The History of Sulu
by Najeeb M. Saleeby · English · Gutenberg #41771 · 741,990 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The History of Sulu
Author: Najeeb M. Saleeby
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF SULU ***
Department of the Interior
Ethnological Survey Publications
Volume IV, Part II
THE HISTORY OF SULU
By
NAJEEB M. SALEEBY
Manila
Bureau of Public Printing
1908
CONTENTS
PART II
Page.
Preface 117
Chapter I
Geographical Description of the Sulu Archipelago 121
In general 121
Island of Sulu 127
Geographical features 127
Principal coast settlements 129
Districts of the island 131
Town of Jolo 133
General plan, buildings and streets 133
Trade 137
Population 144
Chapter II
Genealogy of Sulu 147
Translator's introduction 147
Sulu author's introduction 147
Descendants of Asip 148
Descendants of Tuan Masha'ika 149
Original and later settlers of Sulu 149
Sulu historical notes 151
Introduction 151
Sulu notes 152
Chapter III
Rise and Prosperity of Sulu 155
Sulu before Islam 155
Introduction of Islam and the rise of a Mohammedan
dynasty in Sulu 158
Establishment of the Mohammedan Church in Sulu and the
reign of Abu Bakr 161
Early days of the sultanate 163
Successors of Abu Bakr 163
Figueroa's expedition against Sulu 164
Reasons for hostilities 168
Rule of Batara Shah Tangah 171
Figueroa's expedition against Mindanao 172
Moro raids 175
First Spanish conquest and occupation of Sulu 177
Sulu supremacy in the Archipelago 179
Successors of Bungsu 179
Reign of Sultan Alimud Din I 180
Reign of Sultan Israel 187
Moro pirates 191
Treaty of 1836 with the Sultan of Sulu 194
Text of the treaty 194
Ratification of the treaty by the Queen Regent
of Spain 196
Expedition of Governor Claveria 199
Visits to Jolo of Captain Henry Keppel and Sir
James Brooke 201
Chapter IV
Decline of Sulu 205
Expedition against Jolo 205
Treaty of April 30, 1851 209
Translation of the Sulu text of the treaty of 1851 212
Politico-military government of Mindanao and adjacent
islands 214
Chapter V
Sulu Under Spanish Sovereignty 221
Occupation of Jolo 221
Rule of Sultan Jamalul A'lam 224
Cession of possessions in Borneo to British North
Borneo Company 225
Treaty of July, 1878 226
Translation of the Spanish copy of the treaty 227
Translation of the Sulu text of the treaty 229
Rule of Sultan Badarud Din II 233
Struggle for the sultanate 237
Rule of Sultan Harun 240
Rule of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II 244
Chapter VI
Conclusion 247
Political status of Sulu at the time of Spanish
evacuation 247
Spanish policy 249
Attitude of the Moros 249
Mistakes and difficulties of Spanish rule 251
Report of Baltasar Giraudier 254
Views of Espina 255
Purpose of Spain 256
Resources of Spain 260
Appendixes
Appendix I. The pacification of Mindanao by Ronquillo 269
II. The pacification of Mindanao 275
III. The Moro raids of 1599 and 1600 279
IV. Gallinato's expedition to Jolo 283
V. Olaso's expedition in 1629 289
VI. Corcuera's campaign in Jolo 291
VII. Obando's report on the preparations to be
undertaken to return Alimud Din to Sulu 305
VIII. Obando's report on the circumstances
attending the attempt to return Alimud
Din to Sulu 307
IX. Report on the occupation of Palawan and
Balabak 313
X. A brief report on the expedition to take
possession of Palawan 317
XI. The letter of the King of Spain to Sultan
Israel 319
XII. Letter from the captain-general of the
Philippines forwarding a copy of the treaty
of peace, protection, and commerce with Sulu 321
XIII. Royal directions relative to commerce with
Sulu, and the advisability of making
Zamboanga a free port 325
XIV. Camba's report on the circumstances
attending the treaty of 1836 and its bases 333
XV. Camba's report on commerce with Sulu and
the advisability of making Zamboanga a free
port 339
XVI. Communication from the governor of Zamboanga
to the supreme government of the Philippines,
relative to the treaty of Sir James Brooke
with the Sultan of Sulu 345
XVII. Communication from the supreme government of
the Philippines to the secretary of state,
relative to the treaty of Sir James Brooke
with the Sultan of Sulu 355
XVIII. Regulations relative to taxes and imposts
on natives and immigrants in Sulu 359
XIX. The protocol of Sulu, of 1877, between
Spain, Germany, and Great Britain 367
XX. The protocol of Sulu of 1885, between Spain,
Germany, and Great Britain 371
XXI. Decree of the general government in regard
to payment of tribute by Sulus 375
XXII. Royal communications relative to the rights
of foreigners to the pearl fisheries of Sulu 377
XXIII. Royal directions relative to the treatment
of foreigners engaged in pearl fishing in
the Sulu waters 383
XXIV. La Torre's views on the policy that should
be adopted in Mindanao and Sulu 385
Maps and Diagrams
Map I. The Sulu Archipelago Frontispiece
Facing page--
II. Sulu Island 128
III. Sketch of Jolo before 1888 134
IV. Sketch of Jolo at the present time 134
Diagram 1. Sultans and royal datus of Sulu 158
2. Datus of Sulu not descended from Abu Bakr 158
PREFACE
The first object sought in the search for the Genealogy of Sulu was
a knowledge of those significant historical events of Sulu which
antedated the Spanish discovery and conquest of the Philippine
Islands, the connection which those events might have had with the
earlier history of the other islands and the light that they might
throw upon the subject of prehistoric Malayan immigration to the
Archipelago. The tarsila (genealogies) [1] of Mindanao show that
events of considerable importance had occurred in the Archipelago,
especially in the south, long before the Portuguese or the Spaniards
reached Malaysia. Some tribes, such as the Samals, we were told, had
emigrated from western Malaysia to the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao,
and indications were not wanting that probably other tribes, now
inhabiting the Philippine Islands, came from the same place. Further,
information was desired relative to the mohammedanization of Sulu and
the possible connection that such a movement might have had with the
introduction of Islam into Sumatra and Malacca.
The research so conducted was well rewarded. The history of Sulu
was traced as far back as the early days of its oldest settlements,
and the organization of the nation was followed back to the primitive
communities out of which the Sulu nation has grown. Records of early
Malayan expeditions and of communication between Sulu and Mindanao
were traced to the earliest missionaries who reached these Islands
by the way of Malacca, and through whom the sultanates of Mindanao
and Sulu were organized on plans similar to those of Malacca and
Palembang. A fuller account of the life history and work of these
missionaries will be given in a later paper of this series. We here
give only a narrative of the events in which they participated and
the part they played in making the history of Sulu proper.
Many difficulties were encountered in the effort to secure an authentic
copy of the Genealogy of Sulu. Several trips of 20 to 40 miles were
made in small Moro sailing craft to visit datus who were said to have
copies of this document. The Sulu authorities who had the manuscript
or copies of it denied this fact from time to time, but after two
years and a half of persistent endeavor and inquiry, the original
manuscript was procured from the prime minister of the Sultan of Sulu,
whose confidence was gained by a long period of intimate acquaintance
and frequent communication. Soon after that, the Annals of Sulu (the
Luntar) were obtained from the sultan and some facts of importance were
learned and made use of in the course of this work. Diligent effort was
further made to collect all interesting Sulu traditions and documents,
and most of the best informed Sulus living were interviewed. Of these
the author feels under special obligation to mention Sheikh Mustafa
bin Ahmad, formerly prime minister to Sultan Harun; Hadji Butu, prime
minister of the present Sultan of Sulu; Datu Pangiran; and Hadji
Mohammed Tayib, one of the principal advisers of the present sultan.
After the first object sought had been gained, it became apparent
that a general public interest in Sulu and Mindanao had been growing
rapidly. It therefore seemed advisable to complete the history of
Sulu up to the date of Spanish evacuation, for no such work has as
yet been published in the English language. It is of special interest
to Americans living in Mindanao and Sulu and of general interest to
Americans and others elsewhere to have a better understanding of the
Moros in general and to acquire some idea of the history of Islam
in the Philippine Islands. This the history of Sulu makes possible
for the reader in a most vivid and realistic manner. The history is
written without prejudice or bias, and events are related as they
appear in the light of facts, and by one capable of seeing things
from the standpoint of a Sulu as well as of a Spaniard.
Nothing reveals the true character of a nation, its capabilities,
tendencies, and resources, better than its history. There is no time
when such general intimate knowledge of a people is more interesting
and more needed than during the period of their regeneration, and
there can be no time when the history of the Sulus will be more
interesting than at present.
Besides the Moro sources above referred to, several authors in Spanish
and English have been consulted and quoted with due credit. Special
indebtedness must however be expressed to Col. Miguel S. Espina,
author of "Apuntes sobre Jolo," whose admirable work has been our
chief authority for the majority of the events which occurred after
the Spanish invasion of Sulu in 1578. Espina saw considerable service
in Sulu, was intimately acquainted with the Spanish administration of
Sulu affairs, and most of his information was derived from official
documents and other sources of equal authenticity. Most of the events
relating to the late period of Spanish occupation of Sulu have been
confirmed by personal investigation, and the Sulu view of every matter
of significance has been studied and understood.
A chapter on the geography of the Archipelago is presented first to
give a general idea of the geographical relations of the Archipelago
of Sulu, the location of its various islands and settlements, and its
commercial resources. Special attention has been given to accurate
spelling of names and the correct location of settlements and small
islands. Unusual pains have been taken to get satisfactory maps of the
Archipelago and Island of Sulu and sketches of the town of Jolo. These
will help the reader and add interest to the succeeding chapters.
In the Appendixes will be seen reprints of various documents, reports,
quotations and letters of direct and significant bearing on the history
of Sulu and Mindanao. They are arranged in chronological order and
are intended to complete the record and description of important
events in Moro history so as to throw light on the actual conditions
of life among the Moros, the political motives of the interested
powers, and the real state of affairs in Mindanao at the time of the
Spanish evacuation. The source from which each article is derived is
given in connection therewith. A considerable number of quotations or
chapters have been taken from "The Philippine Islands," by Blair and
Robertson, for which special obligation is hereby expressed. Many of
the official documents given could not be conveniently incorporated
in the text of the history proper, and are herein published, probably
for the first time. They include protocols, capitulations, official
letters, decrees, and correspondence relative to Sulu obtained from
the Division of Archives of the Philippine Islands. The originals of
the copies can be seen in Spain in the Indies Archives.
Some liberty has been taken in correcting the spelling of geographical
and other proper names in order to render the history uniform in
its orthography and to avoid confusion and misconnection of events,
persons, and places. The same system of orthography has been used here
as that used and described in Part 1 of Volume IV, Ethnological Survey
Publications. Diacritical signs to denote the long sounds of vowels
have, however, been very rarely used. The Arabic "hamzat," occurring
in Moro words has been expressed by an apostrophe; while an inverted
apostrophe has been used to represent the Arabic sound or character
"`ain," the eighteenth letter of the Arabic alphabet. Annotations
which occur in the original documents have generally been indicated
by letters, while those made by the author are denoted by figures.
Manila, January, 1907.
CHAPTER I
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO [2]
IN GENERAL
The Sulu Archipelago is a series of small volcanic islands which
extends in a northeast and southwest direction between the meridians
of 119° 10' and 122° 25' east, and the parallels of 4° 30' and 6°
50' north. It forms a continuous chain of islands, islets, and coral
reefs, which connects the peninsula of Zamboanga with the northeastern
extremity of Borneo and separates the Sulu Sea from the Celebes Sea. It
marks the southern line of communication between the Philippine Islands
and Borneo and is probably the chief route of former emigrations and
travel from Borneo to Mindanao and the southern Bisayan Islands.
The islands of the Archipelago are so disposed as to form several
smaller groups, the most important of which are the following: The
Basilan Group, the Balangingi or Samal Group, the Sulu Group, the
Pangutaran Group, the Tapul or Siasi Group, and the Tawi-tawi Group.
The Basilan Group is the first on the north and includes the Island
of Basilan and fifty-six small adjacent islands, all of which lie
north of the parallel of 6° 15' north and east of the meridian of
121° 19' east. This group, under the name of Basilan, constituted
the sixth district of the politico-military government of Mindanao,
organized by the Spanish Government in 1861. Since that date the
islands forming this group have not been recognized politically as
a part of the Sulu Archipelago.
Basilan is the largest island in the Archipelago. Its northernmost
point is about 10 miles directly south of Zamboanga. The island is more
or less circular in outline and has a radius approximately 11 miles
long. Its area is about 400 square miles. Two prominent headlands
projecting, one on the east and one on the west, give the island a
maximum length of 36 miles. The greatest width, north and south,
is 24 miles. The eastern headland is long and has a picturesque,
conical peak, called Mount Matangal, which rises about 648 meters
above sea level. This peak is a very prominent landmark, visible
to a great distance from all points in the Celebes Sea and in the
Straits of Basilan. The western headland is less prominent. It has
an isolated peak about 287 meters above the sea, immediately north
of the settlement of Pangasa'an. The position of this peak makes it a
conspicuous landmark to vessels entering the Straits of Basilan from
the Sulu Sea.
The surface of the island is high and hilly. Twenty-three peaks
are recognized, forming two distinct series or ranges, central and
peripheral. The central region of the island is an elevated tableland,
out of which rise a number of peaks forming the central series and
ranging from 609 to 1,019 meters above sea level. A thick forest covers
this region. The rivers are small and dry up in the dry season. Few
Yakans are to be found there, and their houses are isolated and far
apart. No cultivation is carried on in the interior. On the outside
of this region rises the peripheral series of hills or peaks which
lies parallel and near to the coast. With the exception of two,
all of these peaks are below 304 meters in height. The drop from
this line of hills to the coast is rapid in some places, and in
general the shore line is low and swampy and covered with mangrove
trees. The three largest valleys in the island are those of Gubawan
or Lamitan on the northeast, Kumalarang on the northwest, and Malusu
on the west. This region is generally considered fertile, but it has
a marked dry season and droughts are not rare.
The island is very rich in timber; all its hills and mountains are
forest-clad to their summits. Excellent boats are constructed on the
south and west coasts of the island which rival the Tawi-tawi boats
in every particular. A few Americans have started hemp and coconut
plantations on the north coast, but native cultivation is not extensive
and compares very poorly with that of the Islands of Sulu, Tapul, and
Siasi. Most of the cultivation on the island is carried on by Yakans,
the Samals living chiefly on the products of the sea. The staple
products of the soil are rice, tapioca, and corn. Ubi (a kind of tuber
used as food), camotes (sweet potatoes), and wild fruits abound. The
number of cattle is not inconsiderable, but horses are few. Most of
the settlements on the island are on the sea coast and lie on the north
and west coasts. The larger ones, beginning at Isabela and going east,
are, on the north, Isabela, Patasan or Balaktasan, Malu'ung, Nipa,
Lamitan, Tagima, and Kandi'is; on the east, Tambunan, Buhi-lubung,
and Ubung; on the south, Amalwi, Giyung, and Mangal; on the west,
Libuk, Kabkaban, Kanas, Malusu, and Pangasa'an; on the north, Bulansa,
Atung-atung, Batanay, and Panigayan. [3] The prominent chiefs of the
island live at Lamitan, Ubung, and Malusu, which form the principal
centers of native power. The old name of Basilan was Tagima, so called
after the name of the old settlement of Tagima mentioned above.
Isabela may be considered as the capital of Basilan. Its old name is
Pasangan, which is still the name of the stream at the mouth of which
it is built. The town is situated 4 miles inland, on the narrow channel
which separates Basilan from the small island of Malamawi. The channel
widens a little at this point and forms an excellent harbor. Under
Spanish jurisdiction it was a naval station with a dry dock for
gunboats. An aqueduct furnishes the town with fresh water brought
from a small stream in the neighborhood. The stone fort Isabel II,
built on the hill in 1842, commands both entrances of the channel. It
was designed to defend the town against the Moros. The abandonment
of the town as a naval station has led to its present decline. An
American sawmill planted there has been the chief source of lumber
supply for the town of Zamboanga and neighborhood.
The largest islands in this group, excepting Basilan, are Baluk-baluk
and Pilas, both of which lie west of Basilan. A narrow channel which
lies in the direct route leading from Zamboanga to Jolo separates
these two islands. Tapiantana, Salupin, Bubwan, and Lanawan are the
largest islands of the group south of Basilan.
The population of this whole group is generally estimated at 25,000. Of
these, 15,000 live in Basilan itself. The inhabitants of Basilan proper
are Yakans and Samals, while the adjacent islands are occupied entirely
by Samals. The Yakans are the aborigines of Basilan and extend farther
into the interior than the Samals.
Basilan never enjoyed political independence. Before Spanish rule
it was governed by Sulu datus and paid tribute to the Sultan of
Sulu. Under the datus, subordinate Samal panglimas [4] and maharajas
[5] had charge of the various communities or settlements. The Samals
of Basilan are at present stronger than other Samals and enjoy a
greater degree of liberty and self-government than their brothers in
the Tawi-tawi Group.
The Balangingi Group lies east of the meridian of 121° 28' east, and to
the south of the Basilan Group. It has nineteen islands, the principal
ones of which are Tonkil, Balangingi, Simisa, Tatalan, Bukutwa, Bulim,
Bangalaw. The islands of this group are small and low and do not exceed
38 square miles in area. Their inhabitants are Samals. The people of
Balangingi and Tonkil were notorious pirates. They built strong forts
and once surpassed all other Samals in power, political organization,
and prosperity.
The Sulu Group lies west of the Balangingi Group and north of the
parallel of 5° 46' north. Its western boundary may be sent at the
meridian of 120° 46' east. It consists of about twenty-nine islands
with a total area of 380 square miles. The principal island of this
group is Sulu. To the north of Sulu lie Pangasinan, Marongas, Kabukan,
Bubwan, Minis, Hegad, and a few others; to the east lie Tulayan,
Kapwal, and Bitinan; to the south, Pata and Patyan.
Tulayan lies north of Tandu and is separated from it by a narrow
strait. It has a good harbor on the southern side. It was ceded to the
English in 1763 by Sultan Alimud Din I out of appreciation of the favor
done in releasing him from prison in Manila and reinstating him as
Sultan of Sulu. The English, however, never made any use of the island.
Pata is, next to Sulu, the largest island of the group. It is
mountainous and well populated. The description of the Island of Sulu
is given separately at the end of this chapter.
The Pangutaran Group lies west of the Sulu Group and north of the sixth
parallel. It has fourteen islands and an area of 72 square miles. The
principal members of the group are Pangutaran, Pandukan, North Ubian,
Laparan, and Tababas or Cap. They are all low and flat with little more
than trees visible from the sea. They are surrounded by coral reefs
and sand banks, which in places form lagoons which can be entered only
at high water. The drinking water in these islands is brackish in the
hot season and has a black color during rains. Very often the people
go as far as the Island of Sulu to get good water. Pangutaran is the
fifth island in the Archipelago in size, being 11 miles long, north
and south, and 8 miles wide, from east to west. Its chief settlement is
Maglakub. Its northern and eastern coasts are the best populated. The
inhabitants of this group are chiefly Samals; few Sulus are found
mixed with them. Coconut trees and tapioca plants grow well in places.
The Siasi Group lies to the south and west of the Sulu Group, east
of the meridian of 120° 33' east, and north of the parallel of 5°
24' north. It has thirty-eight islands with an aggregate area of 77
square miles. Its population is estimated at 20,000. The principal
islands of this group are Siasi, Pandami, Lugus, Tapul, Laminusa,
and Kabinga'an. The first four are volcanic islands of some size;
the last two are low and flat. Tapul is the nearest island of the
group to Sulu. It is more or less round in circumference and rises
in the middle to a picturesque conical peak 505 meters above the
sea. It is about 5 miles in diameter and is separated from Lugus by
a very narrow channel. The island is 8 miles south of Sulu Island,
is well cultivated, and appears very attractive from the sea. It
supports a considerable population and has several fairly prosperous
settlements. The people are mostly Sulus; they are very warlike and
take great pride in their traditions.
The chief settlement of this island is Kanawi, where lives Sharif
Alawi, the strongest chief on the island. Buhangin Hawpu, Pangpang, and
Pagatpat lie on the southern coast, east of Kanawi. The settlements on
the western coast are, beginning at the south, Suba Pukul, Kawimpang,
Tigbas, Banting, Kutabatu, Bagus; on the northern coast, Kawimpang,
Pangdan; on the eastern coast, Sampunay, Tulakan.
