, led by Miguel López de Legazpi. The chief of Macabebe, refusing to ally with the Spanish as Raja Lakandula had done, decided to mount an attack at Bankusay Channel. His forces were defeated, and he himself was killed. The Spanish victory at Bankusay and Legaspi's friendship with Rajah Lakandula, enabled the Spaniards to establish themselves throughout the city and its neighboring towns.
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Governor-General Miguel López de Legazpi, searching for a suitable place to establish his capital after being compelled to move from Cebu to Panay by Portuguese pirates, and hearing of the existence of a prosperous sultanate in Luzon, sent an expedition under Marshall Martin de Goiti and Captain Juan de Salcedo to discover its location and potentials. De Goiti anchored at Cavite, and tried to establish his authority peaceably by sending a message of friendship to Maynila. Rajah Sulayman, then its ruler, was willing to accept the friendship that the Spaniards were offering, but did not want to submit to its sovereignty unto them and waged war against them.[1] As a result, De Goiti and his army attacked Maynila on June 1570. After a stout fight, he captured the city before returning to Panay.
In 1571, the Spaniards returned, this time led by Legazpi himself along with his entire force (consisting of 280 Spaniards and 600 native allies). Seeing them approach, the natives set the city on fire and fled to Tondo and neighboring towns. The Spaniards occupied the ruins of Maynila and established a settlement there. On June 3, 1571, Legaspi gave the title city to the colony of Manila.[2] The title was certified on June 19, 1572.[2] Under Spain, Manila became the colonial entrepot in the Far East. The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade between the Philippines and Mexico flourished from the years 1571-1815.
Because of the Spanish presence in the area, the Chinese people, who were living in the area and engaging in free trade relations with the natives, were subjected to commercial restrictions as well as laws requiring them to pay tribute to Spanish authorities. As a result, the Chinese revolted against the Spaniards in 1574, when a force of 3,000 men and 62 Chinese warships under the command of Limahong attacked the city. The said attempt was fruitless, and the Chinese were defeated. In order to safeguard the city from similar uprisings later, the Spanish authorities confined the Chinese residents and merchants to a separate district called Parian de Alcaceria.
On June 19, 1591, after the commencing the construction of the fort there, Legazpi made overtures of friendship of Rajah Lakandula of Tondo, which was prudently accepted. However, Rajah Sulayman refused to submit to the Spaniards and gathered together a force composed of Kapampangan warriors after failing to get the support of Lakandula and that of the chieftains of Hagonoy and Macabebe.
On June 3, 1571[3], Sulayman led his troops and attacked the Spaniards in a decisive battle at the town of Bangkusay, but they were defeated, and Sulayman himself was killed. With the destruction of Sulayman's army and the friendship with Rajah Lakandula, the Spaniards were enabled to establish throughout the city and its neighboring towns.