The Mexican Miguel Lopez de Legazpi

According to ancient and modern cosmographers, that part of the world called Asia has adjacent to it a multitude of greater and lesser islands, inhabited by various nations and peoples, and as rich in precious stones, gold, silver, and other minerals, as they abound in fruit and grain, flocks, and animals. Some

of the islands yield all kinds of spices which are carried away and distributed throughout the world. These islands are commonly designated in their books, descriptions, and sea-charts, as the great archipelago of San Lazaro, and are located in the eastern ocean.

Among the most famous of them are the islands of:

• Maluco
• Céleves
• Tendaya
• Luzon
• Mindanao
• Borneo

These are now called the Filipinas.

Pope Alexander 6th divided the conquests of the new world between the kings of Castilla and of Portugal.

The kings agreed to make the division by means of a line drawn across the world by the cosmographers, so that they might continue their discoveries and conquests, one toward the west and the other toward the east, and pacify whatever regions each might gain within his own demarcation.

After the crown of Portugal had conquered the city of Malaca, on the mainland of Asia, in the kingdom of Johore—called by the ancients Aurea Chersonesus.

a Portuguese fleet, in 1511, on hearing of neighboring islands and especially of those of Maluco and Banda, where cloves and nutmegs are gathered, went to discover them.

After touching at Banda, they went to Terrenate, one of the islands of Maluco, at the invitation of its king, to defend him against his neighbor, the king of Tidore, with whom he was at war.

This was the beginning of the Portuguese settlement in Maluco.

After this discovery, Francisco Serrano, returned to Malaca. From there, he went to India en route to Portugal to give an account of the discovery.

But he died before accomplishing this.

But before he died, he wrote to his friend, Fernando de Magallanes, about what he had seen [9].

They had been together at the taking of Malaca, although Magellan was then in Portugal.

From this relation, Magallanes learned whatever was necessary for the discovery and navigation of these islands. [10]

At this time, he had entered the service of the king of Castilla. He told the emperor Cárlos V, our sovereign, that the islands of Maluco fell within the demarcation of the latter’s crown of Castilla, and that their conquest belonged to him, according to the concessions made by Pope Alexander.

Magellan offered to make the expedition and navigation to the islands in the emperor’s name, by sailing through that part of the demarcation belonging to Castilla, and by availing himself of a famous astrologer and cosmographer, named Ruyfarelo [sic], whom he had with him.

The emperor, moved by the importance of the undertaking, entrusted Fernando de Magallanes with this expedition and discovery.

Thus equipped, he set sail and discovered the strait to which he gave his name.

Through this, he entered the southern sea, and sailed to the islands of Tendaya and Cebu, where he was killed by the natives of Mactan.

His ships proceeded to Maluco, where the sailors fell into disputes and contentions with the Portuguese then stationed in the island of Terrenate.

Finally, the Castilians left Maluco in a ship, the “Victoria,” the only remaining vessel of their fleet.

As leader and captain, they chose Juan Sebastian del Caño, who made the voyage to Castilla by way of India, where he arrived with but few men, and informed his Majesty of the discovery of the great archipelago, and of his voyage.

The same enterprise was attempted at other times, and was carried out by:

• Juan Sebastian del Caño
• Comendador Loaisa
• the Saoneses
• the bishop of Plasencia. [11]

But these did not bear the fruits expected, on account of the hardships and perils of so long a voyage, and the opposition received by those who reached Maluco, from the Portuguese there.

They resolved to go quicker by way of Nueva España. And so in 1545 [12], a fleet, under Rui Lopez de Villalobos, was sent by that route.

They reached Maluco by way of Sebu, where they quarreled with the Portuguese, and suffered misfortunes and hardships, so that they were unable to effect the desired end.

The fleet could not return to Nueva España but was destroyed.

Some of the surviving Castilians left Maluco by way of Portuguese India and returned to Castilla.

There they related the occurrences of their voyage, and the quality and nature of the islands of Maluco and of the other islands that they had seen.

Afterward as King Don Felipe II, our sovereign, considered it inadvisable for him to desist from that same enterprise.

He was informed by:

• Don Luis de Velasco, viceroy of Nueva España
• Fray Andres de Urdaneta of the Augustinian order
  • He had been in Maluco with the fleet of Comendador Loaisa as a layman

They advised him that this voyage might be made better and quicker by way of Nueva Españia, he entrusted the expedition to the viceroy.

Fray Andres de Urdaneta left the court for Nueva Españia, [13] for, as he was so experienced and excellent a cosmographer, he offered to go with the fleet and to discover the return voyage.

