CHAPTER 4

ENCOUNTER WITH THE WEST

(1400 – 1600)

To the West, for quite a long time, the Philippines and the rest of the world was Tierra Incognita
(Unknown Lands). Coming into the region for purposes of trade and other reasons (Christianization and
civilizing the “uncivilized”), these lands were new and exciting “discoveries” for the Europeans. But this
is certainly not true of the Filipinos, of the “Indians” of America and the “Blacks” of Africa. These
peoples, unknown to the West, have long inhabited these lands and evolved their own civilizations that
are unique to their given environment and history.

The West, led by Portugal and Spain, rival each other for the possession of rich colonies in America, Asia
and Africa. With her naval supremacy, daring and imaginative explorers, and a Spanish Pope who drew
up treaties defining territorial rights to her, Spain won over his rivals. Using both the “sword and the
cross” Spanish conquistadores and missionaries succeeded in establishing colonies in the Americas
without much resistance.

Until the fatal battle in Mactan, Cebu, an island in the Philippines, when Spain’s famed explorer,
Ferdinand Magellan, was killed by the local chieftain Lapulapu. It took almost fifty years before another
attempt to colonize the islands succeeded under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. After meeting stiff resistance
in Cebu Legaspi later established the first European settlement in the archipelago. Then he moved to the
island of Luzon where he founded a permanent Spanish colony in the kingdom of Maynila.

THE COMING OF THE SPANIARDS

How and why the Spaniards and the Portuguese came to the “Orient” (the European’s term for Asia or
the East) is a long story. In the sixteenth century, Europe was experiencing some changes because of the
growth of industry and commerce, the advances in science, the improvement in the science of
navigation, and the invention of machines and marine instruments.

Added to this was the desire of the Europeans to know more about the countries of the “Orient”
because of the stories told by the Christian crusaders of Europe, who went to the Holy Land to reclaim it
from the Muslims. The stories led many Europeans to admire the wonders of the East. Also, some
Europeans were already trading with Asian countries. Oriental spices, silk, fruits, attar of roses, Persian
rugs, perfumes and precious stones were easily sold in Europeans markets at big profits. This stimulated
more trade with the countries of Asia.

The Venetians or citizens of Venice, which later became a city of Italy, enjoyed this monopoly at the
start. Soon after, the Portuguese, the Spaniards, and other peoples of Europe began to trade with
Oriental countries. As a result, rivalry developed among the European countries. This commercial rivalry
led to European expeditions to Asia.

The Trade Routes

At the time the Europeans were developing their trade with Asia, there existed three trade routes
connecting Europe to Asia. The first was the Northern Route which passed through Central Asia by land,
then to the cities of Samarkand and Bokhara, then around the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, and finally
to Constantinople in the Mediterranean. The second was the Central Route which started from Malacca
in the Malay Peninsula, then to the Indian Ocean and the Indian ports, then to the Persian Gulf to
Baghdad and Constantinople, and finally to Cairo in the Mediterranean. The third was the Southern
Route which also started from Malacca, then to the Indian Ocean and to the ports of India, then to the
Red Sea, and finally to Cairo in the Mediterranean.

In the fifteenth century an important event took place which led to research for new routes. In 1453, the
Turks captured the city of Constantinople through which two routes passed. They closed the Northern
and Central Routes. However, they allowed the Venetians to use the Southern Route on condition that
they pay a certain sum as fee. The Venetians, therefore, came to monopolize the Southern Route. This
proved the advantageous for them, since they controlled the European trade to the East. This Venetian
monopoly compelled Portugal and Spain to look for another route in Asia so they could continue their
lucrative trade with the Asian countries.

Early Voyages to Asia

Of all European countries, Portugal was the first to send expeditions to the East. One of the most
famous Portuguese navigators was Prince Henry, who was also called, “The Navigator.” In his desire to
make Portugal a sea power, he sent an expedition to the Azores, near the coast of Africa in 1421.

This expedition “discovered” the islands of Madeira and the Azores and soon they were developed into
Portuguese colonies. Later, Prince Henry himself led expeditions to Western Africa, using the
instruments for navigation he developed, like the astrolabe, the wind rose compass, and the caravel,
which was a kind of ship.

Prince Henry’s voyages inspired other explorers to sail to the East. In 1487, the Portuguese navigator
Bartholomew Diaz “discovered” the Cape of Good Hope and continuing his voyage, reached Calicut,
India. This voyage marked the first time that a European country, through her explorer, reached the East
by sailing around outermost tip of the continent of Africa. Spain, upon learning of this successful voyage,
sent an expedition to what is now North America.

