Kedatuan of Dapitan

Kedatuan of Dapitan (also called as Bool Kingdom) was a precolonial Philippine polity centered in Bohol in the modern city of Tagbilaran and Panglao Island, and later in the city of Dapitan on the island of Mindanao, Philippines from 1272 to 1595.[1] The old kingdom included present-day Bohol, Siquijor, Tanjay, Northern Mindanao from Zamboanga to Surigao, Southern Leyte, Eastern Mindanao up to Davao Oriental[4] and Sorsogon.[5]

Kedatuan of Dapitan (Bool Kingdom) Kedatuan sa Dapitan
1272[1]–1595[2]
Capital	Centered in modern Tagbilaran Strait, and Panglao Island(1200-1563) Dapitan(1563-1595)
Official languages	Bol-anon, Eskayan
Religion	Hinduism, Islam and Animism, later Christianity
Government	Monarchy
History
• Arrival from Northern Mindanao	1272[1]
• Area attacked by Sultanate of Ternate	1563
• Datu Sikatuna made a blood compact with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi	March 25, 1565
• Datu Sigala made a blood compact with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi	March 28, 1565
• Datu Sikatuna and his wife, Albasea converted to Christianity	July 16, 1597
• Fall of Ternate and Moluccas	April 1, 1606
• Dapitan and Bohol became protectorate of Spain	1595[3]
Currency	Barter
Preceded by Succeeded by Prehistory of the Philippines Barangay state New Spain Spanish East Indies

Early history

In the 12th century, a tribe of warriors from the Lutao nation of Mindanao arrived by Balangay at the Tagbilaran Strait between mainland Bohol and Panglao Island.[6] They built stilt houses above the seawaters of the strait and many houses along the shorelines of present-day Tagbilaran to Baclayon and from Totolan to Biking, Dauis in Panglao Island. They eventually established the kingdom of Dapitan, from the Visayan word Dapitan which means place of rendezvous or meeting-place based the writings of national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal while on his exile in Dapitan.[7] Jesuit historian Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina (1610 – 1674) dubbed the kingdom the Venice of the East.[8]

Conflict with the Portuguese and Ternate

Kedatuan of Dapitan regularly received ambassadors from neighboring sultanates and kingdoms since the beginning of maritime trade in 12th century.[9] During that time, Bohol already had open trade with Moluccas, Borneo, Java, Malacca, India, and China.[10] One such embassy was from the Sultanate of Ternate in Moluccas, Indonesia. One day, it was learned that the ambassador of Ternate made advances to one of the concubines of Datu Dailisan, losing respect to the ruling family. As punishment, the ears and noses of the ambassador and his men were cut off, and they were sent back to Ternate. Upon learning the incident, Sultan Hairun of Ternate was furious. Wary of the Boholanos' military skill, the Ternatans devised a plan with the help of the heavily armed Portuguese. Hairun sent series of juanga over six months to Bool Kingdom, pretending to be spice traders. In 1563, after gathering enough resources, they attacked and defeated the kingdom which caught unprepared. Datu Dailisan was killed in the fray[11] and Datu Sikatuna was heavily wounded.[12] The remains of Dailisan were buried at their royal burial ground at Mt. Dayo (now Dayo Hill) in the present-day Macayabac, Dauis together with his entire ship and treasures.[6] Meanwhile, Sikatuna was brought by Datu Sigala in Himilian, Loboc to recuperate.[12]

After the fall of Bool Kingdom, Datu Pagbuaya together with 1,000 families of freemen, his subjects, unmarried men and slaves fled to the present-day Dapitan in the island of Mindanao. Families of Lutao also elected to joined Pagbuaya in Mindanao.[13] However, Datu Sigala and Sikatuna chose to remain in Bohol.[4]

On April 1, 1606, the fallen kingdom later made vengeance to Ternate when the Spaniards led by Governor-General Pedro Bravo de Acuña invaded Moluccas, with the aid of Datu Pagbuaya's nephew Laria[13] as one of their allies. Sultan Saidi Berkat of Ternate managed to escape to Halmahera, but later captured and brought including his family and other nobles to Manila as hostages on May 31, 1606.[14]

Resettlement at Dapitan

Datu Pagbuaya with his son Datu Manook, and his men arrived in Mindanao in 1563 and re-established the kingdom of Dapitan on the island. It was previously occupied by Subanen tribe which were driven out and settled in the highlands as they submitted to their new king. Pagbuaya named their new settlement as Dapitan after the Cebuano word Dapit which means to invite, as the subjects of ancient kingdom of Bool were invited to join him in Dakung Yuta (big land), or Mindanao.[15] Some Eskaya follower of Pagbuaya moved upstream of the Dapitan river and settled in Ilaya.[16] Pagbuaya died in 1564.

