Miguel López de Legazpi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miguel López de Legazpi
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| Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies | |
| In office 27 April, 1565 – 20 August, 1572 |
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| Monarch | Phillip II |
| Preceded by | Inaugural holder |
| Succeeded by | Guido de Lavezaris |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Miguel López de Legazpi
c. 1502 Zumarraga, Gipuzkoa, Crown of Castile |
| Died | 20 August 1572 (aged 69–70) Intramuros, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Resting place | San Agustin Church, Manila |
Miguel López de Legazpi (born around 1502 – died August 20, 1572) was a Spanish explorer and governor. He is famous for leading the first Spanish trip across the Pacific Ocean from Mexico. In 1565, his group arrived in Cebu, in the Philippines.
Legazpi set up the first Spanish settlement in the East Indies. He became the first Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies. This area was mainly the Philippines, but also included islands like Guam and the Mariana Islands. He made peace with local groups and kingdoms. He first made Cebu City the capital in 1565. Later, in 1571, he moved the capital to Manila. A city in the Philippines, Legazpi, is named after him.
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Early Life of Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi was born in 1502. He was the youngest son of a noble family. His parents were Don Juan Martínez López de Legazpi and Doña Elvira de Gurruchátegui. He grew up in Zumárraga, a town in the Basque region of Guipúzcoa, Spain.
From 1526 to 1527, Legazpi worked as a councilor. This was a role in his town's local government.
Life in Mexico
In 1528, Legazpi moved to Mexico, then called New Spain. He wanted to start a new life there. This happened after his parents passed away. He was also not happy with his older brother, who got the family's money.
In a place called Tlaxcala, he worked with Juan Garcés. He later married Juan's sister, Isabel Garcés. Miguel and Isabel had nine children together. Isabel passed away in the mid-1550s.
From 1528 to 1559, Legazpi held important jobs. He was a leader in the financial department. He also served as the civil governor of Mexico City.
Journey to the Philippines
In 1564, Legazpi received a special task. The viceroy, Luís de Velasco, asked him to lead a trip across the Pacific Ocean. Their goal was to find the Spice Islands. Earlier explorers like Ferdinand Magellan (in 1521) and Ruy López de Villalobos (in 1543) had visited these islands.
King Philip II of Spain ordered this trip. The Philippines had already been named after him by Villalobos. The viceroy died in July 1564. But the Audiencia (a high court) and Legazpi finished getting ready for the journey.
On November 19 or 20, 1564, five ships sailed. They carried 500 soldiers. They left from Barra de Navidad, Mexico. Some records say it was November 1, 1564, with four ships and 380 men. Important people on the trip included:
- Six Augustinian missionaries, plus Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta. He was a navigator and spiritual guide.
- Melchor de Legazpi, Miguel's son.
- Felipe de Salcedo, one of Miguel's grandsons.
- Guido de Lavezarez, who had survived Ferdinand Magellan's earlier trip.
Legazpi and his crew sailed the Pacific for 93 days. In 1565, they reached the Mariana Islands. They stopped there briefly to get more supplies. They had a conflict with Chamorro tribes and burned some huts.
Arrival in the Philippines
A chief from Bohol island, named Catunao, told Miguel López about Cebu. He also guided López's group. On February 13, 1565, Legazpi's ships arrived near the Rajahnate of Cebu. But they did not land because the local people resisted.
On February 22, 1565, the group reached Samar island. They made a blood compact with a local leader, Datu Urrao. The Spaniards then went to Limasawa and were welcomed by Datu Bankaw. Next, they visited Bohol. There, they became friends with Datu Sikatuna (also called Catunao) and Rajah Sigala. On March 16, 1565, López de Legazpi made a blood compact with Datu Sikatuna.
On April 27, 1565, the expedition returned to Cebu and landed. Rajah Tupas fought the Spaniards but was defeated. The Spaniards then set up a colony. They named the settlement "Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesús." This name honored an image of Sto. Niño found in one of the native houses.
Panay and Mindoro
In 1569, food became scarce in Cebu. So, López de Legazpi moved his base to Panay town. The people there welcomed them peacefully. They founded a second settlement, called Capiz. Today, this is the city of Roxas in Capiz province. It is located by the Panay River.
In 1570, Legazpi sent his grandson, Juan de Salcedo, to Mindoro. Salcedo had arrived from Mexico in 1567. His mission was to stop Moro pirates. These pirates had been attacking villages in Panay. Salcedo also destroyed forts on Ilin and Lubang islands. These islands are south and northwest of Mindoro.
Luzon and the Capture of Manila
In 1570, Legazpi heard about the rich resources in Luzon. He sent Martín de Goiti to explore the northern area. Goiti landed in Batangas with 120 Spanish soldiers. He explored the Pansipit River, which flows from Taal Lake. On May 8, they reached Manila Bay.
The local people welcomed them there. Goiti's soldiers camped for a few weeks. They formed an alliance with the Muslim leader, Rajah Ache, also known as Rajah Matanda. He was a ruler under the Sultan of Brunei. Legazpi wanted to use Manila's harbor for trade with China.