Christopher Colombus, a native of Genoa, which later became a part of Italy, went to Spain and offered
his services to the King and Queen. Sailing from Spain, he “discovered” North America in 1492. He tough
that large mass of land he had “discovered” was Asia. Later, Amerigo Vespucci, also an Italian, was sent
by Spanish King and Queen to explore what Colombus had found. The geographers at the time thought
that Amerigo found a “New World,” and so they named this land, America.

Other “discoveries” followed soon after. In 1500, Vicente Pinzon “discovered” what is now Brazil. 1513,
Nunez de Balboa crossed what is now Panama and “discovered” the Pacific Ocean. These geographical
“discoveries” led to more explorations of new lands and their development as colonies of European
Countries.

The Division of the World

The fact that Portugal was the first country to sail to the East and establish colonies earned her the
prestige as the first sea power to chart an alternate passage to India. On the other hand, Spain, which
sent explorers to Americas, began to lay claim to these areas. Thus, a sea sea rivalry resulted from the
“discoveries” made by Spain and Portugal.
To avoid possible war between the two great nations, Pope Alexander VI, a Spaniard, whose family
name Borja was Italianized into Borgia, issued a bull in 1493 dividing the world into two. All lands south
and west of the Azores and Cape Verde Islands were to belong to Spain. Portugal, on the other hand,
was to take possession of the continent of Africa. In order to make this provision clear, the Pope issued
another bull on the same day (May 3) by which an imaginary line was drawn from north to south at 100
degrees west of the Azores.

Lands to be discovered east of this imaginary line would belong to Portugal, and those on the west
would belong to Spain. But in September of the same year (1493) the Pope, being a Spaniard, nullified
this provision of the second bull by allowing Spain to own lands to be discovered in the East, which
properly belonged to Portugal. The King of Portugal protested the decision of the Pope because it
violated the rights of Portugal as provided for in the second bull of May 3, 1493.

To avoid any conflict between the two nations, they concluded the Treaty of Tordesillas on June 7, 1494.

The important provisions of this treaty were the following:

a) An imaginary line was drawn from north to south at a distance of 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde
Islands. Lands to be discovered east of this line would belong to Portugal, and those on the west would
belong to Spain.

b) If the Spanish ships discovered lands east of the demarcation line, the said lands should be turned
over to Portugal, and lands discovered by Portuguese ships west of the line should be turned over to
Spain.

c) No Portuguese ships shall be sent to lands belonging to Spain, and vice versa, for the purpose of
trading with them.

The Magellan Expedition

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese who went to Spain to offer his services to the Spanish King. He
had seen battles in Malacca and Africa for the King of Portugal, who ignored Magellan rather than
reward him for his services to the Crown. This hurt Magellan, so he left Portugal for Spain. With the help
of his father-in-law and Don Juan de Aranda, a man occupying a very high position in the Spanish India
House of Trade, Magellan was able to see King Charles I of Spain. The meeting between the two was
held in 1518.

Magellan, with the help of visual aids like maps and illustrations, explained to the young King that he
could reach the Moluccas, then known as the Spice Islands, by sailing west. Moreover, he told the King
that the Moluccas belonged to the Spanish side of the demarcation line, drawn according to the Treaty
of Tordesillas. So impressed was the youthful King that he agreed to send an expedition to the Spice
Islands under the command of Magellan.

The expedition consisted of five ships: the flagship Trinidad, the Concepcion, the Victoria, the Santiago,
and the San Antonio. Magellan and his men heard Mass in the Church of Santa Lucia de la Victoria, after
which, the captains and the crew of the ship took an oath of loyalty to Magellan as their commander-in-
chief. Amidst the cheer of the people and the ringing of church bells, the ships sailed down
theQuadalquivir River to San Lucas de Barrameda. On September 20, 1519, the expedition left port and
sailed southward across the Atlantic.

After two months of difficult voyage, hardship and hunger, the Magellan expedition reach what is now
Pernambuco in Brazil. From here, Magellan continued his voyage to Rio de Janeiro and reached the
Riode la Plata in February 1520. In March, he reached Port St. Julian at the southern tip of South
America, where mutiny of his captains took place. Magellan suppressed the mutiny and punished the
rebels severely.