Lugus is a larger island. Its long diameter extends 9 miles east and
west, and it has an area of 18 square miles. It is hilly and rough;
but the northern shore is fairly well cultivated.
The chief settlements are on the western coast. They are Basbas,
where Datu Amilusin used to live, and Bulipungpung. On the north lie,
beginning at the east, Gapas, Ba'it-ba'it, and Hawit, the place of
Maharaja Sharafud Din; on the east Kalu'ukan, the residence of Panglima
Salahud Din; and on the south Aluduyung, and the Island of Munupunu.
Siasi and Pandami are separated by a narrow channel which forms a
good anchorage for vessels. Siasi is prettier than Tapul in form
and is larger, but not equally wooded. It has an isolated, conical,
and beautiful peak in the center rising to a height of 509 meters
above sea level. The island is about 7 miles in diameter and has an
area of 39 square miles. Reefs and numerous islets form a fringe off
the east and south coasts and these teem with Samal houses. It is
thickly settled, fairly well cultivated, and has, in proportion to
its size, a considerable number of horses and cattle. The majority
of the people are Samals, but the chief rulers and some of their
retinues are Sulus. In this respect this island follows the general
rule governing all the larger islands of the Archipelago outside of
Sulu Island. The town of Siasi is on the western side. It lies on the
Pandami Channel and has a good harbor. A spring rising at the base of
the western slope of the mountain supplies the town with fresh water.
A detachment of Spanish troops occupied the town in 1882 and built
a stone fort and barracks. American troops were there from 1900 to
1904, when they were relieved by a detachment of the Philippine
Constabulary. An effort was made in 1899 by the present sultan,
Jamalul Kiram II, to retain Siasi under his own jurisdiction for
the establishment of a custom-house where he could collect duties
on foreign goods, as was formerly done by his father; but no such
rights were conceded to him. Siasi is a closed port at present. The
residents of the town are Samals and Chinese traders. They vary from
500 to 700 in number. The other settlements on the island are, on the
north, Siyundu, Pagatpat, and Manta; on the east, Pamungunan, Tanjun,
Sipanding, and Bulikulul; on the south, Dugu, Latung, and Musu; on
the west, Nipanipa, Jambanganan, Dungus, and Sablay; in the interior,
Kabubu, Ju, and Kungatad. Siasi and Laminusa are important centers
of pearl and shell fishing. About 2,000 Samals live on Laminusa.
Pandami is an attractive island. Its long diameter runs north
and south. Two round peaks, one at each end of the island, give
it the shape of a saddle and make a picturesque sight from the
sea. The people are chiefly Samals ruled by Sulu datus. Its best
settlements are on the west and south. The name given to this island
on Spanish maps is Lapak, which is the name of one of its southern
settlements. The northern extremity of the island is Diadia Point,
the northeast projection is Butun Point. The chief settlements on
the west are, beginning at the north, Subasuba, Tabunan, Pari'an
Pandami, Tubig-shina, Lahi, and Sibawud, which lies on a reef off
the southern point of the island. On the east lie Ambilan, Bakal,
and Lapak. Laminusa and Kabinga'an lie to the east of Siasi. They
are small but thickly populated by Samals. The chief settlements of
Laminusa are Tampan on the north and Kungkung on the south.
The Tawi-tawi Group lies to the south and west of the Tapul Group and
extends as far west as the Sibutu Passage. This is the largest group
in number and area, including eighty-eight islands with a combined
area of 462 square miles. Its population is estimated at 25,000. These
islands form two distinct divisions or subgroups, differing in both
extent and population.
The first or northern division includes Bangao, Sangasanga, Tawi-tawi,
Tandu-batu, and a large number of smaller islands, all of which
are rough, volcanic, mountainous, and very sparsely populated. The
second or southern division is a series of low, flat islands which
are smaller in area but more thickly populated than those of the
northern division. The principal names, beginning at the east, are
the following: Kinapusan, Bintulan, Tabawan, South Ubian, Tandubas,
Sikubun, Lata'an, Mantabwan, Banaran, Bilatan, Manuk-manka, and
Simunul. Extensive reefs and narrow channels and shoals separate these
islands from one another and from those of the northern division,
rendering navigation between them impossible except in vessels of
very light draft.
Bangao, Sanga-sanga, and Tawi-tawi are separated by very
narrow channels and are practically one island. Bangao forms the
southwest extremity and is substantially one solid rock which rises
perpendicularly to a height of 228 meters. It is a conspicuous landmark
to vessels going through the Sibutu Passage. The town of Bangao is
a military station and an open port; it has an excellent landlocked
harbor and a very poor water supply. The town has been occupied by
troops since 1882, but it has never attained any size or importance.
Tawi-tawi Island is a continuous range of hills covered by thick and
rich forests. The highest points in the range are the Dromedary peaks
(591 meters) lying about the center of the island. The length of the
island is about 34 miles and its greatest width 14 miles. It is next
in size to the Island of Sulu, but it is very sparsely populated. Its
chief settlements are Tungpatung, Balimbang, Lissum, and Bu'an on the
south coast, and Tawi-tawi, Tata'an, Butung, Tumhubung, Tumbaga'an,
Languyan, and Bas on the north. At Balimbang are built the best types
of Sulu and Samal boats. Good timber abounds in the neighboring hills,
and the little bay is transformed into a shipyard. The town used
to be a famous rendezvous for Samal pirates. Tata'an had formerly a
Spanish garrison; the present Moro town is a little distance to the
south of the ruins of the fort and is called Butung. It is built on
the hillside and commands a pretty view of the sea. It lies 100 miles
east of Lahat Datu, East Borneo. The anchorage is deep and safe,
being well protected by a large semicircle of reefs. A boa 30 feet
long was killed on the island in 1903. Rubber and gutta-percha are
found on this island. Tapioca and ubi are the staple products.
Sibutu lies in a little group of the same name, situated between
the Tawi-tawi Group and Borneo and at a distance of about 15 miles
from each. The Sibutu Passage separates it from Manuk-manka, the
southernmost island of the Tawi-tawi Group, and the Alice Channel from
Borneo. This island did not lie within the limits of the Philippine
Islands as defined in the Treaty of Peace of December 10, 1898. It was
ceded by Spain with Kagayan Sulu, by a separate treaty in November,
1900. Its close proximity to Borneo renders it a convenient stopping
place for small Moro boats navigating between Borneo and Sulu. Sitanki,
an island and town, is the trade center of this group, and has just
lately been made an open port.
ISLAND OF SULU
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
Sulu is an island of irregular shape and among the islands of the
Archipelago is next in size to Basilan. Its longest diameter runs east
and west and approximates 37 miles, while its average length does not
exceed 32 miles. Its greatest width is 14 miles and its average width
about 10 miles. The main structure of the island is volcanic, but it
is surrounded with a coral reef formation, which is most extensive
in the bays and on the south.
Two indentations of the northern shore at Jolo and Si'it and two
corresponding indentations of the southern shore at Maymbung and
Tu'tu', divide the island into three parts--western, middle, and
eastern.
The Bay of Jolo is quite open and faces the northwest. It is very
shallow near the shore and its head constitutes the roadstead of
Jolo. The Bay of Maymbung is a deeper indentation, but it is narrower
and shallower than the Bay of Jolo. The town of Maymbung lies at the
head of the bay and is about 9 miles south of Jolo in a direct line.
The Bays of Si'it and Tu'tu' indent the island to such an extent as
to leave only a neck of land, less than 4 miles wide, connecting the
middle and eastern parts of the island. The settlement of Si'it lies
at the head of the bay and in the immediate vicinity of a small lake
of the same name. The shores of the Bay of Tu'tu' are marshy and are
covered with mangrove trees. The bay is very shallow to a considerable
distance from shore. Tu'tu' is the principal settlement near the head
of the bay.
The backbone of the island is a mountain range which runs east and
west and lies nearer to the northern shore. The highest point is Mount
Tumangtangis, at the western extremity of the range. This mountain
reaches a height of 853 meters above sea level and descends very
rapidly to the western coast near Timahu. A spur of the mountain
terminates in Point Pugut at the northwestern extremity of the
island. [6]
Toward the east, the ridge descends to a much lower level at Bud Datu,
Bud Agad, and Bud Pula, which lie immediately to the south of Jolo. It
rises again in Mount Dahu to an altitude of 716 meters. Mount Dahu is
a prominent landmark and forms the most picturesque landscape in the
background of Jolo. It is a steep and conical extinct volcano, similar
to, but smaller and more regular in form than Mount Tumangtangis. East
of Mount Dahu is another gap in which lies Tambang Pass. Beyond this
the range rises again at Mount Tambang and continues uninterrupted to
Mount Sinuma'an, at the extreme end of Lati, and Mount Bagshag. After
Mount Bagshag the range descends gradually toward Su' and Si'it. The
northern slopes of Mount Tumangtangis and Mount Dahu, and the crest of
Bud Datu are covered with grand forests, while the crests and lower
slopes of Bud Agad and Bud Pula are partly cultivated and partly
covered with tall grass.
From the shores of the Bay of Jolo the land rises gradually and
presents a beautiful green appearance. The northern aspect of this
whole range and its beauty were appropriately described by Mr. Hunt,
as follows:
There are few landscapes in the world that exhibit a more
delightful appearance than the seacoasts of Sulu; the luxuriant
variety of the enchanting hills exhibits a scenery hardly ever
equaled and certainly never surpassed by the pencil of the
artist. Some with majestic woods that wave their lofty heads
to the very summits; others with rich pasturage delightfully
verdant, with here and there patches burnt for cultivation,
which form an agreeable contrast with enameled meads; others,
again, exhibit cultivation to the mountain top, checkered with
groves affording a grateful variety to the eye--in a word, it
only requires the decorations of art and civilized life to form
a terrestrial paradise. [7]
To the south of Bagshag [8] lies a small extinct volcano called Panamaw
or Pandakan, whose crater is now a lake. East of Si'it rise the Lu'uk
mountains of Urut, Upao, and Tayungan. From these the range extends
to Bud Tandu at the eastern extremity of the island.
The highlands near the southern coast of the island divide into three
separate regions. The first and westernmost lies west of Maymbung
and forms the principal highlands of Parang. The highest points in
this region are Mount Tukay, east of the town of Parang, and Mount
Mabingkang, east of Tukay. To the east of Maymbung rise Mount Talipao
and Mount Kumaputkut, which form the middle and second region. The
third region is the southern part of the Lu'uk country. Its highest
point is Mount Bulag, to the north of Tandu-Panu'an.
Between Mount Tukay and Mount Tumangtangis lies Bud Gapang. Midway
between Mount Talipao and Bud Datu is Mount Kumuray, in the
neighborhood of Langhub.
The largest streams on the island are Tubig Palag and Bina'an. The
first is generally known as the Maymbung River. It passes through
the settlement of Maymbung and empties into the head of the bay of
the same name. It drains the southern slopes of Mounts Tumangtangis,
Pula, Dahu, and Kumuray. The Bina'an stream drains the southern
slopes of Mount Sinuma'an and the northern slopes of Mounts Talipao
and Kumaputkut and empties into the Bay of Tu'tu'.
PRINCIPAL COAST SETTLEMENTS
Beginning at Jolo and going west along the northern coast we pass
the following points of interest: The first is Point Baylam, the
western limit of the Bay of Jolo. At the head of the small bay that
follows lies the settlement of Matanda, where a Spanish blockhouse
marks the western limit of the Jolo line of fortifications. Next
comes Point Mangalis and the receding beach of Bwansa, the old
capital of Sulu. Here and in the next bay, at Malimbay and Kansaya,
Samal boats assemble in favorable weather for fishing. Back of these
settlements the land rises rapidly to Mount Tumangtangis. A teak
forest of considerable size lies between Tumangtangis and Jolo.
Outside of the wall of Jolo and to the east lies the settlement of
Busbus, where criminals formerly were chopped to death after being tied
to a tree. A mile beyond is Mubu, where the old residence of Sultan
Harun stands out prominently. Copious springs of fresh water issue at
this place at a point near the high-water mark. A mile farther east we
come to Tandu (point or cape), where Datu Kalbi lives. This point is
generally known as Tandu Dayang Ipil [9] and marks the eastern limit
of the Bay of Jolo. The isolated hill of Patikul rises immediately
behind Tandu. The settlement of Patikul lies still farther away on
the beach. Here lives Datu Julkarnayn (Alexander the Great), the
brother of Datu Kalbi. The beautiful region lying between Patikul
and the mountains of Tambang and Sinuma'an is called Lati.
Buhanginan lies about midway between Patikul and Higasan. At the
latter place or Tandu Manuk-manuk the shore line recedes toward the
south. Opposite this point lies the Island of Bakungan. Next comes
the larger settlement of Taglibi, above which rises Mount Ta'ung; then
Bunbun, near a point which marks the western entrance into the Bay of
Si'it. Midway between Bunbun and the head of the bay is Su', which may
be said to mark the boundary line between Lati and Lu'uk. Si'it is
a small settlement near the head of the bay. Beyond Si'it the shore
line turns north until it reaches Kansipat. About 2 miles farther, a
semicircular reef off the shore makes the excellent and well-protected
small harbor of Bwal. A large spring of pure, fresh water adds to this
place another natural advantage, one which gave it the prominence it
had in former days. The entrance into the harbor is very shallow and
allows only sailboats of light draft. The channel lies close to the
shore on the west side. Opposite the Island of Tulayan lie Tandu-batu
and a little farther inland Kuta Makis. Limawa lies about 3 miles
farther on near a point opposite the Island of Buli Kuting. Behind
this island and at the head of a shallow cove lies Patutul, the chief
settlement of Tandu. East of Bud Tandu is Tandu Pansan, the easternmost
point of the island. The eastern coast is exposed to storms and appears
rocky and barren, though the hills behind it are well cultivated.
The first point on the southern coast is Tandu Panu'an, behind which
lies the settlement of Sukuban. This marks the southern extremity of
the boundary line between Tandu and Lu'uk. The country behind Kuta
Sihi' and Pitugu appears rich and well tilled. The hills come down
to the beach. Near the point at the eastern limit of Tu'tu' Bay lies
Kambing. The neighboring country is rich and prosperous. It is governed
by Maharaja Bayrula, one of the wisest and best chiefs of Sulu. West
of Kambing lie Pandang-pandang, Tubu-manuk, and Tu'tu'. The shore is
a continuous mangrove marsh, while the country behind is about the
richest and best tilled land on the whole island. The western side
of Tu'tu' Bay has few places of importance. The country behind is
picturesque and hilly, but not as well populated as other parts of
the island. Lubuk, Kabungkul, and Lumapit are the chief settlements.
Beyond the point of Buhangin Puti', the shore line bends again north
and the Bay of Maymbung begins. Here mangrove swamps are extensive and
extend a good distance inland. The greater part of Maymbung is built on
piles over the water. It is surrounded by swamps on all sides. After
the tide recedes, strong odors arise from the muddy bottom to such
an extraordinary degree as to render the atmosphere of the place
very disagreeable and often unbearable to strangers. The center of
the town is a small, open square of reclaimed land filled with coral
rocks. Around this square were built the houses of Sultan Jamalul
A`lam and his ministers of state. The present sultan lives on a hill
about half a mile inland from the town. The square was probably the
site of the Maymbung fort which was destroyed by General Arolas in
1887. Some Chinese traders live in the town and export hemp, pearls,
pearl shells, etc., through Jolo. The population of the town and its
immediate suburbs varies considerably, but it is generally estimated
at 1,000. Beyond Maymbung the coast bends sharply to the south. In
the immediate vicinity of Maymbung lies Bwalu. A mile west of this
place begins the district of Parang. After Lipid and Lapa comes
Kabali'an, the western limit of the Bay of Maymbung. The shore line
then takes a more westerly direction. Passing Dandulit and Lakasan,
we reach Tandu Put, where the western coast of the island begins. This
southern region of Parang is well populated and is very pretty and
productive. Cultivated areas are seen on the side of the mountains
everywhere and they reach the very summit of Mount Tukay.
The town of Parang is one of the largest settlements on the island
and has, at present, an estimated population of 1,000. It is situated
at the head of a small open bay facing the southwest and commands
a beautiful view of Tapul and Lugus and the intervening sheet of
water. It is the capital of the district and has one of the best
markets in the Archipelago for fish, shells, and pearls. The drinking
water in this neighborhood is brackish.
An islet lies off the shore near Tandu Bunga. Beyond this point the
shore line turns north to Bwisan, which is one of the most prosperous
settlements in the district. Beyond Alu Pangku' the coast inclines a
little east and runs to Silankan and Timahu. Extensive coconut groves
and well-cultivated fields and fruit trees of various kinds abound
all along the coast from Parang to Timahu.
DISTRICTS OF THE ISLAND
The districts of the island conform in a great measure to its natural
divisions. However, political reasons have modified the natural
boundaries and increased the districts to six by division. These
districts are Parang, Pansul, Lati, Gi'tung, Lu'uk and Tandu. The first
district on the west is Parang. A line joining the western limit of
Bwalu on the south coast, with a point slightly east of the summit of
Mount Tumantangis, and projected to the sea on the north, delimits
this district on the east and carves out of the western natural
division the district of Pansul. The eastern boundary of Pansul is a
line running from a point 2 or 3 miles east of Maymbung to Mount Pula
and Busbus. The chief reason for separating Pansul from Parang was
to reserve for the sultan direct control over Jolo and Maymbung. This
district has more foreigners residing in it than any other.
A line joining Su' and Lubuk marks the eastern limit of both Lati and
Gi'tung, the third and fourth districts. The watershed line joining
the summits of Mounts Dahu, Tambang, and Sinuma'an and falling on
the east to the vicinity of Su', divides Lati on the north from
Gi'tung on the south. For all practical purposes the district of
Lati may be said to lie between Jolo and Su', and the district of
Gi'tung or Talipao between Maymbung and Tu'tu'. The land joining
Si'it and Tu'tu' is low. Sulu traditions say that when the Samals
arrived in the island this neck of land was submerged and the island
was divided by a channel of water. The extinct volcano of Pandakan,
generally spoken of as the "Crater Lake," which lies in this vicinity,
may be of late origin and may have been the source of the geologic
deposits which helped to fill the channel. Spanish records speak of
a volcanic eruption in the vicinity of Jolo as late as 1840, and it
is very likely that other volcanic action occurred prior to that date
and after the arrival of the Samals in the fourteenth century.
A line joining Limawa on the north and Sukuban or Tandu Panu'an on
the south, divides Lu'uk from Tandu, thus forming the fifth and sixth
districts respectively. A line joining Mount Tayungan and Bud Tandu
divides both Lu'uk and Tandu into a northern and a southern part. In
both cases the southern parts are more fertile and better cultivated
and probably more thickly populated than the northern.
The Sulus are principally agriculturists. The greater part of the
people are farmers and a considerable portion of the interior of the
island is under cultivation. They raise a good number of cattle,
carabaos, and horses, which they utilize for tilling the soil and
transporting its products. Trails cross the island in all directions
and the interior is in easy communication with the sea. Fruits are
good and abundant. The forests are rich in jungle products and in
timber. Some copra and hemp is raised and the amount is being increased
annually. The staples are tapioca, rice, and corn. Sugar cane is raised
in small quantities. Ubi and taro are fairly abundant. Some coffee is
produced, but disease destroyed most of the plantations. Some tobacco
and vegetables are raised for home consumption only.
Jolo is one of the best fish markets in the Philippine Islands. The
varieties of fish in Sulu waters are innumerable and of excellent
quality. The Island of Sulu surpasses Mindanao in the quality and
proportional amount of its fruit. There is an abundance of mangostins,
durians, nangkas (jack-fruit), lançones, [10] marangs, [10] mangos
of several varieties (mampalam, bawnu, and wanni), oranges, custard
apples, pineapples, bananas, etc.
In the extent and quality of cultivation the district of Lu'uk
ranks first, Parang second, and Lati third. Good fresh water abounds
everywhere except on the western coast. Considerable irrigation is
possible in many localities.
TOWN OF JOLO.
GENERAL PLAN, BUILDINGS AND STREETS
Jolo is the Spanish representation (or rather misrepresentation) of
the word Sulu, sometimes written Sooloo. The early Spaniards wrote it
"Xolo," which later changed to Joló. The complete form of the word is
Sulug, as it is rendered in Magindanao. The Sulus pronounce it and
write it Sug. Sug means a sea current. The flow of the tide through
the innumerable narrow channels separating the numerous islands of
the Archipelago gives rise to unusually strong currents which figure
prominently in the seafaring life of the people. Therefore the term
is an appropriate designation for the Archipelago as a whole.
