SPANISH MORO WARS

By: Cesar Majul

It was a war described by the Spanish colonizers as "guerras piraticas" or a fight

against Moro pirates. By using piracy a reason, the colonizer gave their military depredations
the color of a domestic affair, a fight against evil forces justifiable even within Christian doctrine,
thereby effectively concealing that it was a war against the free sultanates; hence, a colonial
war of aggression. It was a war directed against the Muslim sultanates but affected other
native people of Mindanao. It was a war that made use of thousands of converted colonial
subjects, those misinformed Indios from whose ranks would rise the Filipino nation.

It was a war that made effective use of the Catholic Church and churchmen against
people who refused to be their subjects. There is no space for a detailed account of that event.
But for those who are interested, there is no substitute to the book written by Dr. Cesar Majul,
Muslim in the Philippines. What follows in the summary by Dr. Majul himself and published in
Filipino heritage, Volume 4, pp. 1080-1086, he divided that war into six phases:

PHASE ONE: BRUNEI CUT-OFF

The first phase of the conflict between the Muslims and the Spaniard in the
archipelago began around the time of Legazpi's arrival in 1565 and ended with the Spanish
invasions of Bornei in 1578 and 1581. The first act of war was committed by the Spaniards,
when in March 1565, they captured a Bornean trading vessel in the vicinity of Bohol. In 1569,
nine Spanish tradings successfully engaged 20 vessels owned by Borneans and Sulu. This
incident symbolized the commercial rivalry. What concerned the Spaniards after their capture
of Manila was that the disgruntled Bornean aristocracy in it might anytime seek the aid of
Brunei, which it did in fact also, the Brunei and the Sulu were still exacting tribute in Mindoro
and the Calamianes, an action considered by the Spaniards as an infringement of their
sovereignty over these islands. Moreover, the Brunei Sultan was encouraging and supporting
the preaching of Islam. It was deemed essential to have a tributary Brunei if the Spanish hold
in its recently acquired territories in the Philippines were to be more secure and or legitimized.
Thus, the Spaniards took the opportunity to interfere in a dynastic dispute in Brunei by
supporting a person who was willing to accept Spanish sovereignty. To put their man on their
throne, they invaded Brunei in 1578 and forced Sultan Seifur-Rijal to flee. This Sultan was,
later on, able to recover his throne, with the consequence that the Spaniards had to return in
1581. This venture was unsuccessful and was the last time the Spaniards directly interfered in
Brunei's affairs. However, they succeeded in finally eliminating Bornean pretension in the
Philippines. Significant in this phase was that people of Brunei and Sulu were allies - their
Sultans were also brothers-in-law. The Spaniards believed that with Brunei out of the picture, it
would be only a matter before Sulu, Maguindanao, and Buayan would be to accept Spanish
missionaries and sovereignty.

PHASE TWO: STRONGHOLDS

The second phase of the conflict started with the Spaniards trying to establish forts
and colonies in Muslim lands, to exact tribute from the Muslim and to wean them from their
alliance Ternate. It ended around 1599. In this phase, the Sulu Sultan paid a modest tribute, so
did some of the chieftains in the Pulangi. Here also the 1587 conspiracy of Tondo chieftains
led by Magat Salamat failed. Salamat tried to contact the Brunei Sultan for help against the
Spaniards but failed in his endeavor.

In 1591, the Spanish government decided to colonize Mindanao and incorporate it into
its Philippine colony. It was planned to use Mindanao as a base for the eventual conquest of
the Moluccas and the intimidation of Borneo and Java. In April 1596, the newly-designated
governor of Mindanao, Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa, landed in Cotabato, where he failed to
contact the Maguindanao Sultan. In the interior, Rodriguez was struck on the head with a
Kampilan. He remained alive only for a few hours. Nevertheless, the Spaniards were able to
build a fort around Sampakan (Tampakan), which was midway between the Maguindanao and
Buayan settlements. The Maguindanao and Buayan Sultanates tried to dislodge the Spaniard.
Eight hundred warriors from Ternate, under the leadership of an uncle of the Ternate sultan,
came to help the Muslims, to no avail. Eventually, lack of supplies and difficulty in
communication led the Spaniards to abandon their fort. They retreated to the area of
Zamboanga, where they built a fort in La Caldera. Continuous harassment, however, made
them abandon this strong fort in 1597. The second phase... thus ended in defeat for the
Spanish invaders. Something to note in this phase is that the Ternatan aid came not only on
account of kinship relations between the leading families of Mindanao and the Moluccas and
religious ties but also because the Ternatans realized that the loss of Mindanao would mean
that it could serve as a base for Spanish operations against them. At least a strong
Maguindanao and Buayan meant a strong defense line for ternate.