Continuing his voyage, Magellan reached the southernmost tip of South America. He crossed a strait to
the Pacific Ocean. This strait now bears his name, the Strait of Magellan. By this time, he only had three
ships remaining. With courage and determination, Magellan crossed the Pacific and reached the
Ladrones Islands, now the Marianas, in March 1521. He ordered his men to rest and to get some fresh
food and water. Some of the natives there stole one of his boats. In anger, Magellan named the islands
Islas de Ladrones (Islands of Thieves).After allowing his men to rest and procure provisions, Magellan
continued his voyage. On March 17, 1521, he sighted the mountains of what is now Samar. This event
marked the coming of the first Spaniards in the Philippines. The next day, Magellan ordered his men to
land at Homonhon islet so the sick men could be taken care of.

Having rested, Magellan proceeded to the islet of Limasawa, which at that time was ruled by Rajah
Kulambu. He befriended the rajah and his brother, Si Agu, and sealed their friendship with a blood
compact. This was the first blood compact between Filipinos and the Spaniards. On Easter Sunday,
March 31, Magellan ordered a Mass to be celebrated on the islet. Father Pedro de Valderrama, who
accompanied the expedition, celebrated Mass near the seashore. This was the first Mass celebrated in
the Philippines. Afterwards, Magellan ordered that a large cross be planted on the top of a hill
overlooking the sea. Pigafetta said, “After the cross was erected in position, each of us repeated a Pater
Noster and an Ave Maria, and adored the cross; and the kings [Kulambu and Si Agu] did the same.”
Magellan took possession of the islands in the name of King Charles and called them the Archipelago of
St. Lazarus because it was on St. Lazarus day that he found the islands.

The First Baptism

Magellan stayed only a week in Limasawa because there was not enough food in the islet. Hearing of a
rich island not far away, he ordered his captains to sail from what is now Cebu. Guided by Rajah
Kulambu, the ships entered the harbor of Cebu on April 8, 1521. Magellan told his Malay slave, Enrique,
to assure the people of Cebu that they came as friends and not as enemies. The Cebu chieftain, Rajah
Humabon, welcomed the Spaniards and soon a blood compact ensued between him and Magellan.

Gifts were exchanged between the parties of the blood compact. On April 15, 1521, Mass was
celebrated in Cebu. A cross was erected and Magellan persuaded the Cebuanos to become Christians.
Some 800 natives became Christians that day, among them Rajah Humabon, who was given the
Christian name Carlos in honor of King Charles of Spain, and his wife, who was given the name Juana, in
honor of King Charles’ mother. To commemorate this event, Magellan presented Juana an image of the
Infant Jesus. The Infant Jesus is now the Patron of Cebu.
THE BATTLE OF MACTAN

Meanwhile, a quarrel between two chieftains of the neighboring island of Mactan occurred. Rajah Sula
asked Magellan’s help to defeat his rival, Rajah si Lapulapu, who according to Sula, refused to recognize
the King of Spain as his sovereign. Magellan at once accepted the invitation to interfere in the local
quarrel in order to show his might. He and around sixty of his men, all well-armed, sailed for Mactan
early in the morning of April 28. Si Lapulapu, who refused to listen to Magellan’s demand that he pay
tribute to Spain, prepared to fight to the end. In the battle that followed, Magellan was wounded in the
leg. Seeing this, the brave people of Mactan rushed at him and killed him with their spears. With the
death of Magellan, the Spaniards fled to their ships and left. Some of them, however, returned to Cebu
and there, while attending a party given by Rajah Humabon, were massacred by some Cebuanos. This
horrific event happened because some Spaniards robbed the natives and raped some women.

The Importance of the Expedition

The remaining Spaniards decided to leave Cebu. Of the three ships, one was burned because it had
become useless. Two ships remained: the Victoria and the Trinidad. The Victoria was to sail to Europe by
way of Africa, while the Trinidad was to return to Europe by the way of the Pacific. The Trinidad was
captured by the Portuguese, while the Victoria, commanded by Sebastian del Cano, succeeded in
reaching Spain.

Magellan’s voyage across the Atlantic and the Pacific was the greatest single voyage ever known to man
in early modern times. The hardship, especially the hunger and the cold weather that the crew of the
Magellan expedition experienced, remains unsurpassed to this day. The route that Magellan took in
reaching the Philippines was a new “discovery” then, which put an end to the Venetian monopoly of the
Southern Route. From this time on, Spain became supreme in the building of colonial empire that only
Great Britain in later modern times was able to equal. More importantly, insofar as geography was
concerned, Magellan’s voyage proved conclusively that the earth was round.

