The Lao Fight the Spanish in Cambodia
September 22, 2024 3 minutes • 589 words
Ocuña de Chu was now called manbaray, the highest title in the kingdom. He tried to revolt.
- He was aided by one of the Malay chiefs called Cancona.
The king told me that manbaray was trying to kill him and set me against him.
The mambaray was the actual ruler of the kingdom.
The king was young and addicted to wine. He held the latter in little esteem and considered himself as king.
I, aided by Spaniards, killed mambaray, his sons, Cancona.
Then we returned to the war.
Then 6,000 Lao men arrived under the leadership of one of their king’s relatives.*
Maharlikanism Note
They killed a Spaniard with but slight pretext.
We asked the king for justice and he ordered his mandarins to judge the case.
Meanwhile we sent for the Japanese who were at war in another region to take vengeance for us if justice were not done.
The Lao attacked our quarters at night and killed the father and several Spaniards who had accompanied him and who were sick.
They also killed some Japanese, for their anger was directed against all.
The rest of us escaped and took refuge on the Japanese vessel, where we defended ourselves until the arrival of the Japanese.
The Lao made a fort and strengthened themselves therein.
The Lao would not agree to any act by the King.
The king was very angry for:
- the deaths that the Lao had caused
- their disrespect
The Cambojan king refused to give us forces to attack the Lao.
At this juncture a ship was despatched on an embassy to Malaca in which we wished to embark, but neither the king nor his mothers would allow Diego Belloso or me to leave.
Some of the Spaniards embarked in it, some returned to Sian, and others remained with us.
The king from that time on made us more presents than ever.
The Japanese gathered in their ship, and refused to continue the war.
The king requested the Laos to go to war against Chupinanon, the eldest son of the usurper.
They went, lost the first battle, and returned completely routed, leaving many dead and wounded on the field.
Chupinanon followed up the victory and came within sight of the king’s residence, only a river separating them.
The king then abandoned the Lao and persuaded us and the Japanese to take up arms again and defend him.
We reëquipped relieved a fortress which Chupinanon was besieging.
We won 2 battles and forced him to withdraw.
We captured a quantity of rice and provisions from the enemy—with which the king’s forces recuperated themselves, for they were suffering famine—and we went into quarters.
This we did, I, the Spaniards, and the Japanese who were on my side.
Diego Belloso and his men went to Tele, killed its king, and returned after having conquered part of the province.
At this time a Portuguese ship arrived from Macao, [103] laden with merchandise.
The Lao then feared us and went back to Lao.
Went asked the king to punish them unless he wished to break friendship with Luzon and Malaca.
He replied that he did not dare detain them, but that if we wished to pursue and dared to fight them, he would secretly give us men.
We all negotiated for ten praus, and followed them.
I overtook many of the Laos, and seized their praus and possessions, from which we all received compensation and gained still more in reputation.
