Did the Spaniards truly conquer the Visayas? From the first contact with Spanish explorers, such as Lapulapu's victory vs. Magellan in the Battle of Mactan, to the lasting impact of their presence, as seen in Cebu's Sinulog Festival, we'll challenge the commonly accepted narrative and explore the rich, complex history of the Visayas. In this video, we'll uncover the truth behind the conquest. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives into Filipino history! 🔔 Subscribe: http://goo.gl/yDgQmK 🎥 Be my Patron: https://www.patreon.com/kirbynoodle 📚 My books, ebooks, coloring books, merch etc. - https://www.kirbyaraullo.com/shop Related Videos & Playlists: 🔥 Visayan History Playlist: https://bit.ly/VisayanHistory 🇵🇭 Precolonial & Early Philippine History https://bit.ly/EarlyPhilippines 🌏 Demystifying Southeast Asia: https://bit.ly/KnowSoutheastAsia Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:23 The Dawn of Conquest: Spanish Arrival in the Philippines 03:47 The Triumvirate of th

Video Transcript / Subtitles:( AI generated. About AI subtitles » )

* AI ("Artificial Intelligence") subtitles on Tagalog.com are generated using "Whisper" by OpenAI (the same company that created ChatGPT and DallE2). Results and accuracy may vary.
* The subtitles do include errors occasionally and should only be used as a tool to help with your listening practice.
* You can request this website to create a transcript for a video if one doesn't already exist by clicking the "Request AI Subtitles" button below a video. Transcribing usually takes 30-40% of the length of a video to complete if there are no other videos in the queue. For example, a 21 minute video will take 7-8 minutes to transcribe.
* Running a super fast cloud GPU server to do these transcriptions does cost money. If you have the desire and financial ability, consider becoming a patron to support these video transcriptions, and the other tools and apps built by Tagalog.com

Kuya Kirby, is it true that the Spaniards never really conquered the Visayas?

Now, I've seen this quite often in many of my videos.

Comments recently claiming that the Visayans, you know, unlike Luzon,

the Visayans were never defeated by the Spaniards.

Some even claim that, apparently, the Visayans were the only ones free during the colonial period.

So is this really history or is it just fake news?

Let's find out.

In this first video of my new mini-series,

How the Spaniards Conquered the Visayas, we're peeling back the layers of history,

exploring the untold stories that shaped the Visayas and its people.

From epic battles to strategic games of power,

this is a journey into chapters of our history that are both intriguing and complex,

yet often misunderstood.

So how exactly did a handful of Spaniards,

a handful of Spanish conquistadors and explorers conquer the Visayas?

You know, a region known for its fierce warriors and vibrant culture.

Let's dig deeper.

Mabuhay or in Kapampangan, Luwid kayo.

Welcome back to my channel.

It's Miki B. Araulio, your friendly Pinoy historian.

And in this channel, I make videos about our people's history, culture, and everything in between.

So if you like learning about the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and beyond,

don't forget to like, share this video, comment down below, and please subscribe.

Okay, so while it's true that, you know,

led by Datu Lapu-Lapu of Mactan,

quite easily defeated and decimated the Spaniards in the Battle of Mactan in 1521,

you know, leading to the death of Magellan himself,

the history of the Visayas is not that simple.

It's not black and white.

So without further ado,

let's explore and dig deeper into the forgotten chapters of the Spanish conquest of the Visayas.

In the tapestry of time,

the story of the Spanish conquest of the lush islands we now call the Philippines unfolds.

A narrative rich and complex.

A tapestry more...

intricate than the simple tales of times gone by.

It's a saga woven from the golden threads of oceanic voyages and imperial dreams.

Beginning with the Iberian ships slicing through the horizon under the guidance of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.

This journey, marked by the Portuguese explorer's historic circumnavigation of our vast globe,

imprinted the earliest footsteps of Spanish influence on the sands of the Philippines.