Insofar as Filipinos were concerned, Magellan’s expedition was significant because it led to other
Spanish expeditions to the Philippines. These expeditions especially that of Legazpi’s, led to the Spanish
colonization of the Philippines and with this, contacts between Europeans and Filipinos were established

The Villalobos Expedition

The return of the Victoria to Spain won the admiration of the King and the Spanish people. Encouraged
by the result of the Magellan expedition, King Charles sent other expeditions which, however, failed.
These were the Loaysa expedition of 1525-1526, commanded by Father Juan Garcia Jofre de Loaysa; the
Cabot expedition of 1526-1530 commanded by Sebastian Cabot; and the Sayavedra expedition of 1527-
1528, commanded by Alvaro de Sayavedra, which reached Mindanao but did not succeeded in settling
in any of the island.

Meanwhile, Spain and Portugal quarrelled over the possession of the Moluccas. The monarchs of the
two countries were close relatives and so they agreed to settle the question of ownership by peaceful
means. On April 22, 1529, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Zaragoza, under which Portugal won
possession of the Moluccas after paying Spain the sum of 350,000 ducats.
To avoid future misunderstanding between the two countries, another imaginary line was drawn from
north to south at 2971/2 leagues east of Moluccas. Lands to be found on the west of this line would
belong to Spain, while those on the east would belong to Portugal. In paying Spain a sum to get the
Moluccas, Portugal bought what was rightfully hers in the first place. The Moluccas Islands lay east of
the demarcation line as provided in the Treaty of Tordesillas.

For many years after the conclusion of the Treaty of Zaragoza, Spain respected its provisions. However,
from 1538-1541, King Charles of Spain agreed with his viceroys in Mexico and Guatemala that
expeditions should be sent to the East, particularly to the Spice or Moluccas Islands. The Viceroy of
Mexico chose his brother-in-law, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, to command the expedition. With six ships,
Villalobos left Mexico on November 1, 1542, crossed the vast Pacific, and reached Mindanao in February
1543.

The natives of Mindanao refused to have any dealing with the Spaniards. Faced with starvation,
Villalobos ordered his men to plant corn to feed themselves. But the crop failed and Villalobos was
forced to send one of his men, Bernardo De la Torre, to Tandaya (now Samar) to get some food. De la
Torre met the local chieftain, Makanadala, who gave him enough food. Villalobos, in his pleasure,
named the islands of Samar and Leyte, Felipinas in honor of Prince Philip of Spain, who later became
King Philip II. Leaving the Philippines, Villalobos sailed for the Moluccas where they were captured by
the Portuguese. They were later set free and Villalobos tried to sail for Mexico but died in Amboina in
1546.

The Legazpi Expedition

Many years passed before another expedition was sent to the Philippines. In 1556, upon the suggestions
of the Viceroy of Mexico, an expedition to the East was sent by King Philip II, who succeeded his father,
King Charles I. King Philip emphasized that the expedition should not enter territories belonging to
Portugal. The purpose of the expedition was to survey the trade in spices and make a report on it.

The King also specifically ordered that a new return route from the Oriental islands to Mexico be
discovered. The King chose Father Andres de Urdaneta, who was a member of the Loaysa expedition, as
pilot of the new mission. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was appointed head of the expedition. With four ships
and about 380 men, Legazpi sailed from the Mexican port of Navidad on November 21, 1564.

One of the ships go lost on its way but was found later and ordered to head back to Mexico after
reaching Mindanao. The expedition reached Cebu in February 1565. Later, Legazpi sailed to Cibabao
(Leyte) then to Samar. Here, he concluded a blood compact with some of the chieftains, one of whom
was Bankaw, Datu of Limasawa. Early in March, he sailed to Camuigin Island, then to Butuan in
Mindanao, and then to Bohol where he enetered into a blood compact with Datu Si Katuna and Si Gala.
The scarcity of food in Bohol led Legazpi to order his men to sail for Cebu.