The rulers of the island state have changed their capital four
times. The most ancient capital was Maymbung, the second was Bwansa,
which lies on the north coast of the island about 3 miles west of
Jolo. Here ruled Raja Baginda and the first three sultans of Sulu. The
fourth sultan moved to Sug, the third capital, and the town remained
the capital of the sultanate until 1876, the date of the Spanish
conquest and occupation. Sultan Jamalul A`lam then moved to Maymbung
and the Spaniards occupied the town. Since then the term Jolo has
become so intimately associated with it, that it is deemed preferable
to use it as a name for the town, while the term Sulu, which is more
correct and more commonly used, is retained in all other applications.
The town of Jolo has been so closely identified with the history
of the sultanate as to claim considerable attention. The Spanish
buildings and improvements were sufficiently extensive to obscure
the ancient landmarks of the town and to render a complete and
intelligent understanding of the early history and traditions of the
place impracticable. A few words describing the location of Jolo,
its ancient landmarks, and the Spanish improvements will therefore
be of primary interest.
The town as it stands at present is divided into four distinct
parts. The main or central part is Jolo proper or the "walled
town." This is known to the Moros as Tiyangi Sug meaning the "shops
or market of Sulu." The western half of this part bordering on Suba'
Bawang formerly was termed Luway. The second part, called San Remondo,
lies back and south of the walled town and is separated from it by a
little stream called Tubig Hasa'an. The third part is Tulay and lies
on the west side; the fourth is Busbus, on the east side.
At the head of the roadstead separating the Pueblo nuevo or Tulay from
Jolo proper or Luway is a small tidal stream formerly called Suba'
Bawang. Some maps designate it as Rio del Sultan. This stream extends
back into a swamp and divides into two branches. The main or direct
branch extends in a more or less southerly direction to a point about
700 meters from the mouth of the stream, where it rises in copious
springs of fresh water at the edge of the swamp. The other branch
is formed by the junction of the rivulet that rises in the springs
of San Remondo with Tubig Hasa'an. The latter has its origin at the
foot of the hills above the cemetery and Blockhouse No. 2. Hasa'an
means grindstone, and the springs are said to have burst out of the
spot where a grindstone was set for use. Another stream, termed Suba'
Ligayan, drains the northern slopes of Buds Datu and Agad, and running
north, passes by Fort Asturias and through Tulay, and empties into
the roadstead of Jolo at a point about 250 meters west of the mouth
of Suba' Bawang. A branch of this stream formerly issued at Asturias
and connected with the main stream of Suba' Bawang. The land which
thus lay between Suba' Bawang and Suba' Ligayan was a delta. It was
called by the Moros u-laya (that is, the head of the net) because
of its triangular shape. It was mostly marshy, but it had a central
longitudinal strip of dry land which practically connected Tulay with
the base of the hills, at Asturias. At the upper end of this strip
there existed at one time a well-defined, sandy spot, different in
formation from the surrounding land, which was considered sacred and
was supposed to be the first land formed on the island. This spot was
Sug proper; after it was named the whole settlement which was built
along the banks of Suba' Bawang and at the head of the roadstead.
The Sultan's palace, termed istana, his kuta (fort) and stockades
were built along the lower left bank of the stream Bawang; hence the
name Rio del Sultan. On the right bank lay the houses and stockades
of the other datus of high rank. Two bridges connected one side of
the stream with the other.
On the outskirts of the town lay various kuta belonging to subordinate
datus, which defended the approaches to the town. The most famous of
these kuta was Daniel's Fort, the best stronghold of Sulu. On the
site of this fort was built in 1878 the fort or redoubt of Alfonso
XII, which was lately replaced by the present headquarters building
of the military post of Jolo. Another strong fort was built at the
foot of the hills just above the head of the delta above described;
it defended the inland approach to the town. This was Panglima Arabi's
kuta, on the site of which Fort Asturias was erected. Another kuta
was located on Point Baylam.
The principal part of the town was formerly built over the shoal and
beach at the head of the bay. Extensive rows of buildings stretched
out into the roadstead and in front of the buildings now occupied as
the clubhouse and military hospital. The present "Chinese pier" is
constructed on the same plan. This extensive row of houses and shops
begins at the lower point of the Tulay delta and stretches straight out
into the sea. The bay is very shallow here and appears to be fairly
well protected from severe storms. A variety of fish called tulay,
after which the Moro town of Tulay is named, is caught in the bay. A
swamp bounds the town on the south and west, affording it considerable
protection from assault. However, it is open to attack from the sea
and from the east. The land on the east is high and affords the only
desirable site for residences. Here the strongest forts and defenses
were erected.
The Spaniards built the central part of Jolo first. They raised it
considerably above sea level by extensive fillings, and surrounded it
by a loop-holed wall, 8 feet high and 1 1/2 feet thick, for protection
from Moro assaults. The new town was beautifully laid out with broad,
clean streets lined with double rows of arbol de fuego (fire trees),
ylang-ylang, [11] acacia, and other varieties of trees, some of
which are large and magnificent. Three parks, each one block in
size, added considerable picturesqueness to the place. Substantial
quarters were built for the officers, all houses were painted white
or whitewashed, and none of them had the nipa roofs so common in the
Archipelago. Business places, storehouses, a large market place, a
church, a theater, two schoolhouses, and a hospital were erected and
a public water supply provided. A stone pier was built extending 120
meters into the sea, and provided with a light-house at its outer end.
The town wall had five gates, two of which lay on the northwest or sea
front, one at the foot of the pier, and the other close to it. Through
the latter gate cargo was admitted from small boats, which can always
come up to this point at high water. The three other gates lay on the
land side, one at the south end of the town toward Tulay, another at
the opposite extremity facing Busbus, and a third one at the southern
end of Calle [12] Buyon, directly facing San Remondo. This last is the
only gate of the three kept open at present and is the only entrance
into the town from the land side. A tower called Torre de la Farola
surmounts the gate. Near the Busbus gate and forming the northeast
angle of the town was the fort or redoubt termed Alfonso XII. It was
built on a prominent eminence and commanded an extensive view of the
bay, the town, and the surrounding country.
In the immediate vicinity lay the Cuartel España, which was a large
and substantial building occupying the northern extremity of the
town, facing the bay on the side of Busbus. At the extreme end of
the wall beyond the barracks was the tower or blockhouse called Torre
Norte. Another similar tower at the south gate was termed Torre Sur. At
the intersection of the south wall and the beach line was a strong
building called Cuartel Defensivo de las Victorias. The block lying
diagonally between this cuartel and the market had eight buildings
which were known as Casas de la Colonia para Deportados.
Two roads and two bridges connected the south and southeast gates
with San Remondo. The continuation of these roads formed the two
main streets of this part of the town. San Remondo has six small town
blocks, nearly all of which are on reclaimed swamp land. The buildings
here are mere nipa huts and the streets are muddy and narrow, unlike
those of the walled town. Back of the town lies a large coconut grove
which extends to Blockhouse No. 2 on one side and Asturias on the
other. A straight and well laid out road directly connects these two
latter points and marks the southern limit of the town.
A good road runs outside the wall connecting Busbus and Tulay. Later
usage has applied the term Tulay to all parts of the town lying west
of Suba' Bawang. Formerly the name Tulay was applied only to that
part lying west of Suba' Ligayan, while the intermediate section was
known as Pueblo nuevo. The bridge across the mouth of Suba' Bawang was
termed puente del sultan. On the other side of the bridge this street
extends through Pueblo nuevo and along the central strip of u-laya,
or the delta, to Fort Asturias, thus separating the waters of Suba'
Bawang from Suba' Ligayan. Midway between Tulay and Asturias stands an
obelisk-like monument erected by General Arolas and bearing the date
1892. Further fillings in Tulay have provided for several streets,
the chief one of which is the direct street running to the Chinese
pier and then on to the blockhouse of the playa [13] and the Ligayan
River. A large bridge crosses this river to Tulay proper. The road
ends at the beach a little beyond the bridge. In the central plaza at
Tulay stands a monument erected by General Arolas in 1891 in memory of
the three renowned conquerors of Jolo. On one side the monument bears
the inscription "A la gloria de los que con su esfuerzo hicieron esta
tierra Española;" the second side bears the inscription "Corcuera,
17 de Abril de 1638;" the third side, "Urbistondo, 28 de Febrero
de 1851;" the fourth side, "Malcampo, 29 de Febrero de 1876." A
straight road about three-fourths of a mile long called the Asturias
Road directly connects Asturias with the main entrance of the walled
town. Another road starts at this latter point and running along the
right bank of Tubig Hasa'an reaches the cemetery on the opposite side
of Blockhouse No. 2. The old bridge connecting a branch of this road
with the one running from Asturias to Blockhouse No. 2 was washed
away by a severe freshet in 1904, thus breaking what had formerly
been a complete circle of roads around the town.
Busbus is wholly occupied by Moros. Its houses are dilapidated
nipa huts built on piles over the water. Back of the town is a
marsh which extends a little way toward the base of the hills. The
water from the marsh escapes into the bay by two rivulets, the first
of which runs through the settlement and is known as Tubig Uhang;
the other is artificial, forms the outer limit of the town, and is
called Buyung Canal. Persons convicted of capital crimes in the days
of the independent sultanate were tied to a tree at this place and
there their bodies were chopped to pieces; hence the name "Busbus"
which means to "chop up" or "dress wood."
TRADE
Jolo lies about 4 miles from the point of intersection of latitude 6°
north and longitude 121° east. It is about 540 nautical miles due
south from Manila and 81 nautical miles distant from Zamboanga. The
harbor is deep and free from currents. The bay is well protected on
the north by the Islands of Pangasinan and Marongas and is safe from
all storms except those from the northwest.
Sulu occupies the most nearly central position of any island in eastern
Malaysia. It lies between Mindanao on the east and Borneo on the
west, and separates the Sulu Sea from the Celebes Sea. The commercial
advantages of this position are unique. To the north lie the Bisayas,
Palawan, Luzon, Formosa, China, and Japan; to the east Mindanao and
Basilan; to the south, the Moluccas, Celebes, and Java; to the west,
Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. Besides, the Sulus are
natural-born sailors, and their famous pearl industry has prompted
them to trade since time immemorial. Their boats brought silk, amber,
silver, scented woods, and porcelain from China and Japan; gold dust,
wax, dyes, saltpeter, slaves, and food stuffs from Luzon, the Bisayas,
and Mindanao; gunpowder, cannon, brass, copper, iron, rubies, and
diamonds from Malacca and Bruney; [14] pepper and spices from Java,
the Moluccas, and Celebes. Chinese merchants traded with Sulu long
before the arrival of Legaspi, and while Manila and Cebu were still
small and insignificant settlements Jolo had reached the proportions of
a city and was, without exception, the richest and foremost settlement
in the Philippine Islands. Jolo, with the exception of Bruney, had
no rival in northeast Malaysia prior to the seventeenth century.
Such commercial importance naturally attracted the attention of
the early Spanish Governors-General and was one of the causes which
led to the early invasion of Sulu. The long period of warfare which
followed this invasion retarded the progress of Jolo and reduced its
trade. Again, the rise of Spanish commerce in the north tended to
restrict the trade of Jolo. The growth of Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo
naturally diverted the commerce of Luzon and the Bisayas and the north
coast of Mindanao to those cities. The later commercial decline of
Jolo was probably brought about more in this way than as a result of
actual clash of arms. Jolo, however, remained an important port and
a transshipping station to Mindanao until a late date.
At present trade has assumed new proportions and is following new
routes. Zamboanga, Kotabato, and Davao are directly connected with
Manila by regular steamship lines, and Jolo is fast losing its
importance as a transshipping port. Zamboanga, on the other hand,
is rising in importance and seems destined to become the port of
Mindanao. It is the capital of the Moro Province and lies in the
direct route connecting China, Manila, and Australia. It has direct
communication with Manila, Hongkong, Singapore, and Australia, and
is gradually diverting the trade of Mindanao from Jolo.
In spite of overwhelming odds, however, Jolo will maintain considerable
commercial importance. It has well-established trade relations with
Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, China, and Luzon, and is connected
by regular steamship lines with Sandakan, Singapore, Manila, and
Zamboanga. Practically the whole trade of the Sulu Archipelago passes
through this port, and it stands now, as ever before, as the center
of business, power, and importance of the whole district of Sulu.
In the early days the trade of Sulu was carried on by Moros and
Chinese. The Chinese appear to have entered the Archipelago prior
to its mohammedanization, and the commercial relations of China
and Sulu are really prehistoric. As hostilities between Spain and
Sulu increased, Sulu traders became less daring and grew fewer and
fewer. Chinese traders, on the other hand, were less molested and
conditions encouraged their increase. The "Chinese pier" is a very
old business establishment, and Chinese traders and merchants have
resided in Jolo for many generations. Their number, in 1851, exceeded
500. At present Chinese merchants have complete control of the trade
of the Sulu Archipelago. They are found everywhere and command all the
avenues of commerce. The Sulus have abandoned commerce as a trade and
apparently have no inclination to resume it on any large scale. This
is due mainly to the decline of their power and the present abeyance
of their national life. A new political revival will no doubt change
their attitude and may bring about a surprising development in arts
and trades as well as of commerce.
The trade between Jolo and various islands and settlements of the
Archipelago is carried on by means of innumerable small Moro boats and
sloops termed sapits. Formerly such boats traded with Bruney, Sandakan,
the Celebes, Java, and all the various islands of the Philippine
Archipelago, but the stricter enforcement of the customs regulations,
which followed the establishment of open ports at Sitanki, Bangao, and
Kagayan Sulu, had the effect of checking trade with foreign countries
in such small boats and tended to concentrate the whole trade of the
Archipelago at Jolo. A review of the imports and exports of the port of
Jolo will therefore throw considerable light on the material resources
of the Archipelago, its industries, and the enterprise of the natives.
Port of Jolo
IMPORTS
====================================================================
| | Fiscal year-- |
| Commodity |-----------------------|
| | 1905 | 1906 |
|------------------------------------------|-----------+-----------|
| Animals, etc | $214 | $71 |
| Brass, manufactures of | 6,402 | 2,548 |
| Breadstuffs | 4,881 | 3,870 |
| Cement | 745 | 989 |
| Coal | 4,208 | |
| Coffee | 621 | 872 |
| Cotton cloths, close woven | 82,999 | 80,381 |
| Cotton cloths, loose woven | 14,053 | 14,338 |
| Carpets | 5,379 | |
| Yarn and thread | 18,059 | 19,594 |
| Knit fabrics | 2,688 | 3,564 |
| Cotton cloths, all other manufactures of | 949 | 2,079 |
| Dyes | 2,691 | 3,807 |
| Opium | 14,578 | 6,601 |
| Earthen and stone ware | 1,494 | 2,419 |
| Fibers, vegetable | 308 | 153 |
| Dried fish | 216 | 456 |
| Shell fish | 375 | 497 |
| Fruits, canned | 272 | 254 |
| Fruits, not canned | 362 | 407 |
| Glass and glassware | 694 | 415 |
| Iron, steel, and manufactures of | 3,640 | 2,916 |
| Malt liquors | 2,020 | 822 |
| Matches | 956 | 372 |
| Mineral oils | 742 | 1,339 |
| Vegetable oils | 536 | 503 |
| Paints | 979 | 299 |
| Paper and manufactures of | 2,123 | 1,816 |
| Condensed milk | 1,516 | 1,363 |
| Rice | 76,172 | 57,416 |
| Silk and manufactures of | 1,614 | 1,318 |
| Soap | 724 | 610 |
| Spirits, distilled | 1,643 | 1,108 |
| Sugar, refined | 4,314 | 2,987 |
| Tea | 646 | 489 |
| Tobacco and manufactures of | 586 | 367 |
| Vegetables | 1,204 | 1,919 |
| Wearing apparel | | 3,699 |
| Wood and manufactures of | 2,270 | 1,646 |
| Wool and manufactures of | 2,282 | 206 |
| All others | 8,126 | 7,262 |
| |-----------+-----------|
| Total in U. S. currency | $274,281 | $231,772 |
| Total in Philippine currency | P548,562 | P463,544 |
====================================================================
EXPORTS
==========================================================
| | Fiscal year-- |
| Commodity |-----------------------|
| | 1905 | 1906 |
|--------------------------------+-----------+-----------|
| Animals | $42 | $70 |
| Hemp | 486 | 5,561 |
| Cordage | 5,084 | 5,054 |
| Fish | 7,893 | 13,151 |
| Copra | 17,870 | 30,052 |
| Copal | 3,793 | 4,458 |
| Gutta-percha | 108 | 3,939 |
| Hides | 839 | 867 |
| Mother-of-pearl (shells) | 88,516 | 60,051 |
| Tortoise shell | 1,971 | 2,856 |
| Shells, all others | 4,249 | 11,864 |
| All others | 8,033 | 4,610 |
| |-----------+-----------|
| Total in U. S. currency | $138,884 | $142,533 |
| Total in Philippine currency | P277,768 | P285,066 |
==========================================================
Port of Zamboanga [15]
IMPORTS
============================================================
| Agricultural imports | P250 | P40 |
| Wheat flour | 6,048 | 18,378 |
| Cement | 3,088 | 12,966 |
| Coffee | 5,656 | 10,646 |
| Copper, manufactures of | 838 | 686 |
| Cotton cloths, close woven | 92,254 | 97,866 |
| Cotton cloths, loose woven | 9,628 | 33,714 |
| Cotton wearing apparel | 2,136 | 5,152 |
| Cotton yarn and thread | 25,032 | 34,862 |
| Cotton, knit fabrics | 6,278 | 4,380 |
| Cotton, all other manufactures | 1,840 | 5,118 |
| Opium | 8,928 | 26,254 |
| Earthen and stone ware | 1,406 | 5,016 |
| China ware | 262 | 388 |
| Hats and caps | 1,164 | 598 |
| Iron, sheet | 6,470 | 12,786 |
| Cutlery, table | 76 | 142 |
| Cutlery, all other | 120 | 96 |
| Nails, wire | 500 | 530 |
| Boots and shoes | 762 | 2,884 |
| Beer in wood | None. | 198 |
| Beer in bottles | 8,410 | 42,618 |
| Other malt liquors | 1,902 | 548 |
| Matches | 60 | 988 |
| Tin, manufactures of | 188 | 40 |
| Oil, petroleum | 4,850 | 8,600 |
| Milk, condensed | 3,200 | 5,972 |
| Rice, husked | 119,572 | 161,642 |
| Brandy | 814 | 3,212 |
| Whiskey, bourbon | 822 | 1,240 |
| Whiskey, rye | 1,030 | 376 |
| Whiskey, all other | 6,668 | 19,566 |
| Sugar, refined | 3,566 | 5,488 |
| Tea | 1,346 | 2,484 |
| Zinc, manufactures of | 880 | 834 |
| All other imports | 49,712 | 86,807 |
| |------------+------------|
| Total in Philippine currency | 375,756 | 613,115 |
============================================================
EXPORTS
======================================================
| | Fiscal year-- |
| Commodity |---------------------|
| | 1905 | 1906 |
|------------------------------+----------+----------|
| Bejuco (rattan) | P700 | P1,594 |
| Fish | 60 | 1,886 |
| Coconuts | None. | 2,258 |
| Copra | 125,734 | 157,398 |
| Almaciga [16] | 632 | 288 |
| Copal | 19,906 | 31,582 |
| Gutta-percha | 2,282 | 28,370 |
| Rubber | None. | None. |
| All other gums and resins | 910 | None. |
| Hides, carabao | 362 | 316 |
| Beeswax | None. | 3,024 |
| Shells, mother-of-pearl | 2,440 | 2,420 |
| Shells, tortoise | 8,708 | 7,638 |
| Shells, all other | 2,224 | 10,320 |
| Salt | None. | 1,508 |
| Wood, all kinds | 1,346 | 1,076 |
| All other exports | 9,590 | 9,860 |
| |----------|----------|
| Total in Philippine currency | 174,894 | 259,538 |
======================================================
The above statements of the imports and exports of the port of Jolo for
the fiscal years 1905 and 1906 have been obtained through the kindness
and help of Mr. E. B. Cook, collector of customs for Jolo. They
represent the total value of the imports and exports of the town to
and from foreign ports only. They do not, however, give an idea of the
grand total of the imports and exports of the Archipelago. Account
must also be taken of the large amount of commodities smuggled into
the country by means of small boats which continually run between
the Tawi-tawi Group and Kagayan Sulu on the one side and Borneo and
Palawan on the other. Moreover, it is difficult to tell what part of
the trade of Basilan and the Samal group of islands is retained by Jolo
and what part has lately been drawn away by Zamboanga. Besides, some
trade between Sulu and Basilan, on one side, and Mindanao, Negros,
and Cebu on the other, is carried on by sailing craft; no account
of this is taken either at Jolo or Zamboanga. Since July 1, 1905,
all boats under 15 tons register have not been required to present at
the custom-house manifests of goods carried. It is clear, therefore,
that no correct estimate or opinion can be rendered on the strength
of these figures, unless one is aided by personal observation and
knowledge of actual conditions previous to July 1, 1903.