Then, in the year 1543,

a new chapter,

was penned by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos,

as his ships danced through the archipelago's mosaic of islands,

bestowing the name Las Islas Filipenas to Samarren Leite,

in homage to Spain's future monarch, King Philip II.

This chapter of so-called discovery was but a prelude,

setting the stage for the conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

In the year 1565,

Legazpi anchored the dreams and ambitions of Spain in these islands,

sowing the seeds,

the seeds of colonial rule that blossomed with the founding of colonial Manila in 1571.

Thus was spun a colonial epic that spanned more than three centuries,

until the winds of war shifted the archipelago's colonial masters to American hands in 1898.

While this narrative might be recounted with the clarity of hindsight,

the true tale in history is one of diverse conquest and varied dominion,

a patchwork of colonial endeavors across an archipelago as diverse as the sea is profound.

Our gaze now turns to the heart of this tale,

the central islands known as the Visayas,

in the transformative era from around 1565 to 1750.

Here we delve into a chapter of history,

a story that speaks of voyages across majestic seas,

dreams of empires and the awakening of a people,

all intertwined in the rich and complex weave of our people's history.

Envision the Philippine archipelago as a grand mural divided into three interwoven parts,

a canvas of isles and seas.

In the role of the archipelago, the archipelago is the centerpiece of the Philippine archipelago.

In the role of the Philippine archipelago, the archipelago is the centerpiece of the Philippine archipelago.

The robust north lies Luzon,

its fertile lands cradling the cornerstone of Spanish colonial dreams

and imperial ambitions since the late 1500s.

Colonial Manila, the imperial jewel, blossomed here,

steeped in the lofty ambitions of its founders,

a city where aspirations and cultures converged under the watchful eye of Madre España.

Yet the narrative of Spanish conquest of this archipelago cannot be hinged on Luzon alone.

It stretches like a vibrant tapestry,

southward across the Visayas,

the islands of the Middle Sea,

cradle of the Visayan people,

and onward further to the majestic expanse of Mindanao.

This central belt, known as the Visayas,

adorned with islands like Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar,

and sometimes whispered tales of Palawan, Romblon, and Masbate,

weaves the opening act of Spain's colonial drama in Southeast Asia.

And each of these islands, a character in its own right,

contributing its verse to a conquest that, unfortunately,

unfolded over centuries.

In the pulsing heart of the Visayas,

the Spanish narrative began to blossom with Cebu at its central stage.

Here, the innumerable spirit of the indigenous people first stood tall against Spanish ambition,

epitomized by the legendary Battle of Mactan,

where Ferdinand Magellan fell before Lapu-Lapu's valiant warriors in 1521.

On Cebu's storied shores decades later in 1565,

Legazpi also sowed the first seeds of Spanish,

which led to the colonization in the Philippines.

Yet, the glittering allure of the Kingdom of Luzon soon lured the Spanish eyes northward.

For a time, the Visayas, draped in the shadows of colonial ambitions, waited in the wings.

Here, the narrative paused, a breath held,

as the Spanish epic continued to unfold in the north,

leaving the Visayas whispering tales of what was and what might be.

So before we dig deeper into the Spanish conquest of the Visayas,

here are some important reminders.

The concept of a unified Philippines with a unifying Filipino identity that we know today

were not yet realities during this era.

Instead, just like the rest of the archipelago, just like the rest of Southeast Asia,

the Visayas, during the time of the Spanish arrival,

was a patchwork of diverse indigenous cultures and societies,

each with its own unique character and responses to the Spanish influence.

In this series, we aim to go beyond the simplistic narrative of conquest,

shedding light on the stories of resistance,

and the enduring spirit of our diverse people.

So for a more in-depth understanding of today's topic,

check out the links below for resources and recommended readings.

And if you want to help me make more videos like this,

if you want to support my channel and my research,

please be my patron on Patreon or a member of my YouTube channel.

And don't forget to check out my books, coloring books, ebooks, and merch

on the fascinating history and colorful cultures of the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Daghang salamat sa inyong tanan!

