Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):
FEBRUARY 13, 1565
Spanish Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (1502 - August 20, 1572), arrived in the Philippines with 5 ships and 500 men (some accounts mentioned 4 ships and 380 men).
Together with him were six Augustinian missionaries and Fr. Andres de Urdaneta, his spiritual adviser and navigator.
His son Melchor de Legazpi, grandson Felipe de Salcedo, and Guido de Lavezarez, a survivor from Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, also came with him.
Legazpi anchored in Cebu but did not go ashore seeing the hostile natives.
He sailed to Samar and arrived on February 22, 1565 and made a blood compact with the king, Datu Urrao.
He then proceeded to Limasawa, where Datu Bangkaw received them.
Legazpi sailed again and arrived in Bohol where he was welcomed by Datu Sikatuna and Rajah Sigala, and made a blood compact on March 16, 1565.
He decided to return to Cebu and arrived on April 27, 1565, the same day Ferdinand Magellan was killed 44 years earlier.
Rajah Tupas, the nephew of Rajah Humabon, who received Magellan in 1521, challenged the Spaniards but was defeated.
On June 4, 1565, the first Filipino-Spanish Treaty of Peace (Treaty of Cebu) was made.
It was an agreement between Legazpi representing King Philip II of Spain and Tupas, the King of Cebu.
They agreed that Cebu would recognize the government of Spain and in return, Spain will protect Cebu in any event of war.
He then established a colony and named the settlements "Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesús" (Town of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) after Juan Camus found an image of the Sto. Niño in one of the native houses.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi on May 8, 1565 ordered the construction of Fort San Pedro (Fuerte de San Pedro) which was made of wood. It was replaced by a stone fort in 1738 and is triangular in shape.
(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved
Photo credit: Richard Allan Uy
Posts