PHASE THREE: COUNTER ATTACKS

The third phase of the conflict began in 1599-1600 when the Maguindanaon launched
an offensive against the Spanish forces in the Bisayas to the extent of competing with Spain
for the collection of tribute there. A few initial Spanish counteroffensives utterly failed. However,
the Spaniards later on succeeded in conquering Ternate and in 1635, they established a
strong fort in Zamboanga. Significant about this phase was that the Sulu, Maguindanao, and
Buayan had Ternatan aids. The Dutch too had appeared in the area, if not helping the Muslims,
at least encouraging them to create more difficulties for their Spanish rivals. In -1599-1600, the
rajahs of Maguindanao and Buayan made two devastating raids on the Bisayas. This
expedition each involved about 3,000 warriors. The 1602 raid of these rajahs had the help of
the Sulu, principally from Basilan. It reached as far as the coastal towns of southern Luzon.
About 1, 400 captives were netted. A Spanish retaliatory attack in Jolo did not accomplish
much except that the Sulu were prevented from cooperating fully with the Muslims of
Mindanao in succeeding raids. The 1603 attempted Spanish invasion of Ternate also failed. In
this same year, Buisan the Rajah of Maguindanao attacked Bisayas towns. In Dulag, Leyte he
burned the church, captured a few hundred inhabitants and destroyed the town. The Leyte
datus were so intimidated that they made a blood compact with him pledging not to cooperate
with the Spaniards. Datu Buisan returned some captives and gold and exhorted the datus to
support and sweep the Spaniards of the islands. In these raids, the piratical inhabitants of the
area of Kuran (called Camucones by the Spaniards) usually followed in the wake of the Muslim
raids, taking advantage of the situation to pick up a few things for -themselves. They often
complicated the methodical plans of the Maguindanao and Sulu.

In 1606, one of the biggest fleets fitted out the Spaniards went to Ternate, where after
a series of fierce battles, the Ternatans lost, and their Sultan was captured. The Rajahs of the
Pulangi feared that the returning victorious meet would attack them. They decided to make
peace with the Spaniards. Two years after, when they decided to fit a fleet against the Bisayas,
they were dissuaded from doing so by the Spaniards, who were prepared for with another fleet.
For some time, the Spaniards were to get some respite from the Maguindanao and Buayanun,
but trouble came from another quarter... the Sulu.

The presence of Dutch ships in Philippine waters in 1616 encouraged the Sulu to
attack settlement as far as Cavite and Camarines. They burned the Cavite shipyard and
captured some Spaniards for ransom. There is evidence of Brunei aid in the above ventures.
Certainly there was the inevitable Dutch encouragement. In 1627 in revenge for the humiliation
of the Sulu Ambassador, Datu Ache by the Spaniards who put him in a cell and confiscated his
pearls, the Sulu in about 30 caracoas and with about 2,000 warriors, attacked the shipyard in
Camarines. The fleet was led by the Sulu Sultan, Rajah Bongsu. Much artillery, guns,
ammunition, iron, and rice were captured. The Spanish retaliation, the next year ended in the
complete burning of Jolo and the destruction of the Sultan's fleet. Another Spanish expedition
in 1630 failed; however, the Sulu this time were prepared. Lorenzo de Olazo, the commander,
was wounded, and many of his men killed. The Spaniards and their native allies retreated
terror-stricken.

While the Spaniards were busy with the Sulu, another element arose in Maguindanao,
which was to give them great difficulties for the next 50 years. This was the rise of Katchil
Kudarat as a leader of the Iranun and Maguindanao. This redoubtable leader became a
chieftain around 1619 and kept the peace with the Spaniards until-he was able to consolidate
his realm, build a war machine, and accumulate more territory. He was allied with the Dutch,
who helped him with ammunition and enabled him -to keep up with his commercial activities.
In 1634, Kudarat was strong enough to attack the Visayas. His main intention was to weaken
the Spaniards, who were slowly encroaching on Mindanao by establishing a mission and
fortified outposts. He resented the presence of the Spaniards in areas in the north and east of
the Mindanao which he considered Iranun spheres of influence. On Jesuit advice, in 1635 the
Spaniards built a fort in Zamboanga. For this purpose, the 3000 Spaniards and 1000 Visayan
allies came to Zamboanga. The fort served various purposes. It was to protect the mission in
Mindanao. It served as an outpost where the movement of Muslim fleets could be watched.
Soldiers quartered in it could at any notice attack nearby Muslim settlement.