Estimating the population affected by the trade of Jolo, at 100,000,
we note that the importation of cloths and woven materials amounted
to P204,431 in 1905 and P196,836 in 1906, or 37 per cent and 42
per cent of total imports, respectively. There is no doubt that the
weaving industry among Sulus and Samals is far from being adequate to
furnish clothing material, and European cotton cloths are therefore
extensively used throughout the Archipelago.
The importation of rice amounted to P152,344 in 1905 and P114,832 in
1906, or 27 and 24 per cent of the total imports, respectively. The
Sulus are agriculturists and should be able to raise sufficient rice
for themselves and the Samals. The islands most fitted for this
purpose are Sulu, Basilan, Tapul, Siasi, Pata, and Pandami. The
Samals are not agriculturists as a rule and seldom raise anything
except tapioca and corn. They generally live on flat, low islands,
unfit for the cultivation of rice. The Archipelago as a whole should
produce sufficient rice, tapioca, corn, and camotes to feed the whole
population. The importation of rice in 1905 was probably in excess
of the average amount; less rice was raised that year because of war
and general disturbances.
The commodities of next importance are yarn and thread for weaving
purposes. Importation of these articles amounted to P36,118 in 1905
and P39,188 in 1906, or 7 and 8 per cent, respectively. The country
does not produce silk, cotton, or wool.
All other imports may be regarded as accessories. Of these opium
comes first, then dyes, breadstuffs, sugar, iron, steel, brass, paper,
and earthenware. A considerable amount of tobacco is imported by the
government free of duty, and quantities of tobacco, opium, and cloths
formerly were smuggled in. The reduction of imports in 1906 may be
due to increased production, to the depression that followed the
disturbances of 1904 and 1905, and to a diversion of certain parts
of the trade to Zamboanga.
The exports, on the other hand, show a light increase in 1906. They
distinctly represent those resources of the country which are most
capable of development. At the head of the list stands the shell
industry, particularly the pearl shell, which amounted to P189,472 in
1905 and P149,542 in 1906, or 64 and 52 per cent of total exports,
respectively. The exportation of shell has lately been greatly
affected by the falling of the price of pearl shell in the market of
Singapore. The exportation of other shells seems, on the contrary,
to have increased. Pearl fishing is the principal industry of the
country and forms the main source of its riches. The fishing is done
exclusively by natives, but the trade seems to be wholly in the hands
of Chinese. The figures given above do not include pearls. It is
very difficult to obtain any statistics for this valuable product,
but on the whole it is reckoned by merchants as equivalent to the
whole output of shell.
Second in importance comes copra, which amounted to P35,740 in
1905 and P60,104 in 1906, or 12 and 21 per cent of total exports,
respectively. The marked increase of this export in 1906 may
be explained partly by increased production and partly by the
general damage done to the trees in 1905 by locusts. Increase in the
cultivation of coconut trees is not perceptible and can not account
for the increase in exportation.
Dried fish comes third in order, amounting to P15,786 in 1905
and P26,302 in 1906. This industry is capable of unlimited
development. The fertility of the Sulu Sea is unusual and can hardly
be surpassed. Nothing but enterprise and organized effort is needed
to render this trade a source of enormous wealth to the country. The
natives are exceedingly skillful in fishing, but lack ambition and
initiative. The trade in fish is mostly in the hands of Chinese
merchants.
Fourth in importance comes hemp. Both in fiber and cordage its exports
amounted to P11,140 in 1905 and P21,230 in 1906. Hemp culture has
markedly improved during the last year, and the increased production
is sufficient to explain the increase in exportation. Coconut trees
and hemp grow splendidly on all the larger islands of the Archipelago,
and their cultivation is capable of extensive development.
Copal and gutta-percha are the products of Sulu, Basilan, and the
Tawi-tawi Islands. Although sufficiently important in themselves,
they sink into insignificance when compared with the four primary
staple products and the immense possibilities that lie in the line
of their development.
The greater part of the trade of Jolo is handled by the Jolo Trading
Company, the firm of Hernandez & Co., and the commercial houses of
Chaun Lee and Ban Guan, all of which are controlled and managed by
Chinese merchants. The following list compiled in the office of the
Jolo Trading Company, for the Far Eastern Review, is a fair estimate
of the prospective exports of the town for the coming two years:
===================================================================
| Article | Amount | Price | Total |
|---------------------------------+-----------+-------+-----------|
| | Piculs. | | |
| Hemp | 1,000 | P21 | P21,000 |
| Pearl shells | 150 | 45 | 6,750 |
| Trepang or beche-de-mar | 50 | 30 | 1,500 |
| Shark fins | 20 | 45 | 900 |
| Hemp rope | 30 | 25 | 750 |
| Caracoles (sea shells | | | |
| for buttons, etc.) | 40 | 12 | 480 |
| Black shells | 10 | 8 | 80 |
| Copra | 500 | 7 | 3,500 |
| Seaweeds | 40 | 4 | 160 |
| Hides | 10 | 20 | 200 |
| Cacao | 10 | 50 | 500 |
| Tortoise shells | 1-1/2 | 1,800 | 2,700 |
| Sea horses | | | 240 |
|---------------------------------+-----------+-------+-----------|
| Grand total | | | 38,760 |
|=================================================================|
Hemp is generally exported to Manila, while the other articles
mentioned in the above table are generally exported to Singapore.
Trepang, shark fins, seaweed, and sea horses are foods highly prized
by the Chinese.
If the value of pearls taken is estimated on the basis suggested by
the president of the Jolo Trading Company, it will bring the total
up to P58,760 per month.
POPULATION
The present population of Jolo is less than 2,000. This includes
all the natives and foreigners living in Tulay and Busbus; but the
United States troops are excepted. The bulk of the inhabitants is
made up of Filipinos, Chinese, and Moros. The census report of 1903
gives the following statistics, which include Tulay and San Remondo,
but not Busbus:
====================================
| Color | Males | Females |
|================+=======+=========|
| Brown | 309 | 306 |
| |=================|
| Ilokano | 10 | 4 |
| Moro | 9 | 98 |
| Tagalog | 103 | 66 |
| Bisayan | 161 | 132 |
| Foreign born | 26 | 6 |
| Mixed | 74 | 48 |
| Yellow | 429 | 56 |
| White | 31 | 17 |
| |=======+=========|
| Total | 843 | 427 |
====================================
Walled town 541
Tulay 615
San Remondo 114
-----
Total 1,270
Males of voting age
Brown:
Filipino 189
Ilokano 9
Moro 4
Tagalog 75
Bisayan 101
English 14
French 1
All others 5
Mixed:
Filipino 1
Chinese 8
English 2
Yellow:
Chinese 392
Japanese 1
English 3
White:
American 22
Spanish 2
All others 1
---
Total 641
As the great majority of the "mixed" population have Chinese fathers,
they, as a rule, follow Chinese custom and trade and may be regarded
as Chinese. The Chinese element may therefore be classified as follows:
=======================================
| Chinese | Males | Females | Total |
|-----------+-------+---------+-------|
| Pure | 429 | 56 | 485 |
| Mixed | 70 | 45 | 115 |
| |-------+---------+-------|
| Total | 499 | 101 | 600 |
=======================================
The Filipinos may be classified as follows:
=======================================
| Filipinos | Males | Females | Total |
|-----------+-------+---------+-------|
| Brown | 274 | 202 | 476 |
| Mixed | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| |-------+---------+-------|
| Total | 278 | 205 | 483 |
=======================================
The census statistics give a full and clear idea of the composition
of the resident population of the town in 1903. The Chinese and
their offspring, amounting to 600, undoubtedly form the preponderant
element. The Filipinos come next, amounting to 483 only. Considerable
change has, however, occurred since the census was taken, and
necessitates a revision of the above figures. The increase of the
garrison and the construction of many new buildings for the military
post has caused an influx of Filipinos from Zamboanga and Kotabato,
and more Chinese have undoubtedly come in since 1903. The census
figures again do not include Moros, some hundreds of whom live at
present in Tulay and Busbus.
The following, based on close personal observation, is considered a
fair estimate of the present population:
==============================================================
| | Walled | San Remondo | Tulay | Busbus | Jolo |
| | town | | | | |
|-----------+---------+-------------+-------+--------+-------|
| Moros | [17] 30 | 30 | 300 | 350 | 710 |
| Chinese | 250 | 10 | 400 | 20 | 680 |
| Filipinos | 170 | 100 | 250 | | 520 |
| |---------+-------------+-------+--------+-------|
| Total | 450 | 140 | 950 | 370 | 1,910 |
==============================================================
The inhabitants of the town are more or less migratory
in character. The population is constantly changing. Few are
property owners. The majority are traders, carpenters, and domestic
servants. The Filipinos were originally "camp followers" and still
feel as strangers in the land. Many of the Moros living at Tulay
and Busbus are of mixed origin. The mixture is chiefly of Sulus and
Samals, with each other and with Chinese. The Jolo type of Moros is
by no means pure Sulu and has consequently misled many authors and
ethnologists. A large number of Samals frequent Tulay and Busbus and
often temporarily reside there, but because of their strong migratory
habits no estimate has been made of them.
A few Arabians, Malays, and Indian traders are married in the country,
but their proportion is small and insignificant at present.
CHAPTER II
GENEALOGY OF SULU
TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION
The manuscript of which a translation follows is an exact copy of
the original, which is in the possession of Hadji Butu Abdul Baqi,
the prime minister of the Sultan of Sulu. The genealogy proper begins
on page 6 of the manuscript and is written entirely in Malay. This
was the rule among all old Moro writers and is a decided indication
of the authenticity of the document.
Hadji Butu maintains that his ancestry goes back to Mantiri [18]
Asip, one of the ministers of Raja Baginda, the Sumatra prince who
emigrated to Sulu prior to the establishment of Mohammedanism in the
island. The Sulu ministry seems to have remained in Asip's lineage
down to the present time.
The first five pages of the original manuscript are the genealogy of
Asip's descendants. This part is written in Sulu and was probably
composed at a later period than the Malay part of the book. It is
written by Utu Abdur Rakman, the nephew of Imam Halipa, who is the
son of Nakib Adak, the last person mentioned in the genealogy. Abdur
Rakman is a cousin of Hadji Butu.
The addition of these five pages to the Genealogy of Sulu is for the
purpose of giving prominence and recognition to the sons of Asip,
who have been the right-hand men of the Sultans of Sulu since the
organization of the sultanate.
SULU AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION
This is the genealogy of the sultans and their descendants, who lived
in the land of Sulu.
The writing of this book was finished at 8 o'clock, Friday the 28th
of Thul-Qa`idat, [19] 1285 A. H.
It belongs to Utu [20] Abdur Rakman, [21] the son of Abu Bakr. It
was given to him by his uncle Tuan [22] Imam [23] Halipa [24]
Abdur Rakman. This is the genealogy of the Sulu sultans and their
descendants.
DESCENDANTS OF ASIP
This is the genealogy of Mantiri [25] Asip, the hero and learned man of
Menangkabaw. [26] Mantiri Asip had the title of Orangkaya [27] at the
time he came to Sulu with Raja [28] Baginda. [29] He married a woman
from Purul [30] called Sandayli and begot Orangkaya Sumandak. Sumandak
begot Orangkaya Manuk [31] and Orangkaya Hamba. [32] Manuk begot
Orangkaya Buddiman [33] and Orangkaya Akal [34] and Orangkaya Layu
and Satya [35] Akum. His daughters were Santan, Satan, Ambang, Duwi,
Sitti, [36] and Tamwan. Orangkaya Buddiman begot Orangkaya Salimin [37]
and Dayang [38] Saliha. [39] The former begot Hinda Da'ar Maputra and
Utu Undik, Dayang [40] Patima, [41] Dayang Bahira, [42] and Dayang
Sawira. Dayang Saliha bore Idda. Akal begot Orangkaya Muhaddi, who
begot Hinda Human. Orangkaya Layu begot Dayang Jawsul [43]-Manalum,
who became famous. Manalum bore Ma'asum, Bulaying and Jamila. [44]
Jamila bore Itang. Ma'asum begot Bayi. Bulayin begot Inda and Duwalang.
Jawsul begot Na'ika and Rajiya. [45] The former begot Orangkaya
Sila. Rajiya bore Tuan Aminud [46] Din. [47] Santan bore Ma'mun. [48]
Ma'mun begot Orangkayas Utung and Amang. Satan bore Palas and
Bahatul. Bahatul begot Abdul Hadi. [49] Ambang bore Orankayas
Amin and Bunga. [50] Orangkaya Amin begot Rajiya and Zakiya. [51]
Zakiya is the mother of Orangkaya Sila. Rajiya is the mother of Tuan
Aminud-Din. Bunga begot Aliya and Salima. [52] Salima bore Hinda
Baying Gumantung.
Duwi bore Manduli and Immang. Manduli is the mother of Tuan Iman Anda
and Na'ima. [53] Immang bore Mali. Sitti bore Orangkayas Ugu, Garu,
Abu Bakr, Abu Samma, Manawun, Sayda, and Suda. Allak begot Ila and
Malum. [54] Ila bore Andungayi. Malum is the father of Imming. Tamwan
bore Ima. Ima begot Angkala. Angkala begot Inung. Inung begot Hinda
Nakib [55] Adak.
DESCENDANTS OF TUAN MASHA'IKA
This is the genealogy of Tuan Masha'ika. It was said by the men
of old that he was a prophet who was not descended from Adam. He
was born out of a bamboo and was esteemed and respected by all the
people. The people were ignorant and simple-minded in those days and
were not Mohammedans of the Sunni sect. Some of them worshiped tombs,
and some worshiped stones of various kinds.
Masha'ika married the daughter of Raja Sipad the Younger, who was a
descendant of Sipad the Older. His wife's name was Idda [56] Indira
[57] Suga. [58] She bore three children, Tuan Hakim, [59] Tuan Pam,
and 'Aisha. [60] Tuan Hakim begot Tuan Da'im, [61] Tuan Buda, Tuan
Bujang, Tuan Muku, and a girl. Da'im begot Saykaba. Saykaba begot
Angkan. Angkan begot Kamalud [62] Din, and Katib [63] Mu`allam [64]
Apipud [65] Din, and Pakrud [66] Din, and many girls.
Tuan May begot Datu Tka, who was surnamed Dina, Lama and Timwan. Dina
begot Abi [67] Abdul Wakid [68] and Maryam. [69]
ORIGINAL AND LATER SETTLERS OF SULU
This chapter treats of the original inhabitants of the Island of
Sulu. The first dwellers of the land of Sulu were the people of
Maymbung, whose rulers were the two brothers, Datu Sipad and Datu
Narwangsa. After them came the people of Tagimaha, who formed another
party. After these came the Bajaw (Samals) from Juhur. These were
driven here by the tempest (monsoon) and were divided between both
parties. Some of the Bajaw were driven by the tempest to Bruney and
some to Mindanao. After the arrival of the Bajaw, the people of Sulu
became four parties. [70] Some time after that there came Karimul
[71] Makdum. [72] He crossed the sea in a vase or pot of iron and
was called Sarip. [73] He settled at Bwansa, [74] the place where
the Tagimaha nobles lived. There the people flocked to him from all
directions, and he built a house for religious worship.
Ten years later Raja Baginda [75] came from Menangkabaw to
Sambuwangan. [76] From there he moved to Basilan and later to
Sulu. When he arrived at Sulu the chiefs of Bwansa tried to sink
his boats and drown him in the sea. He therefore resisted and fought
them. During the fight he inquired as to the reason why they wanted to
sink his boats and drown him. He told them that he had committed no
crime against them and that he was not driven there by the tempest,
but that he was simply traveling, and came to Sulu to live among
them because they were Mohammedans. When they learned that he was a
Mohammedan, they respected him and received him hospitably. The chiefs
of Sulu who were living at that time were Datu Layla [77] Ujan, Datu
Sana, Datu Amu, Datu Sultan, [78] Datu Basa, and Datu Ung. Another
class of chiefs called Mantiri were Tuan Jalal, [79] Tuan Akmat, [80]
Tuan Saylama, Tuan Hakim, Tuan Buda, Tuan Da'im, and Tuan Bujang. The
Tagimaha chiefs were Sayk [81] Ladun, Sayk Sahdu, and Sayk Bajsala. The
Baklaya chiefs were Orangkaya Simtu and Orangkaya Ingsa. All the
above chiefs were living at the time Raja Baginda came to Sulu.
There also came to Sulu from Bwayan, [82] Sangilaya Bakti and Sangilaya
Mansalah. The latter's wife was Baliya'an Ñyaga.
Five years after Raja Baginda's arrival at Sulu the Raja of Jawa
[83] sent a messenger to Sulu with a present of wild elephants. The
messenger's name was Jaya. He died at Ansang, and two elephants only
arrived at Sulu.
After that time there came Sayid [84] Abu Bakr from Palembang [85]
to Bruney and from there to Sulu. When he arrived near the latter
place he met some people and asked them: "Where is your town and where
is your place of worship?" They said, "At Bwansa." He then came to
Bwansa and lived with Raja Baginda. The people respected him, and
he established a religion for Sulu. They accepted the new religion
and declared their faith in it. After that Sayid Abu Bakr married
Paramisuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda, and he received the title
of Sultan Sharif. [86] He begot children, and his descendants are
living to the present day. He lived about thirty years in Bwansa.
After Abu Bakr, his son Kamalud Din succeeded to the sultanate. Alawad
[87] Din did not become sultan. Putri [88] Sarip lived with her
brother Alawad Din. Alawad Din married Tuan Mayin, the daughter of
Tuan Layla. After the death of Sultan Kamalud Din, Maharaja [89]
Upu succeeded to the sultanate. After the death of Upu, Pangiran [90]
Buddiman became sultan. He was succeeded by Sultan Tanga. The sultans
who followed are, in the order of their succession, Sultan Bungsu,
[91] Sultan Nasirud [92] Din, Sultan Karamat, [93] Sultan Shahabud
[94] Din, Sultan Mustafa [95] called Shapiud [96] Din, Sultan Mohammed
Nasarud [97] Din, Sultan Alimud [98] Din I, Sultan Mohammed Mu`izzid
[99] Din, Sultan Isra'il, [100] Sultan Mohammed Alimud Din II, Sultan
Mohammed Sarapud [101] Din, Sultan Mohammed Alimud Din III.
SULU HISTORICAL NOTES
INTRODUCTION
These notes were copied by the author from a book in the possession
of Hadji Butu, prime minister to the Sultan of Sulu. Pages 1, 2,
and 3 form a separate article. They appear to be a supplement to the
Genealogy of Sulu, but they were undoubtedly derived from a different
source. Their contents are well known to the public and are probably
an attempt on the part of Hadji Butu to register what seemed to him
a true and interesting tradition of his people.
Page 4 was copied by the author from an old, dilapidated document
which was torn in many places. It no doubt formed part of an authentic
genealogy of Sulu, older and more reliable than that of the manuscripts
on pages 148 and 149. It is written in Malay.
Page 5 is a copy of a Sulu document issued by Sultan Jamalul-Kiram I
in the year 1251 A. H., or about seventy-three years ago. It confers
the title of Khatib or Katib [102] on a Sulu pandita [103] named
Adak. In conferring a title of this sort it is customary among the
Sulus to give the person so honored a new name, generally an Arabic
one, such as Abdur Razzak. [104] The same custom is observed in the
case of accession to the sultanate and other high offices.
The writing at the top of the page is the seal of Jamalul Kiram. The
date given in the seal is the date of his sultanate. The flourish at
the end of the signature below is the mark of the writer.
SULU NOTES
Translation of page 1 of the original manuscript.--The first person
who lived on the Island of Sulu is Jamiyun Kulisa. [105] His wife
was Indira [106] Suga. [107] They were sent here by Alexander the
Great. [108] Jamiyun Kulisa begot Tuan Masha'ika. [109] Masha'ika
begot Mawmin. [110] Mawmin's descendants multiplied greatly. They
are the original inhabitants of Sulu and chief ancestors of the
present generation.