As they occupied the Dapitan, the king of Borneo consequently sent their ambassadors with two juangas as a sign of friendship.[13] Exchange of goods between neighboring islands flourished as the place was abundant of timber, honey, beeswax, and exotic animals for trade.[17]

During the early days of Dapitan, nearby sultanates including Sultanate of Sulu and Maguindanao already had a strong trade connection with the kingdom. Doña Maria Uray is a daughter of Manooc who had lived in pious life. At once, the Sultan of Jolo had visited the settlement and mesmerized with the beauty of Maria Uray. He frequently went to Dapitan to ask for the hands of the princess from Manooc. Another story also revealed that Sultan Buisan of Maguindanao, father of Sultan Kudarat also pursued Maria Uray thrice to marry her.[5] However, being a devout Christian, Maria Uray refused to marry either of the sultans. Depressed with failure, the sultans sent their fleets to capture Uray. Upon learning the threat, Manooc hid the princess in the hinterlands of Dapitan with help of his warrior cousin, Kantolan. Maria Uray managed to escape and later resided at Mt. Malasimbo in Magallanes, Sorsogon.[5] The great Dapitan overcame sultans' men and eventually in return, cut their ties with Sulu and Maguindanao.[16] In her later life, Maria Uray went back and settled in Dapitan until her death, with her remains possibly buried at Ilihan Hill (formerly Maria Uray Hill).[5]

Arrival of Legaspi

On November 21, 1564, Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi sailed from Barra de Navidad, Mexico to search for gold, silver and spices, and as well to Christianize the natives of the scattered islands of the Pacific. Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta, also a known navigator served as spiritual adviser and with 6 Augustinian missionaries accompanied Legaspi.[18]

Dapitan is already a thriving community when Legaspi arrived in 1595 and welcomed by Manook, the son of Datu Pagbuaya. Consequently, Manook with his sister Madalena, cousin Laria, and daughter Uray were baptized. Missionaries gave Christian names — Pedro Manuel Manooc to Manook; Magdalena Bacuya to Madalena;, and Maria Uray to Uray.[19] Missionaries were also able to reach hinterlands of Dapitan, baptizing Kantolan, Pagbuaya's cousin including local Subanon chiefs Gomoray, Iknan, and Mialen.[16]

Kingdom of Dapitan became the earliest Christian settlements in Mindanao as it pledged loyalty as they formed a strong alliance with Spain.[20] For Europeans, Dapitan was the most respected among the villages for its nobility, valor, fidelity, military prowess, and their faith. It was also the most densely populated settlement in Mindanao during that time.[13] In 1656, it was recorded that Dapitan has a Christian population of more than 7,000.[21]

Dapitans also worked as guides and guards for missionaries as they make their activities — to minister and evangelize natives from Zamboanga to Iligan.[13]

Spanish Conquest

Kingdom of Dapitan had been integral to the spread of Spanish conquest and control in the Philippines. The conquest of Philippines would have been impossible without the allegiance and help from several hundred of indigenous troops, including Visayan soldiers, who joined the Spanish cause to go to war.[22]

Don Pedro Manuel Manooc, known for military and navigation skills aided the Spaniards in invasion of Manila on May 24, 1570[13] and Bicol (started from Camarines) on July 1573.[23] In 1667, chronicler Fr. Francisco Combés, S.J described Manooc as Fiero, hombre que facilmente se embravece which means the one who gets easily heated like iron.[11]

For sometime, during the conquest of Bicol, Manooc together with his kinsmen founded and settled in the villages of Bacon, Bulusan, Gubat and Magallanes, Sorsogon, protecting these coastal settlements from barbaric Moro pirates and paving the way for evangelical missions of the Franciscans.[24][5] Nearly two hundred years later, on June 13, 1764, Manooc's great-grandson named Don Pedro Manook became the first gobernadorcillo of Gubat when it became an independent town.[25]

Manooc also supported Spanish campaigns in Cebu, Mindanao, Caraga, and Jolo. On one recorded event, Manooc defeated the Sultan of Jolo escaping as a fugitive, who had a fleet of 12 joangas and eventually captured the its flagship. [13] In 1595, Manooc reached Lanao, defeating the Maranaos which then under protection of the Sultanate of Maguindanao, eventually capturing the village of Bayug, a sitio in the present-day barangay Hinaplanon, and founded Iligan as one of the earliest Christian settlements in the country.[26]

Manooc's daughter Doña Maria Uray later married warrior Gonzalo Maglinti. Manooc died and his remains were buried in front of the main altar of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, a distinguished honor given for supporting the Spanish empire. After Manooc's death, son-in-law Maglinti and grandson Pedro Cabili (or Cabilin) defended Christian settlements opposing savages of Maranao and Maguindanao fleets from Sirawai, Zamboanga towards the ends of Iligan and Panguil Bay. Maglinti was also known for watching over the islands and dispatches information to established settlements in Cebu and Iloilo amid the threats from Moro pirates.[19]

Pedro Cabili started as young as 7-years old when he joined his father Maglinti in the conquest and was also known as a fierce warrior perfectly skilled with hand-to-hand combat. In the 18th to the 19th century, the family dominated the politics in Dapitan and Iligan. During this time, Spanish used Dapitan as a military outpost for their operations against Moros. Spain constructed a number of forts along the north-western coast, in Dapitan, Iligan and Ozamis, supported by the Cabili family.[20] Eventually, Cabili became the ancestor of future assemblyman, senator, and Defense secretary Tomas Cabili and Iligan gobernadorcillo Remigio Cabili; and mayors Brod[27] and Camilo Cabili. Camilo Cabili also became a congressman of Iligan from 1984–1986 during the Regular Batasang Pambansa.

