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Rajah Sulayman

Rajah Sulayman or Soliman was the last Filipino-Muslim ruler of Manila known then as "Maynilad" during the Spanish colonization of the 1500s. The Spaniards were welcomed well by the natives, but soon they realized that the Spanish were not there to just visit the Islands but to colonize them. He was against the Spanish settlement and warned the Spaniards to not oppress and maltreat his people - for they were not pacifist, like the "pintados " of the islands of Cebu, and that they will fight with ferocity if they are treated as such, In the end the natives stood their ground, and on the morning of May 24, 1570, a bloody battle between the Filipino-Muslims and the Spaniards ensued; due to the Spaniards' superior arms the natives were defeated. But for some time the bravery and the gallantry of the natives to protect what was theirs was shown. They were able to retake Maynilad from the Spanish for several months, but on June 24, 1571 Sulayman's troops succumbed after the Spanish Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi returned, this time more experienced and armed with their entire arsenal. Although Sulayman converted to Catholicism he still retained the royal title and was still faithful to his culture and his people. It was rumored that he staged a mutiny in the late 1500s against the Spaniards, but after this event his name was no longer found in the Spanish books.

Last updated: 08-23-2005 05:31:46
Last updated: 01-04-2007 01:18:57
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