Translation of page 2 of the original manuscript.--In the days of
the Timway [111] Orangkaya Su'il the Sulus received from Manila four
Bisayan captives, one silver agong, [112] one gold hat, one gold
cane, and one silver vase, as a sign of friendship between the two
countries. One of the captives had red eyes, one had black eyes; one,
blue eyes; and one, white eyes.
Translation of page 3 of the original manuscript.--The red-eyed
man was stationed at Parang, [113] and is the forefather of all the
people of Parang. The white-eyed man was stationed at Lati, [114]
and is the forefather of all the people of Lati. The black-eyed man
was stationed at Gi'tung, [115] and is the forefather of the people
of Gi'tung. The blue-eyed man was stationed at Lu'uk, [116] and is
the forefather of the people of Lu'uk. At that time the religion of
Mohammed had not come to Sulu.
Translation of page 4 of the original manuscript.--The first
inhabitants of the Island of Sulu were the people of Maymbung. [117]
They were followed by the Tagimaha [118] and the Baklaya. [119] Later
came the Bajaw (Samals) from Juhur. Some Bajaws were taken by the
Sulus and were distributed among the three divisions of the island,
while others drifted to Bruney and Magindanao. Some time after that
there came Karimul [120] Makdum. [121] He sailed in a pot of iron and
the ancients called him Sharif [122] Awliya. [123] The Sulus adopted
the Mohammedan religion and brought Makdum to Bwansa. [124] There
the Tagimaha chiefs built a mosque. Ten years later there arrived
Raja Baginda, who emigrated from Menangkabaw. [125] Baginda came to
Zamboanga first. From there he moved to Basilan and Sulu. The natives
met him on the sea for the purpose of fighting him. He asked them,
"Why do you wish to fight a Mohammedan who is coming to live with
you?" He married there.
The commission of Khatib Abdur Razzak.
The Conqueror. By the order of the Omniscient King, The Sultan
Mohammed Jamalul Kiram. The year 1239.
Translation of page 5 of the original manuscript.--Dated Wednesday,
the tenth of Ramadan, in the year "D," the first, which corresponds
to the year 1251 of the Hegirah of the Prophet Mohammed, may the best
of God's mercy and blessing be his. This day his majesty our master,
the Sultan Jamalul [126] Kiram [127] has granted Adak an official
title by virtue of which he will be known as Khatib [128] Abdur [129]
Razzak. [130] This is done in conference and consultation and with
the consent of all the people, without dissent.
By the will of God the most High.
(Signed) The Sultan Jamaul Kiram.
[The End.]
CHAPTER III
RISE AND PROSPERITY OF SULU
SULU BEFORE ISLAM
The Genealogy of Sulu is a succinct analysis of the tribes or elements
which constituted the bulk of the early inhabitants of the island and
is the most reliable record we have of the historical events which
antedated Islam.
The original inhabitants of the island are commonly referred to as
Buranun or Budanun, which means "mountaineers" or "hill people." This
term is occasionally used synonymously with Gimbahanun, which means
"people of the interior," and with Manubus in the sense of "savage
hill people" or "aborigines." Some of the old foreign residents of
Sulu maintain that they recognize considerable similarity between the
Buranun and the Dayaks of Borneo, and say that the home utensils and
clothes of the Sulus in the earlier days closely resembled those of
the Dayaks.
The capital of the Buranun was Maymbung. The earliest known ruler of
Maymbung was Raja Sipad the Older, of whom nothing is related except
that he was the ancestor of Raja Sipad the Younger. In the days of the
latter there appeared Tuan Masha'ika, about whose ancestry there seems
to be considerable ambiguity and difference of opinion. According to
the Genealogy of Sulu he was supposed to have issued out of a stalk
of bamboo, and was held by the people as a prophet. The traditions
state that Tuan Masha'ika was the son of Jamiyun Kulisa and Indira
Suga, who came to Sulu with Alexander the Great.
Jamiyun Kulisa and Indira Suga are mythological names [131] and in all
probability represent male and female gods related to the thunderbolt
and the sun, respectively. The former religion of the Sulus was of
Hindu origin. It deified the various phenomena of nature and assigned
the highest places in its pantheon to Indra, the sky; Agni, the fire;
Vayu, the wind; Surya, the sun. The ancient Sulus no doubt had many
myths relating to the marriages and heroic deeds of their gods by
which natural phenomena were explained, and it is not unlikely that
the above story of Jamiyun Kulisa was one of those myths. Taken in
this light, the above legend may express the belief of the ancient
Sulus that, by the marriage of the gods, Jamiyun Kulisa and Indira,
rain fell and life was so imparted to the soil that plants grew.
The word Masha'ika is so written in the Malay text as to suggest its
probable formation from two words Masha and ika. The Sanskrit word
Masha means "pulse" or "plant." Ika or eka means "one." On the other
hand masha-ika may represent the two parts of the Sanskrit mashika
which means "five mashas." It may not therefore be improbable that
masha-ika refers to the subordinate deity which assumes the form of
a plant or signifies the first man, whom the deity created from a
plant. It is not an uncommon feature of Malay legends to ascribe a
supernatural origin to the ancestor of the tribe, and Tuan Masha'ika
probably represents the admission into the Buranun stock of foreign
blood and the rise of a chief not descended from Rajah Sipad the
Older. The tarsila [132] adds that he married the daughter of Raja
Sipad the Younger, Iddha, [133] and became the forefather of the
principal people of Sulu.
The common belief among the Sulus that Alexander the Great invaded
their island is one of many indications which lead one to think that
most of their knowledge and traditions came by the way of Malacca or
Juhur, and possibly Tuan Masha'ika came from the same direction. It
does seem therefore as if the dynasty of Sipad was supplanted by a
foreign element represented by Tuan Masha'ika.
These two elements were later augmented by the Tagimaha who settled
at Bwansa and along the coast west of that point, and by the Baklaya
who settled on the same coast east of the present site of Jolo. The
four tribes thus brought so closely together mixed very intimately
and later lost their identity in the development of a single nation,
which reached its maturity under the guiding hand of a Mohammedan
master. In spite of later immigrations to the island and in spite of
conquest and defeat, the national character thus formed has remained
unchanged throughout history and the Sulu of to-day still maintains
that same individuality which he acquired in his earlier days.
The noted emigration of the Bajaws or Samals of Juhur must have begun
in the earlier parts of the fourteenth century, if not earlier. These
sea nomads came in such large numbers and in such quick succession as
to people the whole Tawi-tawi Group, the Pangutaran and Siasi Groups,
all available space on the coast of Sulu proper, the Balangingi Group,
and the coasts of Basilan and Zamboanga, before the close of the
century and before the arrival of the first Mohammedan pioneers.
The Samals exceeded the Sulus in number, and the effect of
such overwhelming immigration must have been considerable; but,
nevertheless, the Sulu maintained his nationality and rose to the
occasion in a most remarkable manner. The newcomers were taken into his
fold and were given his protection, for which they rendered noteworthy
service; but their relation was never allowed to exceed that of a
slave to his master or that of a subject to his ruler, and the Samals
thus remained like strangers or guests in the land until a late date.
Besides the Samals, some Bugis [134] and Ilanun emigrants gained
a foothold on the northern and northeastern coast of Sulu. The
Bugis appear to have lost their identity, but the Ilanun are still
recognizable in many localities, and some of the principal datus of
Sulu still trace their origin to Mindanao.
The numerous and extensive piratical expeditions undertaken by the
Sulus from time immemorial must have been a great source of further
influx of foreign blood. The earliest traditions say that, in the days
of the Timway, [135] Orangkaya Su'il, slaves or hostages were sent
by the raja of Manila to secure the friendship of the Sulus. These
slaves were, according to some accounts, of six colors, but the
written records give them as four--red-eyed, white-eyed, blue-eyed,
and black-eyed. The people do not entertain any doubt relative to the
truth of these statements, and the custom is current even among the
Samals of referring to the origin of some person as descended from
the red-eyed slave, in making distinction as to whether he comes from
a noble or is of low birth and as to the part of the country to which
he belongs. According to general opinion the red-eyed slaves lived at
Parang, the western section of the island; the white-eyed at Lati,
the northern section lying to the east of Jolo; the black-eyed at
Gi'tung, the middle and southern section; the blue-eyed at Lu'uk,
the eastern section.
This color distinction is difficult to explain, but it must have arisen
out of the established custom of dividing slaves and captives, after
returning from a piratical expedition, among the great chiefs of the
various parties which composed the expedition. These parties as a rule
belonged to four sections representing the four great districts of the
island, over each of which one chief formerly was in authority. [136]
The number of elements which have thus entered into the constitution of
the Sulu people must be great, for there was not a single island in the
Philippine Archipelago which was spared by these marauders. Indeed,
the nation owes its origin and its chief characters to piracy. As
pirates these people took refuge in this island and lived in it, and
as pirates they have stamped their reputation on the annals of history.
However, the Sulus do not differ in this particular point from
the Malays of other countries. All Malays were equally addicted to
piracy. "It is in the Malay's nature," says an intelligent Dutch
writer, "to rove on the seas in his prau, as it is in that of the
Arab to wander with his steed on the sands of the desert. It is as
impossible to limit the adventurous life of a Malay to fishing and
trading as to retain a Bedouin in a village or in a habitation. * * *
This is not merely their habit; it may be termed their instinct." [137]
"As surely as spiders abound where there are nooks and corners,"
says another, "so have pirates sprung up wherever there is a nest
of islands offering creeks and shallows, headlands, rocks, and
reefs--facilities, in short, for lurking, for surprise, for attack,
and for escape. The semibarbarous inhabitant of the Archipelago,
born and bred in this position, naturally becomes a pirate. It is as
natural to him to consider any well-freighted, ill-protected boat
his property as it is to the fishing eagle above his head to sweep
down upon the weaker but more hardworking bird and swallow what he
has not had the trouble of catching."
So we are told that before the days of Makdum and Raja Baginda,
Sulu had long been an emporium not only of regular traders from most
nations, but the headquarters of those piratical marauders who there
found a ready market for enslaved victims.
INTRODUCTION OF ISLAM AND THE RISE OF A MOHAMMEDAN DYNASTY IN SULU,
1380-1450
To this period belongs the Mohammedan invasion of the Archipelago. If
the Buranun [138] were Dayaks in origin, they certainly did not
keep their Dayak characteristics very long. For in all probability
Tuan Masha'ika, the Tagimahas, and the Baklayas were Malays [139]
who came into Sulu from the west, and the dynasty established by
Masha'ika must have exercised due influence on the Buranun. Whatever
religion or customs these Malay conquerors had in their original land,
they no doubt continued to practise in their new home. It does not
appear that the Samals produced any change in this respect, and the
same worship and social organization which the Sulus had remained
unchanged until the Mohammedans reached the Archipelago.
The two prominent characters who mark this era are Makdum and Raja
Baginda. Makdum was a noted Arabian judge or scholar who arrived at
Malacca about the middle of the fourteenth century, converted Sultan
Mohammed Shah, the ruler, to Islam and established this religion
throughout the state of Malacca. He evidently practised magic and
medicine and exerted an unusually strong influence on the people
of Malacca. Continuing farther east, he reached Sulu and Mindanao
about the year 1380. [140] In Sulu, it is said, he visited almost
every island of the Archipelago and made converts to Islam in many
places. The Island of Sibutu claims his grave, but the places at
which he was most successful are Bwansa, the old capital of Sulu,
and the Island of Tapul. It is said that the people of Bwansa built
a mosque for him, and some of the chiefs of the town accepted his
teachings and faith. The Tapul people claim descent from him, and
some of them still regard him as a prophet.
Makdum's success in preaching a new faith to people as independent
in their individual views and as pertinacious in their religious
practices, beliefs, and customs as the Sulus must have been in his
time, is certainly remarkable and creditable to a high degree. The
results of his mission to Malacca and Sulu throw a new light on the
history of Islam in the Philippine Islands and modify the opinion
formerly held relative to its introduction by the sword. How much of
a lasting effect the teachings of Makdum could have had on Sulu is
very difficult of estimation, but in all probability the new sapling
planted in the soil of Sulu would have withered before long had it
not been for the future current of events which watered it and reared
it to maturity.
Some time after Makdum (the Genealogy of Sulu says ten years)
there came into Sulu a prince from Menangkabaw called Raja
Baginda. Menangkabaw [141] is a rich, high region in central Sumatra,
from which many Malayan dynasties seem to have come. Raja was the usual
title applied to all Malayan kings. Baginda is said to have touched at
Sambuwangan (Zamboanga) and Basilan before reaching Sulu. The nature
of such a move can not be explained unless he followed the northern
route leading from Borneo to Kagayan Sulu, Pangutaran, and Zamboanga,
which route seems to have been taken by all Mohammedan missionaries
and invaders mentioned in the tarsila.
The written records of Baginda's arrival and his later history are
exceedingly brief. When he arrived at Bwansa, the Sulus came out to
engage him in battle, as we would naturally expect; but, the tarsila
continues, on learning that he was a Mohammedan, they desisted from
fighting, invited him to stay with them, and seem to have entertained
him very hospitably. Such an account is absurd on the face of it. Raja
Baginda was not a trader nor a traveler touring the Archipelago. He
was accompanied by ministers and no doubt came to Bwansa to stay
and rule. His coming was an ordinary kind of invasion, which proved
successful. When Abu Bakr reached Bwansa, as we will learn later, he
was directed to Raja Baginda, who must have been the supreme ruler
of Bwansa. Accordingly we find all the chiefs of Sulu enumerated
in the tarsila at the day of Baginda's arrival subordinate in rank,
having no "rajas" among them.
The Genealogy of Sulu is as misleading as the tarsila of Magindanao
in that it pictures the arrival of Baginda as peaceful as that
of Kabungsuwan. Some of the chiefs who were Mohammedans possibly
intrigued against their former overlords, and, joining Baginda's
forces, defeated their opponents; but the dearth of information
relative to this early Philippine history renders it impracticable to
secure any more light on the subject. It may not, however, be out of
place to remind the reader that the fourteenth century was marked by
unusual activity in methods of warfare. Gunpowder, which was known and
used as an explosive long before that date, had not been made use of in
throwing projectiles in battle. The Arabs, we know, used firearms early
in the fourteenth century, and we may conjecture that they introduced
such weapons into Malacca and other parts of Malaysia as they moved
east. It is not improbable then that a prince coming from Sumatra
was provided with firearms which overawed the ignorant inhabitants of
Bwansa and subdued the valor and courage of the Sulu and Samal pirates
of those days. The statement made in the tarsila of Magindanao that,
after the people of Slangan came down the river to where Kabungsuwan
was anchored, "He beckoned (or pointed his finger) to them, but one
of them died on that account, and they were frightened and returned,"
is the only kind of evidence found which can possibly be interpreted to
indicate that a firearm was used. Lacking confirmation as this may be,
yet we positively know that when the Spaniards reached these Islands,
these people had an abundance of firearms, muskets, lantaka [142]
and other cannon, and we may be justified in saying that probably
firearms existed in the land in the century preceding the arrival of
the Spaniards. This brings us approximately down to Baginda's days.
In considering the etymology of the titles of the Sulu chiefs mentioned
in the time of Baginda, we observe that they are of three classes. The
first class were the datus. These had mantiri or ministers and probably
represented the descendants of Raja Sipad and Tuan Masha'ika. The
second class were the sayk. "Sayk" is probably derived from the Arabic
"Sheikh" meaning "chief." These were the Tagimaha chiefs, and their
rank was evidently subordinate to that of datu. The third class were
the orangkaya, the Baklaya chiefs. These are also subordinate in
grade and could not have been higher than the sayk. The words datu
and orangkaya it must be remembered are of Malay origin, while raja
and baginda are Sanskrit, baginda being the highest and being often
used as equivalent to emperor, while raja means only king.
Jawa is the Malay term for Java. The incident related in the tarsila
relative to the gift of two elephants sent by the raja of Java to the
raja of Sulu is interesting, in that it explains the existence in Jolo
of the elephants found there during the earlier Spanish invasions. It
further indicates that Raja Baginda was not an insignificant chief
and that he kept up some kind of communication with the rajas of
western Malaysia.
The elephants received by Baginda were let loose, the story says,
and they lived and multiplied on Mount Tumangtangis. On the declivity
of this mountain there is a place still called lubluban-gaja, which
means the "habitat or lying-place of the elephant." The people relate
several stories which make mention of the elephant, one of which
declares that the chief who killed the last wild elephant was given
the hand of the sultan's daughter in marriage, in admiration of his
strength and bravery.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MOHAMMEDAN CHURCH IN SULU AND THE REIGN OF ABU
BAKR, 1450-1480
Brevity is without exception a marked characteristic of all Moro
writings. Their letters, unlike those of the Malays and Arabs, are
brief and devoid of compliment or detail.
It is very difficult to pick out a superfluous word or phrase from the
text of the Sulu tarsila. In fact, the narrative of events throughout
the manuscript is so curtailed as to be reduced to a mere synopsis of
headlines. It gives a very dim view of the general subject and leaves
out much that is desired. Thus, the whole question of establishing
Islam in Sulu and organizing its sultanate is dispensed with in one
short paragraph briefly enumerating the following facts: That Sayid
Abu Bakr came to Bwansa from Palembang by the way of Bruney; that he
lived with Raja Baginda and taught and established a new religion
for Sulu; that he was greatly respected by the people; and that he
married Paramisuli, the daughter of Baginda, and became sultan.
The traditions of the country, notwithstanding their brevity, add
some further but less reliable information. It is the common belief
that Abu Bakr was born in Mecca and that he lived some time at Juhur
(or Malacca). Others state that it was his father, Zaynul Abidin,
who came from Mecca and that Abu Bakr was born of the daughter of
the Sultan of Juhur at Malacca. He came to Pangutaran first, the
narrative continues, then to Zamboanga and Basilan. His younger
brother, who had accompanied him, continued eastward to Mindanao,
while he remained at Basilan for a short while. Having heard of Abu
Bakr, the people of Sulu sent Orangkaya Su'il to Basilan to invite
him to Bwansa to rule over them. This invitation was accepted and
Abu Bakr was inaugurated sultan over Sulu soon after his arrival there.
From the annals of Malacca we know that Abu Bakr was a famous authority
on law and religion and that his mission to Malaysia was prompted by
enthusiasm for the promulgation of the doctrines of Abu Ishaq, which
were embodied in a book entitled "Darul-Mazlum, or The House of the
Oppressed or Ignorant." After preaching these doctrines in Malacca with
success, he evidently proceeded farther east, stopping at Palembang
and Bruney and reaching Sulu about 1450. The hospitality with which
he was received at Bwansa points to success in his mission to a degree
that enabled him later to marry the Princess Paramisuli, the daughter
of Raja Baginda. He established mosques there and taught religion and
law; and the people and chiefs actually abandoned their former gods
and practiced the new religion and observed its commandments. This
process of reformation and conversion was no doubt slow and gradual,
but it was real and sure.
There is no evidence to show that Abu Bakr had any military forces
by virtue of which he could assume military authority and rule after
Baginda's death. But it is perfectly credible that Raja Baginda,
being without a male heir, appointed Abu Bakr, his son-in-law and
chief judge and priest, as his heir, and delegated to him all the
authority he exercised over Bwansa and the Island of Sulu. This
it appears was acquiesced in by the native chiefs who accepted
Abu Bakr as their temporal overlord, as well as their spiritual
master. Claiming descent from Mohammed, he assumed the powers of a
caliph and entitled himself sultan. The Sulus as a rule refer to him
as As-Sultan ash-Sharif al-Hashimi, meaning the Sultan, the Hashimite
Sharif or noble. The words Mohammed and Abu Bakr are generally left
out when he is mentioned in prayer or in ordinary discourse.
Having established the church, his next aim, after ascending the throne
of Sulu, was the political reorganization of the government. This he
undertook to frame on the same principles as those of an Arabian
sultanate, giving himself all the power and prerogatives of a
caliph. In enforcing such claims of absolute sovereignty, Abu Bakr
declared to the people and their local chiefs that the widows, the
orphans, and the land were his by right. This the people hesitated
to submit to, and another measure was adopted which reconciled the
interests of all parties. They agreed that all the shores of the
island and all that territory within which the royal gong or drum
could be heard should be the sultan's personal property, and that
the rest of the island should be divided among the subordinate
chiefs and their people. The island was accordingly divided into
five administrative districts, over each one of which one panglima
exercised power subject to the supervision and superior authority of
the sultan. These districts were again divided into smaller divisions,
which were administered by subordinate officers or chiefs called
maharaja, orangkaya, laksamana, parukka, etc. The districts were
called Parang, Pansul, Lati, Gi'tung, and Lu'uk. The boundaries which
it seemed necessary at that time to define were marked by large trees,
none of which is living at present. Thus a sangay [143] tree separated
Parang from Pansul. The location of this tree was at a point near Bud
Agad and the stream Agahun, which runs down from Tumangtangis toward
Maymbung. A bawnu [143] tree separated Pansul from Lati. This tree was
located at a place called Indung, intermediate between Asturias and
the walled town of Jolo. A mampalam [143] tree called Tarak separated
Lati from Lu'uk. It was in the vicinity of the settlement of Su'. A
variety of durian tree named Siggal-saggal formed the boundary of
Lati and Gi'tung.