Noteworthy in the first three-phase... was that the Muslim captured Spaniards for
ransom purpose. The Spaniards did the same when they captured Muslim leaders. The
Muslim also enslaved the natives from the Spaniards - held territories in order to have them
row their boats, thus allowed the warriors to concentrate on fighting. Aside from using them as
household enslaved natives. Were utilized in the plantations to do a kind of work that was
generally looked down upon by the warriors. Capturing natives also weakened the war
machine of the Spaniards, who recruited thousands of them to fight the Muslim. The sale of
slaves to the Dutch was generally found later on in the last few years of the third stage where
they were in demand in Dutch plantations. Slaves who had become Muslim were not normally
sold they would sometimes be freed but made to fight together with the Muslim.

Significant in the first three-phase is that the Muslim in the Philippines were helped by
neighboring principalities. These alliances did not only reflect marriage ties between ruling
families, they represented a concerted effort against the intrusion of Western imperialism,
colonialism, and Christianity in the island of Southeast Asia.

PHASE FOUR: FORTRESS WAR

The fourth phase... beginning with the fortification of Zamboanga in 1635 up to its
abandonment in 1663, represented the Spanish determination to conquer Sulu and the
Sultanates in Mindanao once and for all and establish missions among them. The task of
Governor Corcuera was threefold, to conquer and capture Kudarat and put Spanish puppet in
the Maguindanao Sultanate; to capture the main cotta of the Sulu sultan and establish colonies
in Sulu; and to invade Brunei once again and put it securely under Spanish sovereignty.
Kudarat's capital, Lamitan, was captured in 1637, but his major cotta in the nearby Ilihan
heights offered a quite strong defense. However, even these fell to the invaders. The wounded
Muslim leader went to the interior, where he raised an army of Iranun to harass the Spaniards.
The triumphant Corcuera was given a hero's welcome in Manila, and his battles were enacted
in the play's celebrating his victory. These were the first moro-moro plays in the country. The
next year, 600 Spaniards and 1000 native allies laid siege to the Sulu sultan's cotta in Jolo.
The defense was superb and many ofthe invaders were killed, but an epidemic in the cotta
forced the sultan to surrender after three months. After a brief truce with Corcuera, the sultan
went to the interior to continue the struggle

The subsequent Spanish attempt to subject the Mranao was shortlived since Kudarat
was able to galvanize their opposition. The Spaniards, found, too great difficulty trying to pacify
the Buayanons. The guerilla warfare of the Sulu was taking its toll. The Spanish reaction to all
these was to pursue a policy of destroying all Muslim orchards, plantations, and seacrafts.
They also adopted a plan of depopulating Muslim settlement while enslaving as many Muslims
as possible. But Qudarat's gaining strength forced the Spaniards to make a treaty with them in
1645. The next year, they concluded a treaty with Sulu pledging to abandon all their forts in
Sulu. A factor which led to this peace treaty was the Dutch threat.

The peace with Kudarat was broken in 1655 when the Spanish ambassador was
assassinated on account of his insistence to convert the Sultan. To prevent Spanish retaliation,
the sultan formally declared jihad the next year and asked the aid of the Sultan of Makassar,
Sulu, Ternate, and Brunei on the principle of the protection of Islam. Spanish initial successes
against Maguindanao were nullified by later events. With the eventual absence to additional
Spanish provocations, relative peace ensued. In 1663, due to the Koxinga threat, Zamboanga
was abandoned. There would be an interlude of peace between the Muslim and the Spaniards
for the next 50 years.

Left to themselves, the Sultanates tried to recapture their former commercial

prosperity. Plantations were once again flourishing and new vessels built. Sulu came to
possess the North Borneo territory of Brunei and began to fill part of the power vacuum in
Borneo. Tributary relations were resumed with China and commercial relation renewed with
the Dutch.

PHASE FIVE

The Spanish King, on account of Jesuit insistence, issued various royal order for the
occupation and refortification of Zamboanga. In 1718, the royal order was complied with the
soon the fort was garrisoned and made stronger than before. The fifth phase... was to
commence soon.

