Battle of Bankusay Channel

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Bankusay Channel
partof=
date=June 03, 1571
place=Bangkusay Channel in Tondo, Manila, Philippines
result= Spanish victory, death of Tarik Sulayman
combatant1=Visayan natives of Hagonoy and Macabebe
combatant2=Explorers in the service of Spain
commander1=Torik Sulayman or Rajah Sulayman (Conflicting accounts)
commander2=Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
strength1=27 vessels, 280 Spaniards, 600 native allies
strength2=40 caracoas (warships),"more than 200 warriors"
casualties1=
casualties2=

The Battle of Bankusay in June 03, 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.

Context

: "Main Article" Manila #pre-colonial era)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 Portugese 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 Maynilad. 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. [ [http://www.filipiniana.net/read_content.jsp?filename=BR2000000027&page=105&epage=105 Filipiniana: Act of Taking Possession of Luzon by Martin de Goiti] . Accessed September 06, 2008.] As a result, De Goiti and his army attacked Maynilad 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 ancient Tondo and neighboring towns. The Spaniards occupied the ruins of Maynilad and established a settlement there. On June 3, 1571, Legaspi gave the title "city" to the colony of Manila.Harvnb|Blair|1911|pp= [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=philamer;cc=philamer;q1=blair;op2=and;op3=and;rgn=works;rgn1=author;rgn2=title;rgn3=title;idno=AFK2830.0001.003;didno=AFK2830.0001.003;view=image;seq=00000171 173-174] ] The title was certified on June 19, 1572. 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 Tagalog warriors after failing to get the support of Lakandula and that of the chieftains of Hagonoy and Macabebe.

The Battle

On June 03, 1571 [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/philippines/manila/history History of Manila] . Accessed September 08, 2008.] , 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.

ources

Additional Reading

*cite web | last = Piedad-Pugay | first = Chris Antonette | authorlink = Chris Antonette Piedad-Pugay | title = The Battle of Bangkusay: A Paradigm of Defiance against Colonial Conquest | work = National Historical Institute Website | publisher = National Historical Institute | date = 06 June 2008 | url = http://www.nhi.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145&Itemid=2 | format = html | doi = | accessdate =
*Citation | last = Tantingco | first = Robby | author-link = | title = First Filipino martyr for freedom | newspaper = Sun Star Pampanga | pages = | year = 2006 | date = October 24, 2006 | url = http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pam/2006/10/24/oped/robby.tantingco.peanut.gallery.html
*cite book|last= San Agustin |first= Gaspar de |authorlink= Gaspar de San Agustin |others=Translated by Luis Antonio Mañeru |title= Conquistas de las Islas Philipinas 1565-1615 |edition= 1st bilingual ed [Spanish and English] |publisher=Pedro Galende, OSA |location= Intramuros, Manila, 1998 |language= Bilingual (Spanish and English)