The viceroy equipped a fleet and its crew with the most necessary things in Puerto de la Navidad, in the southern sea, under a reliable man, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. He was a citizen of Mexico and a native of the province of Guipuzcoa.

On account of the viceroy’s death, the Audiencia which was governing in his place completed arrangements for the despatching of Legazpi. He gave him instructions as to his destination, with orders not to open them until 300 leguas at sea.

For there were differences among members of the fleet:

• some saying that they would better go to Nueva Guinea
• others to the Luzones
• others to Maluco.

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi left Puerto de la Navidad in 1564 with 5 ships and 500 men. He was accompanied by Fray Andres de Urdaneta and 4 other religious of the Order of St. Augustine.

After sailing westward for several days, he opened his instructions. He was ordered to:

• go to Luzon and pacify them and reduce them to the obedience of his Majesty
• make them accept the holy Catholic faith. [14]

He continued his voyage until reaching the island of Sebu, where he anchored, induced by the convenience of a good port and by the nature of the land.

At first he was received peacefully by the natives and by their chief Tupas.

But later they tried to kill him and his companions, for the Spaniards having seized their provisions, the natives took up arms against the latter; but the opposite to their expectations occurred, for the Spaniards conquered and subdued them.

Seeing what had happened in Sebu, the natives of other neighboring islands came peacefully before the adelantado, rendered him homage, and supplied his camp with a few provisions.

The first of the Spanish settlements was made in that port, and was called the city of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus [Most holy name of Jesus], [15] because a carved image of Jesus had been found in one of the houses of the natives when the Spaniards conquered the latter, which was believed to have been left there by the fleet of Magallanes.

The natives held the image in great reverence, and it wrought miracles for them in times of need. The Spaniards placed it in the monastery of St. Augustine, in that city.

That same year the adelantado despatched the flagship of his fleet to Nueva España, with the relation and news of what had happened during the voyage, and of the settlement in Sebu.

He requested men and supplies in order to continue the pacification of the other islands. Fray Andres de Urdaneta and his associate, Fray Andres de Aguirre, sailed in the vessel.

One of the ships which left Puerto de la Navidad in company with the fleet and under command of Don Alonso de Arellano, carried as pilot one Lope Martin, a mulatto and a good sailor, although a turbulent fellow.

When the ship neared the islands, it left the fleet and went among them ahead of the other vessels.

There they bartered for provisions, and, without awaiting the adelantado, returned to Nueva España by a northerly course—either because of their slight gratification at having made the voyage to the islands, or to gain the reward for having discovered the return passage.

They soon arrived and declared that they had seen the islands and discovered the return voyage. They alleged various reasons for their coming, but brought no message from the adelantado, or news of what had happened to him.

Don Alonso de Arellano was well received by the Audiencia which was governing, where the rewarding of him and his pilot was considered. This would have been done, had not the adelantado’s flagship arrived during this time, after having made the same voyage.

It brought an authentic account of events, of the actual state of affairs, and of the settlement of Sebu.

Moreover, they related that Don Alonso de Arellano, without receiving any orders, and without any necessity for it, had preceded the fleet with his ship at the entrance of the islands, and was seen no more.

They said also that, besides those islands which had peacefully submitted to his Majesty, there were many others, large and rich, well-inhabited, and abounding in food and gold.

They hoped to pacify and reduce those islands with the reënforcements requested. They said that the adelantado had named all the islands Filipinas, [16] in honor of his Majesty. Reënforcements were immediately sent to the adelantado, and have been sent every year, as necessity has demanded, so that the land has been conquered and maintained.

The adelantado heard that there were other islands near Sebu, abounding in provisions, and accordingly sent some Spaniards thither to reduce the natives to peace, and bring back rice for the camp.

Thus he relieved his necessity and maintained himself as well as possible until, having gone to the island of Panay, he sent Martin de Goiti, his master-of-camp, and other captains thence to Luzon.

Under the guidance of a native chief of Luzon, called Maomat, to try to pacify it and reduce it to the obedience of his Majesty.

When they reached Manila bay, they found its settlement on the seashore, near a large river, and under the rule and protection of a chief called Rajamora.

Opposite, on the other side of the river, was another large settlement named Tondo, which was likewise held by another chief named Rajamatanda. [17]

These settlements were fortified with palm-trees and stout arigues [18] filled in with earth, and very many bronze culverins and other pieces of larger bore.

Martin de Goiti demanded submission from the chiefs and their people. He found it necessary to fight them.