According to later usage, these districts are defined as follows:
Parang is the western district lying west of a line passing through a
point east of the summit of Tumangtangis and a point on the southern
coast 3 miles west of Maymbung. A line passing through Mount Pula
and a point a little east of Maymbung marks the boundary between
Pansul on the west and Lati and Gi'tung on the east. The watershed is
generally considered as the dividing line between Lati and Gi'tung. A
line joining Su' on the north and Lubuk on the south separates Lati
and Gi'tung from Lu'uk. A sixth district has lately been carved out
and termed Tandu, forming the easternmost part of the island. A line
joining Sukuban on the south and Limawa on the north divides Tandu
and Lu'uk.
The government thus organized was conducted in conformity with local
customs and laws modified to such an extent as not to be repugnant
and contrary to Mohammedan laws and the precepts of the Quran. To
preserve this consistency, a code of laws was made and promulgated
by Abu Bakr. This, once established, became the guide of all the
subordinate officers of the state, who, as a rule, observed it and
carried out its instructions. The general lines on which Abu Bakr
conducted his government seem to have been followed very closely by all
his successors. Such an adventurous and aggressive man as he was could
not have stopped within the limits of the island. In all probability
he pushed out in various directions, but no records have so far been
found which give any account of the conquests he made or the limits
of his empire. Abu Bakr lived thirty years in Sulu and died about 1480.
EARLY DAYS OF THE SULTANATE, 1480-1635
SUCCESSORS OF ABU BAKR
The dynasty founded by Abu Bakr ruled with a firmer hand and attained
considerable power and fame. The new organization establishing
law and order, consolidated the forces of the state and increased
its influence on the outside world. Islam added a new element of
strength and another stimulus to campaign and conquest. The Sulus never
exceeded 60,000 in number, yet we learn that, prior to the arrival of
Magellan, their power was felt all over Luzon and the Bisayan Islands,
the Celebes Sea, Palawan, North Borneo, and the China Sea, and their
trade extended from China and Japan, at the one extreme, to Malacca,
Sumatra, and Java at the other.
Abu Bakr was succeeded by his second son, Kamalud-Din. Alawad-Din,
the elder son, was weak-minded and was evidently not supported by
the ministers of the state. The next three sultans who followed
were Diraja, Upu, and Digunung. Their full names are, the Sultan
Amirul Umara [144] Maharaja Diraja, the Sultan Mu`izzul Mutawadi`in
[145] Maharaja Upu, the Sultan Nasirud-Din Awal [146] Digunung [147]
(or Habud [148]).
The sixth sultan was Mohammedul Halim [149] Pangiran Buddiman. During
his reign Governor Sandé equipped and directed large expeditions to
Borneo and Sulu. The armada sent to Sulu was commanded by Capt. Esteban
Rodriguez de Figueroa and reached the town of Jolo in June, 1578. It
is asserted that Rodriguez defeated Pangiran and exacted tribute from
the Sulus. Rodriguez, however, did not occupy Jolo, and no permanent
advantage was derived from his victory.
FIGUEROA'S EXPEDITION AGAINST SULU
This invasion marked the beginning of a state of war between Sulu
and Spain, which covered a period of three hundred years and caused
considerable devastation and loss of life. It cost Spain an immense
loss of men and money and finally brought on the decline of Sulu
and its end as an independent state. The magnitude of this strife,
its far-reaching effects, and its bearing on the Spanish and American
occupation of Sulu, invites special attention to the causes of the
war and the Sulu character which it depicts.
The expedition to Jolo formed part of and immediately followed the
expedition which was directed by Governor Sandé against Borneo. There
is no doubt that, besides the reasons Sandé gave for the expedition
to Borneo, he was really actuated by jealousy of the Portuguese,
whose influence had reached Bruney and the Moluccas, and by a strong
desire to conquer Borneo, Sulu, Mindanao, and the Moluccas. His
reasons for sending the expedition against Sulu are best given in
his letter of instructions to Capt. Rodriguez de Figueroa, which is
extremely interesting and is herein quoted in full: [150]
That which you, Capt. Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa, shall
observe on the expedition which you are about to make, God our
Lord helping, is as follows:
From this city and Island of Borneo, God willing, you shall go
to the Islands of Sulu, where you shall endeavor to reduce that
chief and his people to the obedience of his Majesty. You shall
bargain with them as to what tribute they shall pay, which shall
be in pearls, as they are wont to give to the King of Bruney. You
shall exercise great care and, if possible, much mildness; for it
is of importance that those islands should not become depopulated;
therefore, in case they receive you peaceably, you shall treat
them well. And, in addition to the above, you must order that,
besides the tribute that they are to pay in pearls, they shall
obtain as many of them as possible, so that we, the Spaniards or
Castilians, may buy them; that they must trade with us from now on;
that every year Castilians will go to their lands with cloths and
merchandise from China, of whatever they shall declare that they
may need. You shall inform yourself of their needs; and if they
wish to come to our settlements you shall give them permission to
go freely to Manila and to come to Borneo, although not to steal.
Item: You shall find out from them the whereabouts of the artillery
and anchors of a ship lost there some three years ago; and you
shall seek it and see that it be brought you with all haste. You
shall keep close watch over the artillery, ammunition, vessels,
sails, and other like things pertaining to the armed fleet; and
you shall deprive them of those supplies, for it is notorious
that those people are common marauders.
And because of my information that the chief who calls himself
lord of Sulu is a Bornean, and owns houses in this city of Bruney;
that he fought against us in the naval battle, and that he fled
to Sulu, where he is now; and since I am told that he took two
galleys and three small vessels, artillery and ammunition, you
shall exercise the utmost despatch to obtain the said galleys,
vessels, artillery, and ammunition. If he acquiesce, you shall
give him a passport. You shall see whether he has any children;
and if so, you shall take one, and tell him that he must come to
see me in Bruney in February.
And, as I have said, this must be done if possible gently,
in order that no people may be killed. You shall tell him that
it will be to their advantage to be vassals of his Majesty and
our allies. If they do not act respectfully, and it shall be
necessary to punish them in another manner, you shall do so. And
inasmuch as the Sulus, as is well known, are open pirates, whose
only ambition is to steal, and to assault men in order to sell
them elsewhere--especially as they go annually for plunder among
all the Pintados [151] Islands, which are under his Majesty's
dominion--you shall try to ascertain the Pintados slaves among
them, in order to return such to their homes, especially those
who are Christians. And, as I have said, you shall deprive them
of such vessels as seem to be used for raids, leaving them their
fishing vessels, so that if the said lord of Sulu so desire, he
can come to confer reasonably with me. Thus you shall ascertain
who has vessels, and who can inflict injuries; and you shall
command them expressly to settle down on their land, to cultivate,
sow, and harvest, develop the pearl industry, and cease to be
pirates. You shall order them to raise fowls and cattle. You shall
try to ascertain their number, and bring it to me in writing, in
order that I may see it, together with the distance from these
islands to the Sulu Islands, information regarding the food,
water, and healthfulness of that land, and other things that may
occur to you. And you shall tell the people in my name that they
shall tame for me a couple of elephants, and that I shall send
for those animals and pay for them.
After having finished affairs in Sulu, if time permits, you shall,
God willing, go to the Island of Mindanao. There you shall try,
by the most convenient methods and with friendliness, to reduce
the chief of the river of Mindanao, and the other chiefs of that
island, and of those near by, to the obedience of his Majesty,
giving him to understand what they will gain in becoming his
Majesty's vassals and our allies, and in having trade with us.
And, in order that the tribute may not prevent them from making
peace with us, you shall not ask them for any tribute; but you
shall take what they give freely, and nothing more, and in such
form as they are willing to give. Thus you shall suit their
convenience in everything pertaining to them, and cause them to
understand the great expenses of his Majesty in this land. You
shall also tell them that the gain therefrom affects them chiefly,
since we come to teach them our civilization, and most of all
the service of God, our Lord, who created and redeemed them, and
of whom they are ignorant; and how to live in accord with natural
law, as is their obligation. For this purpose you shall tell them
that you are going to their land for two principal reasons:
The first is that they should cease to be pirates, who rob and
harry the weak, and enslave wherever and whomsoever they can,
selling their captives outside of their own island, and separating
them from their wives and children; and that they must cease to
commit other like cruelties and thefts, and must become good and
virtuous men, who shall grow to merit the second and principal
reason for going to their lands. You shall give them to understand
that they are ignorant of God, our Lord, who created and redeemed
them, so that when they know him they may serve him and become
good. It is quite evident that they will gain very much in these
things, and therefore it is right that they aid us and give us
something. This shall be at their own will, as above said.
Item: You shall order them not to admit any more preachers of
the doctrine of Mohammed, since it is evil and false, and that
of the Christians alone is good. And because we have been in
these regions so short a time, the lord of Mindanao has been
deceived by the preachers of Bruney, and the people have become
Moros. You shall tell them that our object is that he be converted
to Christianity; and that he must allow us freely to preach the
law of the Christians, and the natives must be allowed to go to
hear the preaching and to be converted, without receiving any
harm from the chiefs.
And you shall try to ascertain who are the preachers of the sect
of Mohammed, and shall seize and bring them before me and you
shall burn or destroy the house where that accursed doctrine has
been preached, and you shall order that it be not rebuilt.
Item: You shall order that the Indians [152] shall not go outside
of their island to trade; and you shall seize those vessels used
for plundering excursions, leaving them those which, in your
judgment, are used for trade and fishing. You shall take also
what artillery and ammunition they have.
You shall ascertain the harvest seasons and products of the land;
the gold mines and the places where they wash gold; the number
of inhabitants and their settlements; and their customs. You
must especially secure information regarding cinnamon, in order
to ascertain if it is found along the river, or if one must go
to Cavite for it, and why it is not as good as that which the
Portuguese take to Castilla. You shall ascertain how they cut
and strip it from the tree, and if it be of importance that it
dry on the tree, or in what other manner it should be treated,
for I have been told that that obtained from these districts in
the past has not been good and has not a good sale in Spain.
And, since it might happen that the people will not make peace,
and may offer fight, and show disrespect, then you shall punish
them as you deem best, taking special care not to trust them;
for it is evident that before all else they will, if possible,
commit some treachery. You must not await such an occasion,
for we know already their treachery against his Majesty's fleet
commanded by Villalobos, certain of whose men they killed under
assurances of safety; and they seized a boat. In that treachery
all the inhabitants of the islands were participants; for four
or five thousand of the said natives attacked one small boat,
which contained four or five Spaniards. Likewise many people
took part in the killing of the said Villalobos's master-of-camp,
and other soldiers, in that same year. You shall remind them of
these things, and warn them; for, from now on, we shall destroy
them and their generation.
And, since it might happen that, without any occasion of war
or peace, the said natives flee to the mountains, you shall
order that certain of the said natives summon them; and, when
they have come, you shall discuss the matter with them. If they
refuse to come, you shall, in conformity with your orders, remain
there a given time. And if they continue to refuse to come down,
you shall leave them, and shall return, without permitting their
houses to be burned or their palm trees to be cut down. Neither
shall anything be stolen from them; but you shall take only what
is absolutely necessary for food and the food and other things
necessary to provision your vessels for the return trip.
You shall try to secure information of the Island of Linboton,
as well as of Batachina and Celebes, so as to advise me thereof;
and you shall do this in accord with the time limit I have set
for you to make this exploration, and you shall observe the same
rule as in that of Mindanao.
In order that we may allot in encomiendas [153] whatever people
are found in these districts, you shall bring me a signed
notarial writ. Thus, as those lands have no other owner, the
natives thereof may be reduced to the obedience of his Majesty,
according to his will--and by war, if the natives begin it, so
that war on our part may be just, and that the same justice may
continue, so that we can compel them to obey, and impose tributes
upon them. You shall exercise much diligence in this and see to
it that these orders be carried out carefully and intelligently.
God willing, I shall be in Bruney by the end of the month of
January next--or, at the latest, by the eighth of February--with
the fleet and all the necessaries that must be brought from Manila,
and that which is here. And at that time your grace shall come to
Bruney with the fleet that you have, and with all the people that
you have or shall have in the Pintados, so that we may do here
whatever is proper for the service of his Majesty, to which we are
bound. These instructions must not be disregarded in any point,
unless I advise you to the contrary by letter. And to this end
you shall see that all who live and dwell there be commissioned
for the above, in addition to their own duties. Given at Bruney,
May twenty-three, one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight.
If the natives of Mindanao or of any other place shall give
tribute according to the above, you shall act according to the
usual custom in these islands--namely, you shall take one-half
and place it to the account of his Majesty, while the other half
shall be distributed among the soldiers. Given ut supra.
Doctor Francisco de Sandé.
Before me:
Alonso Beltran,
His Majesty's notary.
REASONS FOR HOSTILITIES
The above shows clearly that Governor Sandé intended, first, to reduce
Sulu to a vassal state; second, to exact tribute in pearls; third,
to secure the trade of Sulu for the Spaniards; fourth, to punish the
Sultan of Sulu for the help he rendered the Sultan of Bruney against
the Spanish forces; fifth, to rescue the Christian slaves in Sulu;
sixth, to deprive the Sulus of their artillery and ammunition and of
all vessels except fishing vessels, in order to stop their piracy;
seventh, to compel the Sulus to become peaceful agriculturists;
eighth, to uproot the "accursed doctrine" of Mohammed and to convert
the Sulus to the Christian religion.
The leader of the expedition was directed to carry out these
instructions as carefully and as gently as possible; and there is
no reason to think that he failed to comply with his orders to the
letter. But no matter how careful and faithful Captain Rodriguez could
have been, it was not difficult for the Sulus to understand the purpose
of the expedition and the motives of the Spanish Government, and it
does not stand to reason that such people would yield to vassalage
and receive a direct insult to their religion without resentment
and without a struggle. Governor Sandé knew the reputation of the
Sulus, but he must have underestimated their strength and failed to
provide garrisons for the occupation of the conquered territory and
the protection of peaceful natives.
In January, 1579, Governor Sandé sent an expedition to Mindanao,
commanded by Capt. Gabriel de Ribera, under instructions similar to
those given to Captain Rodriguez. Ribera had additional orders to
visit Jolo and collect the tribute for that year, and special stress
was laid on procuring from the Sultan of Sulu "two or three tame
elephants." Ribera accomplished nothing in Mindanao; the natives
abandoned their villages and fled to the interior. On his return
to Kawite or Caldera, he met a deputation from Jolo, which brought
insignificant tribute and informed him of the existence of famine in
Sulu and the extreme distress of the people. He returned their tribute,
receiving in its place a cannon, which the Sulus had obtained from
a wrecked Portuguese galley. Ribera then returned to Cebu, without
producing any significant effect on conditions in Sulu.
In April, 1580, Governor Sandé was relieved by Governor Gonzalo
Ronquillo, who did not take the same interest in Borneo and
Sulu. In the same year the kingdom of Portugal and its rich eastern
colonies were annexed to the Spanish domain. No danger could then be
expected from the direction of Borneo and Sulu, and the ambitious
new Governor-General turned his attention to more desirable fields
of conquest.
Piracy was not the primary cause of this invasion of Sulu. Public
sentiment was not so strong against slavery in those days as it
is now; for the Spaniards and other leading civilized nations were
then diligently pursuing a profitable trade in it between the west
coast of Africa and the West Indies and America. Piracy is always a
crime among nations, but it can not be urged as the principal and
leading cause of this war or as sufficient reason in itself for
the early precipitation of such a deadly conflict between Sulu and
Spain. Religion, on the other hand, was declared by Governor Sandé
to be the "principal reason for going to their lands." He ordered
the Sulus not to admit any more preachers of Islam, but to allow
the Spanish priests to preach Christianity to them. The Mohammedan
preachers he directed to be arrested and brought to him, and the
mosques to be burned or destroyed and not to be rebuilt.
Part of the instructions the Adelantado [154] Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
received before embarking on his expedition to the Philippines read
as follows:
And you shall have especial care that, in all your negotiations
with the natives of those regions some of the religious
accompanying you be present, both in order to avail yourself of
their good counsel and advice, and so that the natives may see and
understand your high estimation of them; for seeing this, and the
great reverence of the soldiers toward them, they themselves will
hold the religious in great respect. This will be of great moment,
so that, when the religious shall understand their language,
or have interpreters through whom they may make them understand
our holy Catholic faith, the Indians shall put entire faith in
them; since you are aware that the chief thing sought after by
his Majesty is the increase of our holy Catholic faith, and the
salvation of the souls of those infidels. [155]
In 1566, a petition was sent from Cebu to the King of Spain, bearing
the signatures of Martin de Goiti, Guido de Labezari, and the other
leading officers under Legaspi, setting forth, among other requests,
the following:
That the Moros, "because they try to prevent our trade with the
natives and preach to them the religion of Mohammed," may be
enslaved and lose their property. That slave traffic be allowed,
"that the Spaniards may make use of them, as do the chiefs and
natives of those regions, both in mines and other works that
offer themselves." [156]
In a letter addressed to Legaspi King Philip II said:
We have also been petitioned in your behalf concerning the Moro
Islands in that land, and how those men come to trade and carry on
commerce, hindering the preaching of the holy gospel and disturbing
you. We give you permission to make such Moros slaves and to seize
their property. You are warned that you can make them slaves only
if the said Moros are such by birth and choice, and if they come
to preach their Mohammedan doctrine or to make war against you or
against the Indians, who are our subjects and in our royal service.
In a letter addressed to King Philip II Bishop Salazar writes, June
27, 1588, as follows:
The second point is that, in the Island of Mindanao, which is
subject to your Majesty, and for many years has paid you tribute,
the law of Mohammed has been publicly proclaimed, for somewhat more
than three years, by preachers from Bruney and Ternate who have
come there--some of them even, it is believed, having come from
Mecca. They have erected and are now building mosques, and the
boys are being circumcised, and there is a school where they are
taught the Quran. I was promptly informed of this, and urged the
president to supply a remedy therefor at once, in order that that
pestilential fire should not spread in these islands. I could not
persuade them to go, and thus the hatred of Christianity is there;
and we are striving no more to remedy this than if the matter did
not concern us. Such are the calamities and miseries to which we
have come, and the punishments which God inflicts upon us. [157]
In drawing a contract with Capt. Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa, in
1591, for the pacification and conquest of Mindanao, the Governor
and Captain-General Gomez Perez Dasmariñas makes the following
declarations:
His Majesty orders and charges me, by his royal instructions and
decrees, as the most worthy and important thing in these islands,
to strive for the propagation of our holy faith among the natives
herein, their conversion to the knowledge of the true God, and
their reduction to the obedience of His holy church and of the
king, our sovereign. * * *
Moreover, the Island of Mindanao is so fertile and well inhabited,
and teeming with Indian settlements, wherein to plant the faith, *
* * and is rich in gold mines and placers, and in wax, cinnamon,
and other valuable drugs. And although the said island has been
seen, discussed, and explored, * * * no effort has been made
to enter and reduce it, nor has it been pacified or furnished
with instruction or justice--quite to the contrary being, at
the present time, hostile and refusing obedience to his Majesty;
and no tribute, or very little, is being collected. * * *
Besides the above facts, by delaying the pacification of the said
island greater wrongs, to the offense and displeasure of God and
of his Majesty, are resulting daily; for I am informed that the
king of that island has made all who were paying tribute to his
Majesty tributary to himself by force of arms, and after putting
many of them to death while doing it; so that now each Indian pays
him one tae [158] of gold. I am also told that he destroyed and
broke into pieces, with many insults, a cross that he found, when
told that it was adored by the Christians; and that in Magindanao,
the capital and residence of the said king, are Bornean Indians
who teach and preach publicly the false doctrine of Mohammed,
and have mosques; besides these, there are also people from
Ternate--gunners, armorers, and powder-makers, all engaged in
their trades--who at divers times have killed many Spaniards when
the latter were going to collect the tribute, * * * without our
being able to mete out punishment, because of lack of troops. By
reason of the facts above recited, and because all of the said
wrongs and troubles will cease with the said pacification; and,
when it is made, we are sure that the surrounding kingdoms of
Bruney, Sulu, Java, and other provinces, will become obedient
to his Majesty: therefore, in order that the said island may be
pacified, subdued, and settled, and the gospel preached to the
natives; and that justice may be established among them, and they
be taught to live in a civilized manner, and to recognize God and
His holy law, I have tried to entrust the said pacification to
a person of such character that he may be entrusted with it. [159]
It is plain, therefore, that the sentiment of the times justified war
on the Moros for the cause of religion alone, and that, though the
primary object was conquest, no doubt the religious motives of the
Spaniards were stronger than their desire to check piracy. But, of all
the Christian nations, the Spaniards should have been most aware of the
tenacity, determination, and courage with which the Mohammedans defend
their faith, and the Sulus were no exception to the rule, for they had
been born and reared in that religion for more than four generations.
