The Empire Strikes Back!
DATELINE: 1540: Majarajah Mahmud secured the aid of Majarajah Hayam Wuruk of the Majapahit Empire (Indonesia) who sent Lakandula (Admiral) Gajahmada with an armada of Dutch (The Dutch Established the East Indies Company in Indonesia) warships. The Portuguese were defeated. But in a short time the Portuguese sent their own armada and destroyed the Dutch and Majapahit fleet and proceeded to pursue the Majarajah Mahmud to Limasawa. The island kingdom of Rajah Kolambu was unprepared and was wiped out and burned to the ground.
DATELINE:
1542: The fourth Spanish expedition headed by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos landed in Leyte and named the place Las Islas de Filipinas. He then sailed to Limasawa re-tracing the Magellan route but found the island sparsely populated and just the burnt remnants of the Rajah's palace and evidence of Portuguese attack.
WOMEN MUSICIANS OF LIMASAWA
DATELINE:
1565: Spanish King Philip II appointed Miguel Lopez de Legaspi to govern the Philippine Islands and its shipping lines. Legaspi not forgetting what Lapu-Lapu did to Magellan, raided Bohol Island in search for Lapu-Lapu's son Datu Dagami to avenge the deaths of the Magellan crew.This sent the Datu and his people fleeing to Leyte and settling in Biliran, Lapu-Lapu's abode. Legaspi made friends with Sultan Sikatuna of Bohol.
DATELINE:
1600: The last warring kingdoms of Datu Huraw (Kanhuraw) and Datu Kabatuk (Kankabatok) in Takarunga ended with the inter-mediation of the Spaniards.
THE LAST OF THE RATUS (QUEENS) AND DAYAMS (PRINCESSES) OF LEYTE
DATELINE:
1600-1896: Tacloban was under full Spanish control with a few revolts by Sultan Bancao which was stopped only after the Alcalde-Mayor of Cebu sent 40 ships. This is also the period when the island, then called Ilya-Iti was changed into Leyte. Cultures and civilizations were transformed to suit the Spaniards.
The Doñas of Tacloban
A PICTURE OF A WOMAN AND CHILD WAS DATED 1896, IT MAY HAVE BEEN YOUR GREAT-GRAND MOTHER AND GRAND MOTHER
DATELINE:
1896: Start of the war of Philippine independence.
CAPTURED SPANISH SOLDIERS IN TACLOBAN DURING THE WAR
Tacloban became under the leadership of Gen. Vicente Lukban and Gen. Ambrosio Mojica of the Philippine Revolutionary Army.
FILIPINO REVOLUTIONARY ARMY OF GEN. MOJICA IN TACLOBAN
AFTER THE BREAKDOWN OF TALKS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND FILIPINOS, THE PHILILIPPINE ARMY PREPARES FOR WAR.
DATELINE:
January 1900: U.S. Gen. William Kobbe demanded the surrender of Gen. Mojica. Mojica refused the American demand and went to war. After 2 days of fierce fighting, outgunned and outnumbered and without Gen. Lukban's aid (who was in Samar) Gen. Mojica had to retreat to the inlands and give up Tacloban.
U.S. ARMY HAD A HARD TIME BEATING THE FILIPINOS
BUT THE INEXPERIENCED FILIPINOS WERE NO MATCH TO THE U.S. CAVALRY WAR HARDENED CUBAN VETERANS.
DATELINE:
May, 1901: Gen. Mojica surrendered and was followed by Col. Florentino Piñaranda and Capt. Jesus de Veyra who later became the chief of police of Tacloban.DATELINE:
1902: The official end of hostilities of the U.S. Government and the remnants of the Philippine Revolutionary Government troopers. Although a group called the PULAHAN (because of their red uniforms and capes) with their DIOS-DIOS members continued to fight under brothers Juan and Filepe Tamayo and "Papa" Faustino Ablen called the PULAHAN WARS. The battles were concentrated mostly in Jaro, (perhaps the origin of "Goodbye Jaro"?). The bandidos or landrones as the Americans called these brave warriors ended their struggle 5 years later. Capt. Jesus de Veyra's brother Jaime de Veyra became the first Filipino governor of Leyte under the U.S. Government.