The Discovery of a new Route

Having settled in Cebu, Legazpi ordered the return of the ship San Pedro to Mexico. It was to be piloted
by Father Urdaneta and accompanied by Legazpi’s grandson, Felipe de Salcedo. Sailing from the port of
Cebu on June 1, 1565, Father Urdaneta steered the Ship northeastward from the Philippines in wide arc
through the Pacific and ended in Santa Catalina, in California. After overcoming many difficulties, the
ship sailed down the California coast to Mexico, arriving at the port of Navidad on October 1. From
Navidad, the ship sailed to Acapulco. With this return voyage, Father Urdaneta discovered a new route,
which the Manila galleons would follow in later years.

FIRST SETTLMENT IN CEBU

Legazpi and his men entered Cebu harbor on April 27. The Cebuanos were hostile to him probably
because in the past, some white men who look like Spaniards maltreated them. Legazpi explained to the
Cebuanos that the white men who maltreated them were not Spanish but Portuguese. He also told
them that he wanted the Filipinos and the Spaniards to be friends. The Cebuano chieftain, Tupas, did not
believe him and the Cebuanos and the Spaniards found themselves in skirmishes. Tupas fled to the
mountains after setting all the houses on fire in what is now Cebu City. The day after the skirmish, a
Spaniard found the image of the Infant Jesus which Magellan gave to Juana, Rajah Humabon’s wife,
forty-four years earlier. The image was not burnt.

Legazpi, although victorious, applied a policy of attraction. He invited the Cebuanos to come down from
the mountains and promised not to harm any of them. Convicted that Legazpi was sincere, Tupas and
his men returned to the lowland and entered into an agreement with Legazpi with the help of Tupa’s
brothers, Si Makayo and Si Katapan.

The agreement provided that (1) the Filipinos promised to be loyal to the King of Spain and to the
Spaniards; (2) the Filipinos promised to help the Spaniards in any battle against an enemy; and in return,
the Spaniards promised to protect the Filipinos from all enemies; (3) a Filipino who had committed a
crime against a Spaniard should be turn over to Spanish authorities, while a Spaniard who had
committed a crime against a Filipino should be turn over to the Filipino chieftain; (4) goods to be sold, to
either the Spaniards or the Filipinos should be moderately priced; and (5) an armed Filipino would not
be allowed to enter the Spanish settlement.

With the conclusion of this agreement, peace and reign in Cebu, Legazpi then turned his attention to the
founding of a Spanish settlement. A land, donated by Tupas and other Cebuano chieftains, was used as
Spanish settlement. This was in the form of triangle one side of which faced the land and the other sides
faced the sea. A fort was constructed and the Spaniards called it Fort San Pedro. Initially, the Spanish
settlement was called San Miguel. But Legazpi remembered the unharmed image of Infant Jesus and
renamed the settlement, “City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.”

THE SETTLEMENT IN PANAY

Legazpi was beset with many problems in Cebu. One was the bad feeling of some of his own men who
refused to work. Some of them robbed the graves of the Filipinos. Legazpi acted justly and punished all
to those who refused to cooperate with him. There was also a conspiracy among the Spanish soldiers to
seize the ship San Pablo. The captain of the boat informed the Master of Camp, Mateo del Saz, about it
and the conspirators were arrested. The leader of the conspiracy was beheaded, and the rest was
pardoned.

Legazpi also faced the hostility of the Portuguese. The latter realized that the Philippines lay on the
Portuguese side of the demarcation line. The Portuguese captain, Gonzalo de Pereira, harassed Legazpi
by blockading Cebu in order to starve the Spaniards. With the help of Cebuanos, Legazpi succeeded in
forcing Pereira to leave the Philippines. Faced with these problems, Legazpi decided to move to Panay.
Upon learning that there was a plenty of food there, he and some of his men sailed for Panay in 1569.
On the banks of the Panay River, Legazpi founded the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines. He
won over the people of Panay by convincing them of his peaceful intentions. The Spanish missionaries,
the Augustinian friars, converted some natives to Christianity. The friendliness of the Filipinos was
shown when they brought food to Legazpi. Consequently, the Spaniards were saved from starvation.

The First Spanish Voyage to Manila

With Panay as his home base, Legazpi decided to spread Spanish rule to other islands of the archipelago.
He sent small expeditions to the other islands of the Visayas. Masbate, Burias, and Ticao were claimed in
the name of the King of Spain. Then the same expedition, headed by Captain Enriquez de Guzman sailed
for southern Luzon reached Albay.At almost the same time, Juan de Salcedo, Legazpi’s younger
grandson, led a small expedition to the north. With a few Spanish soldiers and about 500 Visayans,
Salcedo sailed to Talim Island and claimed it for Spain.