A wiser policy on the part of Governor Sandé would have either let the
Moros of Sulu and Mindanao alone, or effected a complete reduction of
the state of Sulu and immediate occupation of the coasts of Mindanao
with strong forces; for it appears from all accounts that neither
the Sulus nor the Magindanaos were as strongly organized then as they
were a generation later, and either alliance or war should have been
easier then than afterwards.
The Spaniards at that time were excellent warriors. Their conquests
of the Bisayan Islands and Luzon were rapid and brilliant, but it
appears that the system of government which they inaugurated there
met with distinct failure the minute it was extended to the more
organized communities and the greater forces they encountered in the
south. The Sulus, on the other hand, fought in the defense of their
national independence and religion, and never found life too dear
to sacrifice in that cause. They resented the treatment of Spain,
and in their rage and desire for revenge built stronger forts and
fleets and became fiercer pirates.
RULE OF BATARA SHAH TANGAH
Pangiran must have died about 1579 and was followed by Sultan
Batara Shah Tangah, who is in all probability the Paquian or Paguian
Tindig of the Spanish writers. Tangah's claim to the sultanate was
strongly contested by his cousin, Abdasaolan [160] who ruled over
Basilan. The latter attacked Jolo with a strong force, but failed
to reduce its forts. Tangah, however, felt insecure and went to
Manila to request Governor Sandé's aid and returned to Sulu with
two Spanish armed boats (caracoas). [161] Abdasaolan, whose power
had in the meantime increased, prepared for defense and watched for
the advance of the Sultan's boat. Finding that the caracoas were at
a considerable distance from the Sultan's boat he manned two light
salisipans [162] with a strong force and dispatched them, with speed
to intercept Tangah. The Sultan's party was completely surprised,
and in the fight that resulted Tangah was killed. On reaching Jolo
the Spanish forces attacked the town. The Sulus fought valiantly,
but their fort was reduced. The officers in command of the caracoas
assembled the people and had Raja Bungsu, who was wounded in the fight,
elected sultan to succeed Tangah. The full title of Bungsu was "The
Sultan Muwallil Wasit Bungsu." [163]
FIGUEROA'S EXPEDITION AGAINST MINDANAO
In 1596 Capt. Esteban Rodriguez led an expedition into Mindanao,
for its conquest and pacification.
It is maintained that he proceeded up the Mindanao River as far as
Bwayan, the capital of the upper Mindanao Valley.
Don Esteban Rodriguez prepared men and ships, and what else was
necessary for the enterprise, and with some galleys, galleots,
frigates, vireys, [164] barangays, [164] and lapis, [165] set out
with two hundred and fourteen Spaniards for the Island of Mindanao,
in February of the same year, of 1596. He took Capt. Juan de la
Xara as his master-of-camp, and some religious of the Society
of Jesus to give instruction, as well as many natives for the
service of the camp and fleet.
He reached Mindanao River after a good voyage, where the first
settlements, named Tampakan and Lumakan, both hostile to the
people of Bwayan, received him peacefully and in a friendly
manner, and joined his fleet. They were altogether about six
thousand men. Without delay they advanced about 8 leagues
farther up the river against Bwayan, the principal settlement
of the island, where its greatest chief had fortified himself
on many sides. Arrived at the settlement, the fleet cast anchor
and immediately landed a large proportion of the troops with
their arms. But before reaching the houses and fort, and while
going through some thickets [cacatal] [166] near the shore, they
encountered some of the men of Bwayan, who were coming to meet
them with their kampilan, [167] carazas [168] and other weapons,
and who attacked them on various sides. The latter [i.e., the
Spaniards and their allies], on account of the swampiness of the
place and the denseness of the thickets [cacatal], could not act
unitedly as the occasion demanded, although the master-of-camp and
the captains that led them exerted themselves to keep the troops
together and to encourage them to face the natives. Meanwhile
Governor Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa was watching events from
his flagship, but not being able to endure the confusion of his
men, seized his weapons and hastened ashore with three or four
companions and a servant who carried his helmet in order that he
might be less impeded in his movements. But as he was crossing
a part of the thickets [cacatal] where the fight was waging,
a hostile Indian stepped out unseen from one side and dealt the
governor a blow on the head with his kampilan that stretched
him on the ground badly wounded. [169] The governor's followers
cut the Mindanao to pieces and carried the governor back to the
camp. Shortly after the master-of-camp, Juan de la Xara, withdrew
his troops to the fleet, leaving behind several Spaniards who had
fallen in the encounter. The governor did not regain consciousness,
for the wound was very severe, and died next day. The fleet after
that loss and failure left that place, and descended the river
to Tampakan, where it anchored among the friendly inhabitants
and their settlements.
The master-of-camp, Juan de la Xara, had himself chosen by the
fleet as successor in the government and enterprise. He built a
fort with arigues [170] and palms near Tampakan, and founded a
Spanish settlement to which he gave the name of Murcia. He began
to make what arrangements he deemed best, in order to establish
himself and run things independently of, and without acknowledging
the governor of Manila, without whose intervention and assistance
this enterprise could not be continued. [171]
Bwayan was 30 miles up the river and 25 miles above Magindanao
or Kotabato where Bwisan, the Sultan of Magindanao, was strongly
fortified. It is difficult to believe that Rodriguez could advance so
far even with a small scouting party. A careful review of the Spanish
reports referring to these early campaigns in Mindanao indicates that
Bwayan has been erroneously used in place of Magindanao, the ancient
capital of the sultanate of Magindanao.
Bent on the conquest of Mindanao, Governor Tello prepared another
expedition under Gen. Juan Ronquillo [172] and dispatched it by the
way of Cebu. At Caldera, it was joined by the fleet of Mindanao and
the whole force proceeded east in the direction of the Mindanao River,
on the 6th of February, 1597. Captain Chaves arrived with his frigates
at the river on the 8th of January. In a battle fought at Simway
to capture Moro vessels going to seek aid from Ternate he had a leg
cut off and received a shot in the helmet above the ear. Ronquillo
arrived at the mouth of the river on February 21, and on the 17th of
April he engaged a Moro fleet with 40 arquebusiers and defeated them,
killing a number of their brave men and some Ternatans without losing
any of his men except 5 Bisayans. Leaving a guard of 34 men under
Chaves at the fort of Tampakan he advanced up the river with a force
of 230 sailors and gunners. The enemy retired behind some parapets as
soon as the artillery opened upon them, and brought some artillery
to bear on the flagship (one of the galleys), but could not retard
the Spanish advance.
"I answered their fire with so great readiness," said Ronquillo in
his report, "that I forced them to withdraw their artillery. But,
as if they were goblins, they remained here behind a bush or a
tree, firing at us without being seen." Reinforced by the chief
of the hill tribes, Lumakan, with 500 natives, Ronquillo resumed
the fighting after the delay of a few days. "Finally," continued
Ronquillo, "I planted my battery of eight pieces somewhat over
100 paces from the fort. Although I battered the fort hotly, I
could not effect a breach through which to make an assault. All
the damage that I did them by day, they repaired by night. * * *
"I was very short of ammunition, for I had only 3,000 arquebus
bullets left, and very few cannon balls; and both would be spent
in one day's fighting, during which, should we not gain the fort,
we would be lost--and with no power to defend ourselves while
withdrawing our artillery and camp. * * *
"I reconnoitered the fort and its situation, for it is located
at the entrance of a lagoon, thus having only water at the back,
and swampy and marshy ground at the sides. It has a frontage of
more than 1,000 paces, is furnished with very good transversals,
and is well supplied with artillery and arquebuses. Moreover it
has a ditch of water more than 4 brazas [173] wide and 2 deep,
and thus there was a space of dry ground of only 15 paces where it
was possible to attack; and this space was bravely defended, and
with the greatest force of the enemy. The inner parts were water,
where they sailed in vessels, while we had no footing at all."
"Again, I reflected that those who had awaited us so long, had
waited with the determination to die in defense of the fort; and
if they should see the contest ending unfavorably for them, no one
would prevent their flight. Further, if they awaited the assault
it would cost me the greater part of my remaining ammunition,
and my best men; while, if the enemy fled, nothing would be
accomplished, but on the contrary a long, tedious, and costly
war would be entered upon. Hence, with the opinion and advice of
the captains, I negotiated for peace, and told them that I would
admit them to friendship under the following conditions:
"First, that first and foremost they must offer homage to his
Majesty, and pay something as recognition" (a gold chain). Second,
"that all the natives who had been taken from the Pintados Islands
[Bisayan Islands] last year, must be restored." Third, "that they
must break the peace and confederation made with the people of
Ternate, and must not admit the latter into their country." Fourth,
"that they must be friends with Danganlibor and Lumakan, * * *
and must not make war on their vassals." Fifth, "that all the
chiefs must go to live in their old villages." [174]
Ronquillo later reported the place indefensible and was authorized
to retire to Caldera.
Ronquillo must have advanced as far as the settlement of Kalangnan
or possibly Magindanao (Kotabato), the capital of Sultan Bwisan. The
report he rendered relative to the country, its people and chiefs,
is very interesting and an excerpt of the same is herewith quoted
because of its bearing on conditions throughout Moroland:
The leading chiefs collect tribute from their vassals. * * * These
Indians are not like those in Luzon, but are accustomed to power
and sovereignty. Some collect five or six thousand tributes. * * *
Hitherto it has not been possible to tell your lordship anything
certain of this country except that it will be of but little
advantage to his Majesty, but a source of great expense. It has
far fewer inhabitants than was reported, and all are very poor,
so that their breakfast consists only in cleaning their arms,
and their work in using them, and not in cultivating the land,
which is low and swampy in this river. There is no chief who can
raise 20 taes of gold. Rice is very scarce; in the hills is found
a small amount, which is used for food by the chiefs only. There
are some swine, and a few fowls that are very cunning, and less
fruit. [175]
These early expeditions of the Spaniards against the Moros undoubtedly
aroused in the latter a great desire for vengeance. The forces the
Spaniards sent to conquer Mindanao and Sulu were very small. Such
forces would have been strong enough to reduce any island of the
Bisayan group, or even Luzon, but against the Moros they proved
insufficient and inadequate. They however succeeded in provoking
bitter hostilities and marked the beginning of a long period of terror
and bloodshed.
MORO RAIDS [176]
In 1599 combined Moro fleets invaded and plundered the coasts of the
Bisayan Islands, Cebu, Negros, and Panay.
Captain Paches, who was in command of the fort of Caldera, attacked
the northern coast of the Island of Sulu. After landing at some point,
it was observed by the Sulus that his fuses were wet and that his
guns could not fire well. They then rushed his position, killed him,
and dispersed his forces.
The following year saw the return of a larger and still more
dreadful expedition. The people of Panay abandoned their towns
and fled into the mountains under the belief that these terrible
attacks had been inspired by the Spaniards. To check these
pirates, Juan Gallinato, with a force of 200 Spaniards, was sent
against Sulu, but like so many expeditions that followed his,
he accomplished nothing. * * * "From this time until the present
day" (about the year 1800), wrote Zuñiga, "these Moros have not
ceased to infest our colonies; innumerable are the Indians they
have captured, the towns they have looted, the rancherias they
have destroyed, and the vessels they have taken. It seems as
if God has preserved them for vengeance on the Spaniards that
they have not been able to subject them in two hundred years,
in spite of the expeditions sent against them, the armaments
sent almost every year to pursue them. In a very little while
we conquered all the islands of the Philippines, but the little
Island of Sulu, a part of Mindanao, and the other islands nearby,
we have not been able to subjugate to this day." [177]
Gallinatos's expedition occurred in 1602. [178] After three months of
protracted fighting at Jolo, he was unable to reduce the fortifications
of the town and retired to Panay.
In 1616 a large Sulu fleet destroyed Pantao in the Camarines and the
shipyards of Cavite and exacted large sums for the ransom of Spanish
prisoners. Moro fleets in 1625 sacked Katbalogan in Samar.
In 1628 Governor Tavora sent an expedition to Sulu under Cristobol
de Lugo. Cristobol disembarked half of his infantry, sacked the town
of Jolo, set part of it on fire and sailed back to Cebu.
In 1629 the Moros raided Samar and Leyte. In 1630 an armada composed
of 70 vessels and having 350 Spanish and 2,000 native soldiers, under
Lorenzo de Olaso Ochotegui, arrived at Jolo. Olaso misdirected his
forces and, advancing too near to the wall of the fort, was wounded
in his side and fell. He was rescued by the officers who followed him,
but the troops were demoralized and retired. The expedition, however,
landed at various points on the coast and burned and pillaged small
settlements. [179]
In the same year P. Gutierrez came to Mindanao on a mission to
Corralat. [180] On his return he met Tuan Baluka, wife of Raja Bungsu,
at Zamboanga. Baluka urged P. Gutierrez to delay his departure from
Zamboanga and warned him of the danger of meeting the Sulu expedition
under Datu Ache. He, however, continued on his way and was overtaken by
Datu Ache's force, but on account of the message and flag he delivered
to Ache from Tuan Baluka, he was allowed to proceed safely.
For some time the Jesuits had been urging upon the Philippine
Government the occupation of the southern coast of Mindanao. This
meant an advance into the enemy's camp and a bloody struggle for
supremacy in the southern seas. The consequences of such a step
were foreseen by the Government and very few governors would have
dared undertake such a grave responsibility. In 1635, Governor Juan
Cerezo de Salamanca was petitioned by the Jesuits to establish an
advance post of the Spanish forces at Zamboanga for the protection of
missionaries and the Christians who had to navigate in the southern
seas. Salamanca granted their request and sent Capt. Juan de Chaves,
who disembarked at Zamboanga on the 6th of April, 1635. The force under
Captain Chaves consisted of 300 Spanish and 1,000 native soldiers. In
June they began the construction of a stone fort on a plan designed by
the Jesuit missionary P. Melchor de Vera, who was an expert engineer.
The advantages to be derived from the position of this garrison
were demonstrated before the year was over. As a piratical fleet
was returning from Cuyo, Mindoro, and the Kalamian Islands, the
favorable opportunity was watched for, and as the two divisions of
the fleet separated, the Spanish forces pursued Corralat's pirates
and dealt them a deadly blow in the neighborhood of Point Flechas,
killing about 300 Moros and saving 120 Christian captives. [181]
FIRST SPANISH CONQUEST AND OCCUPATION OF SULU, 1635-1646
Gen. Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera relieved Salamanca before the end
of the year 1635 and continued the same policy with additional vigor
and great ability. He quickly resolved upon attacking the Moros in
their own strongholds, and thought that by crushing their power at
home he would be able to put an end to their piratical raids.
He arrived at Zamboanga February 22, 1636, proceeded first to Mindanao,
fought Corralat and destroyed some of his forts and sailed back to
Manila. [182] Corcuera returned to Zamboanga in December, 1637,
and prepared for an expedition against Sulu. On January 1, 1638,
he embarked for Sulu with 600 Spanish soldiers, 1,000 native troops,
and many volunteers and adventurers. He had 80 vessels all told and
arrived at Jolo on the 4th. [183]
Anticipating an invasion, Sultan Bungsu had strengthened his
garrisons and called for aid and reënforcements from Basilan, Tapul,
and Tawi-tawi. On his arrival Corcuera found the town well fortified
and the enemy strongly intrenched. The Moros were well disciplined
and had a well organized guard. The forts occupied strategic points
and were strongly defended; the trenches were well laid, and the
Moros shot well and fought fearlessly.
Corcuera besieged the town with all his forces and attacked it
repeatedly and valiantly using powerful artillery, but he could not
reduce it. Several efforts to tunnel the walls or effect a breach in
them by mines were frustrated by the vigilance and intrepidity of
the Sulus. The siege lasted three months and a half, at the end of
which time the Sulus evacuated the town and retired to the neighboring
hills, where they intended to make the next stand. Corcuera, taking
possession of the town, reconstructed its forts and established three
posts, one on the hill, one at the river, and one on the sandbank in
front of the town. The garrison he established there consisted of 200
Spanish soldiers and an equal number of Pampangans, under the command
of Capt. Ginés Ros and Gaspar de Morales. In May Corcuera returned to
Manila with all the triumph of a conqueror, leaving Gen. Pedro Almonte,
the senior officer next to himself in command of the expedition, as
governor of Zamboanga and Ternate and chief of the forces in the south.
Soon after the establishment of the Jolo garrison, the Sulus under Datu
Ache attacked the soldiers in the quarry and killed a few Spaniards
and captured 40 Chinese and Negroes (galley slaves). This and other
depredations committed by the Sulus from time to time, some of which
were provoked by the ill behavior of the Spanish officers and troops,
forced Almonte in June, 1639, to come over to Sulu and take the field
a second time. With 3 captains and 1,200 Spanish and native soldiers,
he marched over the island, attacked the Sulus in their homes, burned
their houses and killed every man he could reach. It is said that he
hung 500 heads on the trees, liberated 112 Christian captives, and
captured quantities of arms. When he asked the Gimbaha Sulus (at one
of the settlements of Parang) to submit to the sovereignty of Spain,
they refused to recognize his authority, challenged his forces,
and fought him desperately. They wore helmets and armor and used
spears and swords. On one occasion, Captain Cepeda engaged them in
battle and returned with 300 captives, leaving on the field 400 dead,
a fearful lesson to those who survived. Cepeda lost 7 Spaniards and
20 natives only, but he had a large number wounded.
Not satisfied with the havoc he wrought on the Island of Sulu, and
desiring to follow and catch the fugitive sultan, Almonte invaded
the other large islands and followed the sultan and the datus all
over the Archipelago. At Tawi-tawi, however, he met with a reverse,
and the captain who led the expedition returned with considerable loss.
Soon after Almonte's departure, the Sulus who had fled returned
and lost no time or opportunity in harassing the garrison. Several
piratical excursions invaded the Bisayas and Camarines. Soon Dutch
vessels, invited by Sulu emissaries sent to Java, appeared in the
vicinity of Zamboanga and Jolo and threatened the Spanish garrison
and incited the Moros to resist the Spaniards and attack their
forces. Anticipating trouble with the Dutch, and foreseeing the
danger of maintaining a garrison at Jolo under the circumstances,
the Spaniards planned to evacuate the town. Accordingly on the 14th
of April, 1646, they left Jolo. Before withdrawing their troops,
they managed to make a treaty with the Sulus, which took the form of
an alliance both offensive and defensive. The purpose of the treaty
was declared to be the maintenance of peace between both parties and
mutual aid against foreign enemies. In case of assistance against a
foreign nation, the expenses of the war were to be defrayed by the
party requesting aid. The Spanish Government recognized the supreme
authority of the Sultan of Sulu from Tawi-tawi to Tutup and Pagahak,
reserving sovereignty rights for the King of Spain over Tapul, Siasi,
Balangingi, and Pangutaran only. In return for the evacuation of Jolo,
and as a sign of brotherhood, the Sultan of Sulu promised to send
yearly to Zamboanga three boats, 8 fathoms long, full of rice, and to
allow the Jesuit priests to come to Jolo unmolested. Other provisions
were inserted in the treaty for the exchange and redemption of slaves,
criminals, or others who happened to run away from Zamboanga to Sulu
and vice versa.
This treaty did not remain in force for any great length of time,
for we hear again in 1647 that the Sulus invaded the Bisayas and
harassed the vicinity of Zamboanga.