Okay, so now back to our topic.

If the Spaniards shifted their minds,

If the Spaniards shifted their minds,

if they shifted their focus into conquering Luzon,

then what exactly happened to the Visayas?

As time moved its intricate web,

the Visayas emerged not merely as a cluster of smaller islands,

but more importantly as a strategic bastion,

a formidable line of defense against the northern surge of the Moro forces,

the Muslim warriors from the depths of Mindanao and the Southern Seas.

Here, in the storied waters of the Philippines,

the Spanish engaged in intermittent yet enduring battles

with the Muslim sultanates of Mindanao.

This saga stretched into the 19th century or the 1800s,

with the relentless tides of conflict against the mighty Sultanate of Sulu.

The struggle between the Moros and the Spaniards painted a vivid portrait

of a Spanish colonial presence that was predominantly centered in Luzon,

portraying the Visayas as a crucial intermediary,

an important buffer zone between the firmly held north and the tempestuous south.

And then, the 17th century saw the chessboard of empires growing,

becoming more complex as Dutch forces joined in,

aligning with the Moro sultanates,

weaving another layer of complexity into Spain's imperial fabric.

Now, amidst these grand strategic games of colonial power,

the Visayas stood as a beacon of fluctuating significance,

rising and falling with the tides of war and the dance of diplomacy.

While colonial control did not imprint as deeply as it did in Luzon,

the crucial nature of certain islands within this middle sea

was not lost on the Spanish.

Cebu, Negros, and Panay all became the epicenters of the Spanish colonial Visayas,

commanding the maritime gateways between Luzon and Mindanao.

On the other hand, the emerging significance of Palawan,

bridging the northern islands of Luzon to the islands of Sulu and Borneo to the south,

added another strategic dimension.

In Cebu, the establishment of the Universidad de San Carlos in 1595

marked a cultural shift driven by Spain's efforts

to Christianize the locals and impose western standards of civilization upon the islands,

a reflection of their colonial and evangelical agenda.

Yet, towards the verdant east, the Spanish influence was more of a fleeting touch,

a mere brushstroke of governance.

Here, they extracted tributes from the islands of Bohol, Leyte, and Samar.

These eastern realms cloaked in lush jungles harbored sporadic colonial settlements,

like the shipbuilding haven of Panamao on Leyte's northern coast,

or the island we now call Biliran.

This was owing to the heavily forested nature of these islands.

In fact, as late as the mid-19th century,

as much as 70% of Samar and Leyte were still heavily forested,

and almost entirely inhabited by the native people.

These footprints in the dense tropical forest spoke of a colonial presence

that was both tangible and yet ethereal, like a shadow amidst the rich tapestry of the oceans.

So, was the Spanish conquest of the Visayas,

truly a success?

Or were the Spaniards only claiming the Visayas,

that they conquered the Visayas on paper,

that they owned the Visayas on paper, like you know, nominally,

but not in reality?

So, did the Spaniards truly defeated and conquered the undefeated Visayans?

By the mid-17th century, the Visayas, aka the Jewels,

in the heart of the archipelago were ostensibly under the Spanish mantle.

Significantly, centers and cities like Cebu and Iloilo rose to prominence as bustling hubs

of colonial administration and commerce.

Yet, the fabric of Spanish colonialism in this region was delicately threaded,

not as densely interwoven as in other areas like Luzon.

Because for centuries, the Spanish colonization of the Visayas

was hampered by the enduring conflicts with the Moro Sultanates of the South,

and compounded by harsh environmental misfortunes.

Most notably, Cebu faced the wrath of Mother Nature with several devastating famines,

1634, 1651, 1668, and 1675.

And these were largely due to the relentless locust infestations that ravaged the island.

So, in this backdrop of limited colonial footprint and environmental misfortunes,

the Spanish narrative and the Visayas took a spiritual turn.

From the late 16th century, Spanish priests and religious orders,

particularly the Jesuits, ventured into the untamed wilderness of islands like Leyte,

and Bohol.