The Spaniards entered the land by force of arms, and took it, together with the forts and artillery, on the day of St. Potenciana, May 19, 1571. [19]

Upon this the natives and their chiefs made peace and rendered homage. Many others of the same island of Luzon did the same. [20]

When the news of the taking of Manila and of the Spanish settlement there reached Panay, Adelantado Legazpi set in order the affairs of Sebu and other islands which he had subdued, entrusted their natives to the most reliable soldiers, and having taken the most necessary precautions for the government of those provinces, which are commonly called Bicayas de los Pintados, [21] because the natives of them have all their bodies marked with fire, went to Manila with the remainder of his men.

He was well received there, and established afresh with the natives and their chiefs the peace, alliance, and homage, which had been given.

On the very site of Manila, of which Rajamora made a donation to the Spaniards for their settlement, the adelantado founded his town and colony, on account of its strength and its situation in a well-provisioned district, and in the midst of all the other islands.

He left it its name of Manila which it had received from the natives. [22]

Taking sufficient land for the city, the governor established therein his seat and residence, and fortified it with special care.

He paid more attention to the above, in order to make this new settlement the seat of government, than to the temperature, and width of the site, which is hot and narrow from having the river on one side of the city and the bay on the other, while at the back are to be found large swamps and marshes, which make the place very strong.

From this post he continued to prosecute the pacification of the other provinces of this great island of Luzon and of surrounding districts.

Some submitted voluntarily. Others were conquered by force of arms or by the efforts of the religious, who have sown the good seed of the holy gospel therein.

Various of them have labored valiantly in this, not only in the time and administration of Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, but also in that of the governors that have succeeded him.

The land was apportioned among its conquerors and colonizers.

The capitals of provinces, the ports, and the settlements of cities and towns which had been founded, and other special encomiendas, were assigned to the royal crown, for the necessities that arise and the expenses of the royal exchequer.

The affairs of government and the conversion of the natives were treated as was necessary.

Ships were provided for the annual voyage to Nueva España, which return with the usual supplies. Thus the condition of the Filipinas Islands has reached its present known height in both spiritual and temporal matters.

Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi discovered the islands, colonized them, and made a good beginning in the work of pacification and subjugation.

He founded the city of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus in the provinces of Pintados, and then the city of Manila in the island of Luzon.

In this island he conquered the province of Ylocos, in whose settlement and port called Vigan, he founded a Spanish colony, to which he gave the name of Villa Fernandina. [23]

He also pacified the province of Pangasinan and the island of Mindoro, fixed the amount of tribute that the natives were to pay throughout the islands, [24] and made many ordinances concerning their government and conversion, until his death in the year 1574, at Manila, where his body was buried in the monastery of St. Augustine. [25]

At his death, there was found among his papers a sealed despatch from the Audiencia of Mexico, which was governing when the fleet left Nueva Españia, appointing a successor to the government, in case of the death of the adelantado.

By virtue of this despatch, Guido de Labazarris, formerly a royal official, took the office and was obeyed. He continued the conversion and pacification of the islands with great wisdom, valor, and system, and governed them.

During his term the pirate Limahon came from China, and attacked Manila with a fleet of 70 large war-ships and many soldiers.

He entered the city, and, after killing the master-of-camp, Martin de Goiti, with other Spaniards who were at his house, marched against the fort, in which the Spaniards, who were but few, had taken refuge, with the intention of seizing and subjecting the country.

The Spaniards, reinforced from Vigan by Captain Joan de Salzedo and his soldiers—for Salzedo saw this pirate pass his coasts, and brought the reinforcement to Manila—defended themselves so bravely that, after having killed many of Limahon’s men, they forced him to reembark, to leave the bay in flight, and to take refuge in Pangasinan River. The Spaniards went thither in search of him and burned his fleet. [26]

For many days they besieged this pirate on land, but he, taking flight in small boats that he made there secretly, put to sea and abandoned the islands.

During the government of this same Guido de Labazarris, trade and commerce were established between Great China and Manila.

Merchant ships came every year and the governor received them kindly, and as a consequence commerce has been growing ever since.

This same governor apportioned all the pacified land in the island of Luzon and surrounding islands, to the conquerors and settlers there.

He assigned to himself the towns of Betis and Lubao in the province of Pampanga, besides others of some importance.

The succeeding government dispossessed him of these towns; but afterward his Majesty, on account of his good services, granted them all to him, and he enjoyed them, together with the office of master-of-camp of the islands, as long as he lived.

The administration of Doctor Francisco de Sande, and the events of the Filipinas Islands during his term.