Then he continued his voyage until he reached Lubang Island, near Mindoro, and fought Filipinos who
refused to recognize him. Defeating the people of Lubang, Salcedo returned to Panay after reaching the
outer rim of Manila Bay. He reported to his grandfather that Manila was a prosperous Muslim kingdom.
Legazpi then decided to send expedition in Manila. This expedition left Panay for Mindoro on May 8,
1570, and stayed there for five days. Then the voyage to Manila Bay was continued. The Spanish forces
was now divided into two; one was headed by Martin de Goiti, who succeeded Mateo del Saz as Master
of Camp, and the other was commanded by Salcedo. When they reached Batangas, Salcedo explored
the Bonbon River and what is now Taal, while Goiti explored Balayan. In Taal, Salcedo had an armed
encounter with some Filipinos. He was wounded in the leg, but the Spaniards with their superior
weapons won the skirmish in the end. Then Salcedo rejoined Goiti and the two proceeded to Manila by
sea.

At that time, Manila or Maynila, as it was called by the natives, was a thriving Muslim kingdom ruled by
Rajah Sulayman or Soliman. The kingdom was south of the Pasig River in what is now Fort Santiago. Goiti
demanded that Sulayman paid him tribute, but the ruler of Manila refused. On May 24, Goiti fired a
cannon shot to recall a boat he had sent on an errand. Sulayman and his men thought that it was a
signof Spanish hostility, and so they answered with shots from their native cannons called lantaka. The
superior fire power of the Spaniards led the Filipinos to burn down their houses and left Manila in the
hands of the enemy. But Goiti did not stay in Manila. He returned to Panay to report to Legazpi what
happened.

THE FOUNDING OF MANILA

Legazpi was happy to hear from Goiti. He informed his men that the King of Spain appointed him as
governor and captain-general of the islands, which was equivalent to governor-general. He was,
therefore, the first governor-general of the Philippines. Legazpi also informed them that the King
ordered them to colonize the rest of the archipelago. At this time, however, food became scarce in
Panay. Father Diego de Herrera, an Augustinian friar, suggested that they settle in Luzon instead. So
Legazpi decided to leave for Luzon on April 20, with Manila as the object of his expedition. In Manila,
Rajah Sulayman, realizing the firepower of the enemy, ordered his people to burn their houses and to
retreat in the interior. At the same time, he gathered a force of fierce warriors from the barangays of
Pampanga and Bulacan, and fought the enemy in the Battle of Bangkusay in Tondo. He and the warriors
were defeated. What happened to Sulayman was not clear. Some say he died in the battle. Others say
that he escaped to the interior. At any rate, the Filipinos were defeated and Legazpi took over Manila
in1571.Legazpi began laying the foundation of a new city.

Manila was in ruins so he ordered his men to build new houses. A church was also constructed for the
missionaries, while a big house was built as the governor’s official residence. On June 24, 1571, Legazpi
made made Manila the capital of the Philippines. King Philip the II later called Manila, “Distinguished
and Ever Loyal City”. On the same day that Legazpi declared Manila as the capital of the archipelago, a
city government or ayuntamiento was organized. He appointed two alcaldes or magistrates, an alguacil
mayor or chief constable, twelve regidores or legislative council members, and one escribano or court
clerk. With the founding of Manila as the capital of the Philippines, the foundation of the Spanish
colonial empire in Asia had been laid.

Expeditions to the Other Parts of Luzon

With Sulayman defeated and Sulayman’s uncle, Lakan Dula, cooperating with the Spaniards, Legazpi
thought of sending expeditions to other parts of Luzon. He sent his grandson to the towns of the south
of Manila, while he sent Goiti to explore Central Luzon, as far as Pangasinan. Salcedo conquered Taytay,
Cainta, and other towns of what is now Rizal Province. Then in 1572, he went to northern Luzon and
defeated the Filipinos in Zambales, Pangasinan, and the Ilocos region. In what is now Vigan, Salcedo
founded the town of Villa Fernandina in honor of Prince Fernando, the first-born son of King Philip II.
From the Ilocos, Salcedo proceeded to the northeastern coast of Luzon, marched along the Pacific coast
of what is now Quezon Province, sailed to Polillo Island, back to the shore of Luzon, and from there
returned to Manila over trails, hills, and mountains. Tragedy greeted him in Manila, for he was informed
that his grandfather, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, had died on August 20, 1572.