SULU SUPREMACY IN THE ARCHIPELAGO, 1647-1850
SUCCESSORS OF BUNGSU
Bungsu had a very long reign marked with reverses and misfortunes. He
died before 1640, and was succeeded by Sultan Nasirud Din II and Sultan
Salahud Din Karamat. The latter was known to the Spanish writers as
Baktial, which was his Sulu name before the sultanate. During the
reign of Karamat the Philippines were threatened by a Chinese invasion
from the north and by war with Holland, and the government, under the
circumstances, decided to abandon Zamboanga and the Moluccas. This
purpose they carried out in 1663. In the days of Karamat the Sulus
became very active and made many raids in various directions. The
decline of Spain's political power and her inactivity in the century
that followed the evacuation of Zamboanga caused obscurity in the
Spanish records of the history of Sulu and Mindanao. The events of
this century are, with few exceptions, lacking in significance and
interest. [184]
The sultans who followed Karamat are, in the order of their succession,
Shahabud Din, Mustafa Shafi`ud Din, Badarud Din I, Nasarud Din,
and Alimud Din I, better known as Amirul Mu'minin (Ferdinand I of
Sulu). The first three were brothers, the sons of Karamat, while the
last two were the sons of Badarud Din.
In 1718 Governor Bustamante reoccupied Zamboanga for the purpose
of waging war against piracy. "The citadel (Fuerza del Pilar) was
rebuilt on an elaborate plan under the direction of the engineer, Juan
Sicarra. Besides the usual barracks, storehouses, and arsenals, there
were, within the walls, a church, a hospital, and quarters for the
Pampangan soldiers. Sixty-one cannon were mounted upon the defenses."
In 1725, a Chinese named Ki Kuan was sent to Manila to arrange for
peace and returned with two Spanish commissioners, who made a treaty
with the sultan of Sulu providing for trade between Manila and Jolo,
the return or ransom of captives, and the ceding to Spain of the
Island of Basilan. Notwithstanding this treaty Moro raids continued
either by toleration of the sultan and datus or at their instigation.
In 1730 a brother of the sultan commanded an expedition of 31
vessels, which attacked the fort of Taytay and ravaged the coast of
Palawan. Another expedition spent nearly a whole year cruising and
destroying among the Bisayas.
In retaliation a large Spanish fleet united at Zamboanga and, under
Ignacio de Irebri and Manuel del Rosal, invaded the shores of Sulu and
ravaged and burned some settlements. At Bwal they found the settlement
well protected and extensively fortified, so they contented themselves
with destroying some plantations and burning outlying houses. At
Tapul considerable damage was inflicted. A force of 600 disembarked,
dispersed the Sulus, burned their settlements, destroyed many farms,
the salt works, and many boats, and returned to Zamboanga. In 1732
similar raids were made and hostilities continued until 1737.
REIGN OF SULTAN ALIMUD DIN I
One of the earliest events in the reign of Alimud Din I was his
ratification of the treaty of 1737. The sultan was represented
in Manila by Datu Mohammed Ismael and Datu Ja`far, who signed the
document. The treaty was drawn in January, 1737, by Governor-General
Fernando Valdés y Tamon and contained five articles.
The first article declared the determination of both parties to
preserve permanent peace between the two states, all differences or
grievances to be settled amicably, and hostilities between subjects
or vassals to be strictly prohibited and punished; the second provided
for alliance and mutual aid against any foreign foe. European nations
were, however, excluded from the provisions of this article; the third
provided for free trade between the two states, restricted by the use
of passports to be issued by superior authority; the fourth provided
that each state should be held responsible for all infractions of
the peace committed by its subjects and should be bound to punish the
same and make proper amends to the proper party; the fifth provided
for the exchange of captives and return of all church images and
ornaments in the possession of the Sulus.
To all appearances Alimud Din I was a man of peace and a reformer. He
kept his part of the treaty faithfully and piracy was actually
suppressed during the whole period in which he held the reins of
government. He revised the Sulu code of laws and system of justice. He
caused to be translated into Sulu parts of the Quran and several Arabic
texts on law and religion. He strongly urged the people to observe
faithfully their religion and the ordained five daily prayers. He even
went so far as to prescribe punishment for failure to observe this
rule. He wanted all pandita to learn Arabic and prepared Arabic-Sulu
vocabularies as a preliminary step to making the Arabic the official
language of the state. He coined money, organized a small army,
and tried to establish a navy. His name is foremost in the memory
of the Sulus, partly because of his able administration and partly
on account of the fact that he is the grandfather of all the present
principal datus of the Sulus.
In September, 1746, a special commission from Manila carried to
Alimud Din a letter written by King Philip V in 1744, requesting the
admission of Jesuit missionaries to Jolo with permission to preach
the Christian religion to the Sulus. The sultan entertained the
commission very hospitably and gave in their honor a royal reception
and a review of the troops. A council was held in which the sultan
conferred with the leading datus of Sulu and granted the request of
King Philip V. He further authorized the building of a church and
recommended the erection of a fort at some convenient locality for
the safe protection of the missionaries. In return for this favor he
requested that the Spanish Government give him, as an aid in building
a navy, the sum of P6,000, 12 piculs [185] of gunpowder, 12 piculs
of nails, and 1 picul of steel. This, he represented, was needed to
enable him to suppress piracy and to check the depredations of his
enemies in Borneo. This request the Spanish Government granted, and
Jesuit missionaries entered Jolo, translated the catechism into Sulu,
and distributed it freely among the people.
The liberties exercised by the Jesuits in their endeavor to proselyte
the Sulus and the strong friendship the sultan manifested toward them
created great dissatisfaction among the people, and an opposition party
was formed, under the leadership of Prince Bantilan, for the purpose of
expelling the missionaries and deposing Alimud Din. Bantilan was the
son of Sultan Shahabud Din and had as much right to the sultanate of
Sulu as any son of Sultan Badarud Din. After the death of the latter
the sultanate should have reverted to the line of Shahabud Din; but it
happens very often that the sons of the last sultan are either older
than those of the former or meet with more favor and are, as a rule,
supported by the majority of the council of datus; thus the regular
order of descent changes in favor of the stronger person. Probably
Bantilan was preceded by both Nasarud Din and Alimud Din for some
such reason as the above. This he resented at heart, but suppressed
his resentment until this favorable opportunity offered itself. He
then headed the opposition to the sultan and the missionaries and won
the majority of the datus and panditas to his side. Hostilities soon
increased and civil war was imminent. In an effort to assassinate
the sultan, Bantilan thrust a spear at Alimud Din and inflicted
a severe wound in his side or thigh. During the disturbances and
confusion which followed it became dangerous for the missionaries
to remain at Jolo. One of the ministers of the sultan provided them
with a salisipan in which they escaped without harm and withdrew to
Zamboanga. This occurred late in 1748. Overpowered, disheartened,
and grieved, Alimud Din left Jolo with his family and numerous escort
and came to Zamboanga, seeking the aid of Spain against Bantilan. The
latter proclaimed himself sultan with the title of Mu`izzud Din,
[186] strengthened the defenses of his capital, and waged war on all
the datus who had supported Alimud Din. His power soon became supreme,
and he reigned with a strong hand.
At Zamboanga Alimud Din is said to have given the officers many
presents and offered the Governor Zacharias 40 male Papuan slaves, who
were well dressed. Zacharias, unreasonably prejudiced and distrustful,
suspected some ill design and refused the present. Not receiving
sufficient attention and consideration at Zamboanga, Alimud Din asked
leave to go to Manila. This granted, he sailed and arrived at Cavite
January 2, 1749. At Manila "he was received with all the pomp and
honor due to a prince of high rank. A house for his entertainment
and his retinue of seventy persons was prepared in Binondo. A public
entrance was arranged which took place some fifteen days after he
reached the city. Triumphal arches were erected across the streets,
which were lined with more than 2,000 native militia under arms. The
sultan was publicly received in the hall of the Audiencia, where
the governor promised to lay his case before the King of Spain. The
sultan was showered with presents, which included chains of gold,
fine garments, precious gems, and gold canes, while the Government
sustained the expense of his household." [187]
Following this reception, steps were taken for his conversion. His
spiritual advisers cited to him the example of the Emperor Constantine
whose conversion enabled him to effect triumphant conquests over
his enemies. Under these representations Alimud Din expressed his
desire for baptism. The governor-general, who at this time was a
priest, the bishop of Nueva Segovia, was very anxious that the rite
should take place; but this was opposed by his spiritual superior,
the archbishop of Manila, who, with some others, entertained doubts
as to the sincerity of the Sultan's profession.
"In order to accomplish his baptism, the governor sent him to his own
diocese, where at Paniki, on the 29th of April, 1750, the ceremony
took place with great solemnity. On the return of the party to Manila,
the sultan was received with great pomp, and in his honor were held
games, theatrical representations, fireworks, and bull fights. This
was the high-water mark of the sultan's popularity. [188]
At his baptism the sultan received the name of Ferdinand, and Spanish
authors often referred to him as "Don Fernando de Alimud Din I,
Catholic Sultan of Joló." It is further stated that two datus and
five of his principal followers were baptized. The crown prince,
Raja Muda Mohammed Israel and his sister Fatimah attended school in
Manila and learned Spanish manners and customs.
A year and a half passed and no action was taken by the authorities
to restore Alimud Din. In the meantime Bantilan's fleets were busy
ravaging and pillaging the Bisayas. In July, 1750, a new governor, the
marquis of Obando (Francisco José de Obando) arrived in Manila. After
some deliberation he resolved to reinstate Alimud Din and punish
Bantilan and his pirates. [189] Accordingly, on May 19, 1751, the
sultan and his retinue were sent on board the Spanish frigate San
Fernando and were convoyed by a squadron composed of seven war vessels
under the command of Field Marshal Ramon de Abad. Falling in with
bad weather off the shore of Mindoro, the San Fernando was disabled
and made for Kalapan. The squadron, however, continued its voyage
uninterrupted to Jolo, arriving there on the 26th of June. After some
desultory fighting, Abad arrived at an understanding with the Sulus
and arranged for Datu Asin to come to Zamboanga with sufficient boats
to escort the sultan back to Jolo.
The sultan in the meantime stopped at Iloilo where he changed
boats. Meeting with contrary winds he was carried off his course to
Dapitan, and from there he set sail again for Zamboanga, which he
reached on July 12.
Before Ferdinand I left Manila, he had addressed a letter
to the sultan of Mindanao, at the instance of the Spanish
Governor-General. The original was written by Ferdinand I in Moro;
a version in Spanish was dictated by him, and both were signed by
him. These documents reached the governor of Zamboanga, but he
had the original in Moro retranslated and found that it did not
at all agree with the sultan's Spanish rendering. The translation
of the Moro text runs thus:
"I shall be glad to know that the Sultan Mohammed Amirud Din
and all his chiefs, male and female, are well. I do not write
a lengthy letter, as I intended, because I simply wish to give
you to understand, in case the sultan or his chiefs and others
should feel aggrieved at my writing this letter in this manner,
that I do so under pressure, being under foreign dominion, and
I am compelled to obey whatever they tell me to do, and I have
to say what they tell me to say. Thus the governor has ordered
me to write to you in our style and language; therefore, do not
understand that I am writing you on my own behalf, but because
I am ordered to do so, and I have nothing more to add. Written
in the year 1164 in the month Rabi`-ul Akir. Ferdinand I, King
of Sulu, who seals with his own seal."
This letter was pronounced treasonable. Impressed with, or feigning
this idea, Governor Zacharias saw real or imaginary indications
of a design on the part of the sultan to throw off the foreign
yoke at the first opportunity. [190]
After the landing of Datu Asin and his followers at Zamboanga, the
governor found out by his spies that they had many arms and quantities
of ammunition in their boats which lay in the roadstead opposite
the town and fort. Suspicious and distrustful from the beginning,
Zacharias interpreted these facts as positive proof of an intention
on the part of the sultan and Datu Asin treacherously to attack the
town when an opportunity offered itself. He then at once confiscated
part of the arms, ordered the boats to leave the port, imprisoned
the sultan and Datu Asin and all their retinue, and communicated his
suspicions and the action taken to Manila. Among the prisoners were
the sons and daughters of the sultan, several datus and dignitaries
and panditas, and many male and female followers and servants. In
all 217 persons entered the prisons of the fort, most of whom were
later transferred to Manila and confined in Fort Santiago.
Zacharias's interpretation of the action of the sultan and Datu Asin
was simply absurd and his behavior reflected considerable discredit
on his ability as an officer and administrator. It was further most
regrettable that his views were accepted as true by higher authority
in Manila where no clemency or redress was extended to the unfortunate
sultan and datus.
By a degree of the Governor-General, the following accusations were
set forth against the sultan and Datu Asin, viz:
1. That Prince Asin had not surrendered captives; 2. That whilst
the sultan was in Manila, new captives were made by the party who
expelled him from the throne; 3. That the number of arms brought
to Zamboanga by Sulu chiefs was excessive; 4. That the letter to
Sultan Mohammed Amirud Din insinuated help wanted against the
Spaniards; 5. That several Mohammedan, but no Christian books,
were found in the sultan's baggage; 6. That during the journey to
Zamboanga he had refused to pray in Christian form; 7. That he had
only attended mass twice; 8. That he had celebrated Mohammedan
rites, sacrificing a goat, and had given evidence in a hundred
ways of being a Mohammedan; 9. That his conversation generally
denoted a want of attachment to the Spaniards, and a contempt for
their treatment of him in Manila, [191] and, 10. That he still
cohabited with his concubines.
The greatest stress was laid on the recovery of the captive
Christians, and the governor added, that although the mission
of the fleet was to restore the sultan to the throne (which,
by the way, he does not appear to have attempted), the principal
object was the rescue of Christian slaves. He therefore proposed
that the liberty of the imprisoned nobles and chiefs should be
bartered at the rate of 500 Christian slaves for each one of the
chiefs and nobles, and the balance of the captives for Prince
Asin and the clergy. [192]
It is not therefore surprising to hear of the extraordinarily
revengeful activity which the Sulus exhibited during the period of
humiliation to which their sultan and nobles were subjected in Manila.
Bantilan was a man of strong personality, a warrior, and a leader. The
expeditions which he organized against his enemies were unusually
strong and left havoc everywhere. The towns he pillaged and the
captives he carried away alarmed the Spanish Government to a high
degree. A high council of war was convened in Manila in 1752, which
declared for an unmerciful campaign and a war of extermination to
be conducted with the utmost conceivable cruelty. Volunteers and
Bisayan corsairs were called to aid the regular troops. Unlimited
authority was granted them to annihilate the foe, burn his villages,
destroy his crops, and desolate his lands. The corsairs were exempted
from all taxes. They were allowed to keep or sell all female captives
and all males under 12 and over 30 years of age. Old men and crippled
persons were to be killed. Male captives between 12 and 30 years of
age were to be turned in to the government; the captors to receive
in compensation from P4 to P6 per man. Nursing children were ordered
to be baptized. At first the corsairs were required to turn in to
the government one-fifth of all valuables looted, but this was soon
afterwards revoked and all corsairs who equipped themselves retained
all their booty.
As part of the general campaign, Field Marshal Abad made another attack
on Jolo with a force amounting to 1,900 men. The fleet cannonaded
the forts for seventy-two continuous hours. A division of the troops
landed and engaged the Sulus, but after suffering considerable loss
retreated disastrously.
The raids of the Spaniards and Bisayans helped to increase the
vigilance of the Sulus and excited them to extreme cruelty and an
abnormal degree of revenge. [193]
The year 1753 is stated to have been the bloodiest in the history
of Moro piracy. No part of the Bisayas escaped ravaging in this
year, while the Camarines, Batangas, and Albay suffered equally
with the rest. The conduct of the pirates was more than ordinarily
cruel. Priests were slain, towns wholly destroyed, and thousands
of captives carried south into Moro slavery. The condition of the
Islands at the end of this year was probably the most deplorable
in their history. [194]
In the meantime Prince Asin died of grief in his prison.
Early in 1753 Alimud Din petitioned the governor to allow Princess
Fatimah to go to Jolo for the purpose of arranging a peace with
Bantilan. This request was granted on condition that she deliver
50 slaves to the Spanish Government on her arrival at Jolo. This
she complied with faithfully, adding one Spanish captive to the 50
Christian slaves wanted. Her mission was apparently successful and she
returned to Manila with Datu Mohammed Ismael and Datu Maharaja-Layla,
a commission sent by Bantilan. They brought a letter from Bantilan,
which was transmitted to the governor by Alimud Din together with
a draft of a treaty for the restoration of peace between Spain and
Sulu. Bantilan expressed deep regret for Alimud Din and the existing
condition of hostility and gave strong assurance of his desire for
the return of the sultan and the reëstablishment of peace with Spain.
The governor acceded to the petition of the sultan and sent a letter
to Bantilan with the commission, requesting that all hostilities stop
for the period of one year pending the consideration and completion
of the new treaty. In 1754 Governor Arandia assumed command and
approved of the proposed treaty. To expedite matters he sent the
commanding officer of the southern forces to find out what had been
done by Bantilan toward the fulfilment of the conditions agreed
upon. Bantilan met the commanding officer in a most friendly manner
and discussed the questions frankly and ably. He explained in clear
and impressive manner the principal causes of hostility and strongly
blamed the governor of Zamboanga for his unjust imprisonment of the
sultan and Datu Asin and his unbearable treatment of the messengers
and representatives of the Sulu authorities. He declared his wish
and true desire for peace and delivered to the commanding officer 68
Christian captives and two Spanish sloops. The officer was strongly
impressed with the integrity of Bantilan and with the honesty of his
intentions, and gave to the governor a very favorable report of both
Alimud Din and Bantilan. He assured him that the sultan was not a
traitor at all, but a man of good intentions, who was simply unable
to carry out some of his plans and promises because of the determined
resistance of many of the principal datus.
A general council was held in Manila early in 1755, in which it was
resolved to set the sultan free and return him to Jolo if the Sulu
authorities carried out the terms of the following conditions:
1. That all captives within the sultanate of Sulu be delivered within
one year.
2. That all valuable property and ornaments looted from the churches
be returned within one year.
General Zacharias who had attended the council set out from Manila in
September to take charge of the government of Mindanao. He brought back
to Jolo 6 princes, 5 princesses, 20 women, and 130 men of the sultan's
retinue. He had letters from Alimud Din and the Governor-General to
Bantilan and was authorized to conduct the preliminaries of a peace
treaty. Other ambassadors who accompanied Zacharias were empowered
to ratify the same. The ships arrived at Jolo on October 4, and the
ambassadors were well received by Bantilan. The latter agreed to all
the conditions imposed in as far as it was in his power to carry them
out. But he stated that many captives were bought from Mindanao chiefs
and were owned by datus on Basilan and other inaccessible places, who
were unwilling to give them up unless they were justly compensated. He
added that many such datus were in alliance with datus in Mindanao
and were planning to attack Zamboanga, and that the time was very
inopportune for him to force them to deliver all captives.
The terms were actually impossible of execution and the endeavor to
make the treaty and ratify it proved fruitless.
Alimud Din remained in prison until 1763, when the English, after their
conquest and occupation of Manila, reinstated him on the throne of
Sulu. During the period of his imprisonment he felt greatly humiliated,
but lived as a Christian and with one wife only. At the death of his
wife, in 1755, he was allowed to marry a Sulu woman who had been his
concubine, but who had professed Christianity and was living at the
College of Santa Potenciana.
The Sulus received their former sultan with a good heart and Alimud
Din resumed his former authority as Sultan of Sulu. The people had
evidently acquired strong sympathy for him and Bantilan had either
undergone a change of heart or felt convinced that it was of no avail
to go against such strong popular sentiment and fight the English
forces. Withdrawing from Jolo he moved to Kuta Gubang near Parang,
where, a few years later, he died.
In return for the favors which he received from the English, Alimud Din
ceded to them that part of North Borneo lying between Cape Inarstang
and the River Frimanis with the adjacent Island of Balambangan and
the Island of Tulayan. Balambangan was soon after that occupied and
garrisoned by English forces.
In the later days of his reign, Alimud Din was addressed as Amirul
Mu'minin (The Prince of the Faithful) by which name he is better known
to the Sulus. Moro incursions increased at that time and the Sulus
became so daring as to invade the Bay of Manila in 1769, carry away
captives from the wharves of the city, and appear at the Plaza del
Palacio at retreat before they were repulsed or even detected. Becoming
old and weak, Amirul Mu'minin abdicated the sultanate in favor of
his son Israel, in November, 1773.
REIGN OF SULTAN ISRAEL
Sultan Israel followed the same progressive policy which characterized
his father's administration. However, his succession was contested
by rivals, and the people were not unanimous in his support. In
his foreign relations with the English and Spaniards he was at the
beginning uncertain as to the side toward which to lean. Both powers
had an eye on Sulu and appeared interested in its affairs. However,
before long he refused the request of the English to be allowed to move
their factory from Bala
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