@rapsantos 17 March 2021 more from that month

The Spanish Colonization that lasted for 3 Centuries (Part 2)

Previously, I discussed ***the Magellan-Elcano Expedition*** that lasted for **2 years**, from **1519 to 1522**. As promised, I'll bring together my previous articles piece by piece, along with discoveries & new sources why the Colonial Rule of the Spaniards lasted for 333 years. So, let's continue. The Aftermath of the Magellan-Elcano Expedition https://read.cash/@rapsantos/the-spanish-colonization-that-lasted-for-3-centuries-part-1-9ec11388 After the expedition, the Portuguese explorer made an alliance in the name of the **Kingdom of Spain** with the local chiefs of **Limasawa**, **Southern Leyte** in exchange for territorial conquest and converting their religious beliefs to Catholicism. As they began to spread Christianity in the Visayan Islands, only the island of **Mactan** resisted the expedition. It was well defended and the Europeans were overpowered but Magellan met his fate as the rest of his crew continued to circumnavigate the world.

https://read.cash/@rapsantos/the-spanish-colonization-that-lasted-for-3-centuries-part-1-9ec11388 For his gifts given to our local chiefs, the *image of* ***Santo Niño de Cebu*** became the island's patron, which is celebrated annually up to this day. Magellan was branded as a traitor of the Portuguese kingdom when he sailed for Spain. His reputation and legacy left a mark in the **Age of Discovery**. https://read.cash/@rapsantos/sinulog-santo-nino-2021-in-the-middle-of-the-pandemic-08a8e48d Many attempted to re-trace his voyage to the Far East, but in **1541**, another expedition was sent to ***Islas de Poniente*** (***the Islands of the West*** - a previous name of the Philippines), this time commissioned by the ***Viceroy of New Spain -*** ***Antonio de Mendoza***. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_de_Mendoza The Villalobos Expedition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Villalobos ***Ruy Lopez de Villalobos***, a Spanish explorer commissioned by the Viceroy in **1541**, consisting of 6 galleon ships, with 370 to 400 men on board left **Barra de Navidad**, **Mexico** on **November 1, 1542**. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Villalobos From their voyage, they encountered first the islands of **Revilla Gigedo** off the west coast of **Mexico**, then **Roca Partida** followed by a group of islands in the Marshalls called ***Corales*** (***Corals***) on **December 26, 1542**. With their exploration around the Marshall Islands, one of their ships was separated during a storm between **January 6 and 23, 1543**. A galleon named ***San Cristobal*** captained by ***Gines de Mafra***, who was *a crew of* ***the Magellan-Elcano Expedition***, was separated from the fleet during a severe storm, and eventually reached the island of **Limasawa**, **Southern Leyte**. This would be de Mafra's second time to visit the island. Villalobos' arrival in the Philippines On **February 29, 1543**, they anchored at **Baganga Bay**, which they named **Malaga** on the eastern coast of Mindanao. The fleet stayed for a month, and the entire crew suffered from extreme hunger but they could not sail on due to low-winds. Until they reached **Sarangani** after several days. Their other ships ***San Cristobal***, and ***San Juan*** were sent back to ***Leyte and Samar*** to collect more food on **August 4, 1543**, while San Juan headed back from the Pacific to Mexico for stockpiling their supplies. ***Bernardo de la Torre*** at the helm of ***San Juan*** with his crew left **Mexico** on **August 27, 1543**. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardo_de_la_Torre Villalobos named the islands of **Leyte** & **Samar** as ***Las Islas Pilipinas*** (***the Philippine Islands***) in honor of ***Prince Philip II***. From encountering the natives of Limasawa to experiencing hunger in extreme conditions, and faced discrimination by the Portuguese, Villalobos was forced to abandon the expedition and his settlements on the island. He and the rest of his crew were imprisoned by the Portuguese in the Moluccas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_II_of_Spain Villalobos died on **April 4, 1544**, inside his prison cell at **Amboyna**, **Indonesia**. ***Gines de Mafra***, ***Guido de Lavezaris***, and 117 crew members survived the expedition. 21 years later, another expedition was sent to the Philippines. The Legazpi Expedition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_L%C3%B3pez_de_Legazpi#Arrival_in_the_Philippines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_L%C3%B3pez_de_Legazpi ***Miguel Lopez de Legazpi*** was commissioned by ***Viceroy Luis de Velasco*** in **1564**, *to lead an expedition in the Pacific Ocean and search the Islands of the West*. It was ordered by ***Philip II***, now **King of Spain** at that time when ***Ruy Lopez de Villalobos*** named after our country to him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_L%C3%B3pez_de_Legazpi The new expedition consists of 5 ships, with 500 men left **Barra de Navidad**, **Mexico** in **November 1564**. Members of the expedition were only a few members of his family, ***Melchor de Legazpi*** (Miguel's son), and ***Felipe de Salcedo*** (Miguel's grandson). ***Guido de Lavezarez*** who was *a survivor of* ***the Magellan-Elcano Expedition***, and 6 *Augustinian missionaries*, including ***Padre Andres de Urdaneta***, Miguel's spiritual advisor, and navigator. They sailed the Pacific Ocean for 93 days, as they reached the **Mariana Islands** to resupply their equipment, then resumed their expedition as they landed at **Cebu** on **February 13, 1565**. 9 days later (**February 22, 1565**), they reached the island of **Samar**. Miguel's arrival in the Philippines https://read.cash/@rapsantos/sinulog-santo-nino-2021-in-the-middle-of-the-pandemic-08a8e48d Miguel allied with ***Datu Urrao***, followed by series of alliances as they went to **Limasawa**, where he met ***Datu Bankaw***, then to Bohol as he befriended ***Datu Sikatuna*** and ***Rajah Sigala*** on **March 16, 1565**. He wanted this expedition to be peaceful, but these efforts were rejected as he was challenged by ***Rajah Tupas*** when they returned to **Cebu**. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Tupas On **April 27, 1565**, he opened fire on the Rajah's enforcement and burnt the coastal town, 1500 homes were destroyed and 500 people died. From the ruins of the destruction, ***Juan Camus*** - a Spanish mariner found the ***image of Santo Niño*** in a pine box. Legend says that the image's survival was seen as a miracle. As for the Spaniards, they established a colony named ***Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus*** (***Town of the Most Holy Name of Jesus***) after the *image of* ***Santo Niño de Cebu***, *the oldest Catholic artifact in the Philippines*, and the island's patron which they celebrate the annual festival called ***Sinulog-Santo Niño*** up to this day (video below). https://read.cash/@rapsantos/sinulog-santo-nino-2021-in-the-middle-of-the-pandemic-08a8e48d https://youtu.be/fV9Y0mDGud0 During Villalobos' voyage, he named our country after a living prince, then turned King of Spain during Legazpi's expedition, and that's how the ***Santo Niño de Cebu*** started to become an annual festival after the holiday season. But I need to stop here as I'll continue Miguel's voyage from the island of Panay to discover new riches up north in Luzon on my next article.