However, a young leader named Bambalito from Macabebe asked Rajah Soliman (Old Ache) to break his alliance with the Spaniards. Rajah Matanda refused, honoring his word to the Spaniards. Rajah Soliman told Bambalito that if they could kill at least 50 Spaniards, he would break his alliance. He would then help expel the conquerors.
Bambalito returned to Macabebe. He gathered a fleet of 2,500 Moro soldiers. These soldiers came from villages around Manila Bay, especially Macabebe and Hagonoy. On May 30, 1570, Bambalito sailed to Tondo. He met the Spaniards, led by Martin de Goiti, at Bangkusay Channel on June 3, 1571. Bambalito and his fleet lost the battle. After conflicts, the Spaniards took over the Muslim states of Tondo and Maynila. Goiti prepared Manila for Legazpi, who left Panay.
More Spanish soldiers arrived in the Philippines that same year. This led Legazpi to move from Cebu to Panay, and then to Luzon. He gathered 250 Spanish soldiers and 600 native warriors. They explored the regions of Leyte and Panay. The next year, he followed Goiti and Salcedo to Manila. He had learned that the villages there had been conquered.
During the first part of exploring northern Philippines, Legazpi stayed in Cebu. He did not go with his men to conquer Manila. This was because he had health problems and was older.
In Manila, Legazpi made a peace agreement with the local councils and rulers, Rajah Sulayman and Lakan Dula. Both groups agreed to create a city council. It had two mayors, twelve councilors, and a secretary. Legazpi established a settlement there on June 24, 1571. He also ordered the building of the walled city of Intramuros. He declared Manila the capital of the island. It became the center of Spanish government in the East Indies.
After Bambalito's defeat, Legazpi ordered more exploration north of Manila. In September 1571, Goiti brought peace to Lubao and Betis. He used the rivers of Rio Chico. He then reached settlements in Calumpit and Malolos on November 14, 1571. He also visited other old villages along Manila Bay. Legazpi had set up a government on the islands. He became the first Spanish governor of the Philippines.
Final Years
López de Legazpi governed the Philippines for one year. He died suddenly from a stroke in Manila on August 20, 1572. He died without much money. He had spent most of his own wealth during the conquest. He was buried in San Agustin Church in Intramuros.
By the time Legazpi died, parts of the Visayas islands were under Spanish rule. The Spanish faced strong resistance from:
- Muslim sultanates on Mindanao island.
- The Zambal tribes of Zambales.
- The Igorot people of the Cordilleran mountains.
- Some Wokou pirates from China and Japan.
Letters to the King of Spain
In his last years, Legazpi wrote several letters to King Philip II of Spain. These letters described his journey to the East Indies. They also told about the conquests he had made. These letters are known as the "Cartas al Rey Don Felipe II: sobre la expedición, conquistas y progresos de las islas Felipinas". This means "Letters to the King Lord Philip II: on the expedition, conquests, and progress of the Philippine Islands." These letters are still kept today at the General Archive of the Indies in Seville, Spain.
The Role of Religion on the Expedition
When Legazpi arrived, the native people practiced different religions. These included Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and animism. A big reason for the Spaniards' trip was to spread Christianity. They wanted to convert people to Roman Catholicism.
Legazpi worked with Augustinian, Franciscan, and other friars. These religious leaders helped him set up a government on the islands. They also worked to convert the natives to the Christian faith. In 1609, Antonio de Morga, a Spanish official, wrote about this. He said that after the islands were conquered, the people were baptized. Their old beliefs were replaced, and they took Christian names. The islands also changed their name to "Filipinas Islands." This was to honor King Philip II, who helped conquer and protect them.
Legacy
The trip led by López de Legazpi and Urdaneta started the Manila galleon trade. This was a very important trade route across the Pacific Ocean. Silver from Mexico and Potosí was traded for Chinese silk, porcelain, Indonesian spices, and Indian gems. These goods were very valuable in Europe at the time. This trade route became a major link between Latin America and Asia. It also helped fund the Spanish Empire. The arrival of Western goods and ideas led to the "Hispanization" of the islands. This means the islands adopted many Spanish customs and ways of life.
For 333 years, from 1565 until the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, the Philippines was a Spanish colony. (During 1762–1764, the British controlled Manila and Cavite, but not the whole country).
Media Portrayals
- Played by Mark Gil in the 2013 TV series, Indio.
Images for kids
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Statue of López de Legazpi outside of Fort San Pedro, Cebu City
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Statue of López de Legazpi in Zumarraga, Spain
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López de Legazpi-Urdaneta Monument in Manila
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Miguel López de Legazpi and Andrés de Urdaneta, Manila
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The mortal remains of López de Legazpi are interred in the San Agustin Church, Manila.
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Tomb of Miguel López de Legazpi, Manila
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López de Legazpi on a 500 peso banknote, 1936
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Monument of López de Legazpi at the city hall of the Philippine city named after him
See also
In Spanish: Miguel López de Legazpi para niños