The 1720-1721 attack of the Sulu and Iranun to dislodge the Spaniards from the fort
failed in spite of the use of hundreds of war vessels and thousands of warriors. The Sulu then
tried to have peace treaties with their enemies while dealing with the Dutch as a source of
arms and ammunition. It was then that the Spaniards changed their techniques in their
program of evangelization. In exchange for commercial relation and treaties of alliance, they
requested the Sultanates to accept the preaching of Christianity. Their sovereignty was
assured, and no priest was to enter their territories without the permission of the Sultans. To
this phase belong the visit of Sulu Sultan Azim-ud-Din to Manila for his baptism, imprisonment
and eventual return to Sutu. On the pretext of the restoring the Sultan to Jolo, the Spaniards at
various times tried to conquer Jolo, to no avail. The Sulu Sultan Mu'izz ud -Din, had the fierce
loyalty of the datus and the resistance was strong. He went as far as to seek aid from China
and the Ottoman Empire, but it was more through the British that he was able to strengthen his
realm. The wars during this phase reached a considerable proportion in terms of human lives
lost and property destroyed. Hundreds of Muslim were carried into captivity, while hundreds of
Christian natives were captured and sold as slaves in Makassar and Java. So fierce were the
Muslim raids in the Visayas that in some settlements the collection of tribute by the Spaniards
went below 50%. The British invasion of Manila in 1762 created a full in the fighting. The
Muslim remained unconquered. They again began to accelerate their commercial
activities-this time concentrating on the British trade.

PHASE SIX

Spanish policy in the middle of the 19th century was once more to conquer the Muslim
Sultanates, especially that of Sulu. This time the Christianization was not an overriding motive.
The main reason was that the British and the Dutch were extending in the island of Southeast
Asia. British intrigues in Sulu to secure a base for the China trade had become well-known.
While the Dutch were progressively extending their territories in Borneo, the Spaniards had to
secure their southern frontier. In brief, before the British gained a secure economic and
political foothold in Sulu, it was deemed important for the Spaniards to be there first. The
excuse used by the Spaniard's government to resume war was that the Samal subject of the
Sulu sultan as well as the Iranuns living in his land were professional pirates and acting in
connivance with him. Sultan Pulalun at various times protested against this charge, and his
reason was that his difficulty in controlling the pirates was the very same one encountered by
the Spaniards. Actually, the sultan and the chief datu were traders, and the economic
prosperity of the realm depended on the safety of sea lanes, but, the Spaniards utilized the
existence of piracy as a reason to launch in 1845 the Balangingi expedition which led to the
depopulation of the Samales island and the transfer or many survivors to Luzon in order to
have them converted there. Thus the sixth phase of the wars commenced. The Spanish
expedition to Sulu in 1851 forced the Sultan to a treaty. Although the Spaniards interpreted the
treaty as one where the Sultan accepted Spanish sovereignty, the Sultan simply took it as a
friendly treaty between sovereign equals. Another Spanish campaign in 1876 to capture Jolo
was -intended to represent a fait accompli to force foreign powers to accept Spanish territorial
claims in return for recognition of their corresponding claims elsewhere. The Spanish excuse
for the campaign this time was that Sultan Jamal ul-Azam had ignored previous treaties. The
Spanish government in Manila tried to get public opinion on its side by pointing out that the
issue was one of piracy. The Spanish clergy insisted that the war was a "just and holy one"
against the "wicked sons of the Quran." Thousands of pesos were contributed to the campaign
by rich Chinese towns, schoolchildren, and friars. It has been estimated that public
subscription reached 250,000 pesetas.

Jolo had to be abandoned by the Sulu, with the Sultan fleeing to the interior. It was
during this time that he leased his Sabah territory to the British company. A treaty among
Britain, Germany, and Spain finally provided that Spanish sovereignty extended to Sulu.
Abandoned by all was eventually forced to accede to the peace treaty of 1878. It was the last
treaty entered into between Spaniards and the Sulu. It provides a sort of Spanish protectorate
for Sulu while giving the Sulu a great deal of autonomy. The sultan tried to abide as much as
possible with the treaty, but he could not control those datus and their followers who kept on
harassing the Spaniards to the extent that Jolo became in effect a town under siege.
Juramentados became more frequent.

Meanwhile, the Spaniards tried to consolidate their hold on Mindanao. A few

expeditions were sent to the Maranao areas and Buayan. Cotabato became a Spanish outpost
and Spaniards were able to build a strong fort along the Pulangi. The only real- opposing force
against them was Sultan Anwar ud-Din (Datu Utto). The Maguindanao sultanate had become
a shadow of its former self.

By the time the American arrived in the Philippines in 1898, the Spanish force in
tradition Muslim lands was confined to a few well-guarded outposts that were often harassed.
The Muslim still remained, in general unconquered. This was the situation the Americans
found in them.

Source: Muslims in the Philippines by Cesar Adib Majul, Manila: Saint Mary's
Publishing, 1973.