Captain Laria, cousin of Manooc served Spain in the conquest of Moluccas in 1606.[14]

Manooc's sister, Doña Madalena Baluyot (or Bacuya) was known to be pacifier and peacemaker of warying factions of Subanon tribe which earned respect from its chiefs.[13]In 1596, Doña Baluyot mediated between locals and missionaries; supporting Jesuits missions in Eastern Mindanao, eventually converting Datu Silongan (baptized as Felipe Silongan), ruler of Butuan that further lead to evangelization of Caraga and Davao Oriental.

In 1622, Datu Salangsang, Baluyot's grandson and ruler of present-day Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental through her intervention allowed Augustinian Recollects missions to the province.[19] Salangsang's seat of government was in Huluga, at the present day sitio Taguanao in southern barangay of Indahag but later transferred to and founded the present-day Cagayan de Oro upon the recommendation of Fr. Agustin de San Pedro (also known as El Padre Capitan) in 1627, securing the settlement amid the threats from Maranaos and Sultan Kudarat.[28]

Recorded monarchs

Reigning Datu / Monarch	Reign	Distinction	Event(s)
Sumanga	??-??	leader of Pintados known for his successful pangangayaw or series of raids along the coastal villages for resources	raids China and Jolo to win the hand of Dayang-dayang (Princess) Bugbung Humasanum[29]
Bugbung Hamusanum	??-??	a binukot and princess of Bohol known for her heroine beauty	Datu Sumanga of Leyte wooed her, causing series raids in China, brought slaves and gifts as dowry[6][8]
Dailisan (Way Lisang Makabungkag)	??-1563	Co-Ruler of Tagbilaran, Dauis, and Panglao. King of Bohol	Died in 1563 during the attack of Portuguese Forces and Sultanate of Ternate from Moluccas[4]
Pagbuaya (Manangkil Way Tupóng)	??-1564	Co-Ruler of Tagbilaran, Dauis, and Panglao with his brother Dailisan. King of Bohol. Founder of Dapitan. His descendants became the earliest Christians in Mindanao.	In 1563, re-established the Great Kedatuan of Dapitan in Mindanao. Allied with Spain.[11]
Si Gala	??-1595	vassal of Pagbuaya and chief of Loboc, Bohol with seat of government at barangay Himilian. Ruler of Bohol after Pagbuaya.	Also made a Sandugo with Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi[12]
Si Katuna (Joaquin)	1499-1595	vassal of Pagbuaya and chief of Baclayon, Bohol with seat of government at barangay Guiwanon. Later, converted to Christianity.	Famous with his Sandugo with Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi[12]
Kantolan	1564-1595	cousin of Pagbuaya	Offered safe haven for Maria Uray when she was pursued by Moro pirates to marry the Sultan of Jolo[13][16]
Manook (Pedro Manuel Manooc)	1564-1595	warrior son of Pagbuaya, King of Dapitan. Founder of Iligan and Gubat, Sorsogon	Supported Legaspi in conquest of Manila, Bicol, Lanao, Caraga, and Jolo. Established earliest Christian settlements in Iligan and Mindanao[26]
Laria (Captain Laria)	1564-1595	warrior cousin of Manook	Joined with Spanish troops to avenge against Sultanate of Ternate and in conquest of Moluccas in 1606 until[21] Spain abandoned Moluccas in 1663.
Magdalena Bacuya (Madalena Baloyog)	1596-??	sister of Manook. Designated leader and peacemaker of Subanen tribe under Spanish authority in present-day northern Zamboanga and Misamis provinces	In 1596, she mediated between Spaniards and Datu Silongan of Butuan. Later settled in Butuan.[20] As a Christian convert, aided Spaniards in evangelization of Caraga, Misamis, and Zamboanga.
Maria Uray	??-??	the daughter of Manook with enchanting beauty,[5] wife of Gonzalo Maglinti and mother of Pedro Cabilin	Refused to marry either the sultans of Sulu[11] and of Maguindanao[5] because of religious differences[13]
Maglintik (Gonzalo Maglinti)	1595-??	warrior son-in-law of Manook, husband of Uray	defender of Christian settlements against Maguindanaon forces and Moro pirates.
Pedro Cabilin (or Cabili)	1595-??	warrior son of Maglinti, ancestor of Senator Tomas Cabili, and of Cabilin and Cabili clans	joined with his father since 7 years old in conquest of Mindanao
Salangsang	1622-??	grandson of Madalena Baloyog, ruler of Cagayan de Misamis with seat of the government at Huluga. Founder of Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental.	In 1622, together with her grandmother Madalena Baloyog, facilitated access of the Recollectos' evangelization of Misamis. In 1627, due attacks of Sultan Kudarat, Salangsang transferred its capital from Huluga to downtown Cagayan de Oro upon the proposal of Fr. Agustin de San Pedro[28]

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