Their mission was to imbue the indigenous souls with Christian teachings,

thereby weaving them into the fabric of quasi-Spanish subjects,

filling the void left by the Spaniards who were reluctant to call these islands home.

By the dawn of the 1600s, 11 Jesuit missionaries had already set foot on Leyte,

a number that would balloon throughout the 17th century.

And more often than not, these men of faith, these priests,

were the only Spaniards in the eastern islands of the Visayas.

And their efforts found fertile ground,

as many of the native communities receptive to their teachings embraced the new Catholic faith.

And thus, the Spanish influence in the Visayas,

you know, while it was not marked by widespread geopolitical colonization as seen in Luzon,

it was still very significant, especially in the spiritual transformation of the native Visayans.

In fact, an example of this can be seen in their devotion to the Santo Niño.

However,

the historical canvas of the Spanish conquest of the Visayas paints a picture of mixed success.

The Spaniards, while establishing key settlements like Cebu, Iloilo, and others,

and while spreading Christianity across the Visayas,

never truly dominated these islands as they had hoped.

But then again, their presence in the Visayas contrasted starkly with their endeavors further south in Mindanao,

where fierce resistance from the Muslim Sultanates awaited them.

Consequently,

the Visayas lingered as a frontier zone in the Spanish East Indies,

a buffer zone safeguarding the colonial and political heartland of Spanish Philippines in Luzon.

This dual role of the Visayas,

you know, as both a frontier and a shield,

underscores the unique and complexity of the Spanish era in the Philippine archipelago.

And you know, in exploring these often untold narratives,

we uncover the ever-shifting dynamics that molded the history of the Visayas on the island.

The Visayas were the first Spanish archipelago under the Spaniards,

a history that holds within it the echoes of both fleeting shadows and enduring legacies.

So to answer our question on whether or not the Visayans were never defeated nor truly conquered by the Spaniards

is but a dance of light and shadow, both yes and no.

The unmistakable marks of Spanish colonialism and the spread of the Christian Catholic faith from 1565 onward

are undeniably etched in the history and the consciousness of the region.

These marks of conquest are interwoven with threads of indigenous resilience and resistance.

In fact, in numerous corners of the Visayas, a spirit of resistance thrived through the centuries,

nurtured by Mother Nature and the indomitable will of its people.

And if you think about it, this historical narrative is a complex weave,

where Spanish dominance and Visayan persistence coexisted in a delicate balance,

painting a picture of a land

where conquest

and freedom are not absolutes, but instead, partners in the intricate dance of history.

But our story does not end here.

And as we conclude this chapter on the Visayas under Spanish rule,

join me for more captivating stories in our people's history.

In fact, next in our miniseries on the Spanish conquest of the Visayas,

we'll dive into the adventures of the conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

And you know, just in time for the 459th anniversary

of his arrival in the Visayas.

And alongside this miniseries, I will also be releasing a broader series on how the Spaniards

conquered the Philippines and how Europe conquered Southeast Asia.

So yes, exciting tales lie ahead, filled with courage, resilience,

and the unexpected twists and turns of history.

It's a journey through time that will help us deepen our understanding of the world today.

And honestly, I cannot wait to share these stories with you.

So please stay tuned and please subscribe to my channel.

So don't miss out when these videos come out.

And that is it for me today.

So let me know what you think about today's topic in the comments below.

And if you like this video or learned a thing or two, don't forget to like, share this video

to more people so more people can learn more about our people's history, culture, and everything in between.

But of course, before I go, I just want to give a special shout out to all my patrons.

Because this channel, this video will not be possible without the love and the support

of all my patrons, subscribers, and viewers like you throughout these years.

Kaya naman maraming maraming salamat po

or inkabampangan.

Makalpong salamat.

And in Binisaya, daghang salamat sa inyong tanan.

See you next time!

Or in Tagalog, kita-kits.

And in Kabampangan,

Mikitiks.

And in Binisaya,

kita-ayta!