# Spanish Conquest of Maynila (6 June 1570)

URL: https://allhistories.com/philippines/timeline/1570-spanish-conquest-of-maynila
Location: Maynila and Tondo, Manila
Themes: Conquest, Tagalog Polities

A Spanish expedition under Martín de Goiti reached Luzon on 8 May 1570 with about 120 Spaniards and many Visayan allies. It camped on Manila Bay while seeking alliances. On 24 May disputes turned into hostilities, and on 6 June the Spaniards occupied the Maynila settlements and burned them, defeating Rajah Sulayman's forces. Maynila, a Tagalog trading port at the mouth of the Pasig River whose rulers included Muslims, was governed by Rajah Matanda and Rajah Sulayman, and Lakandula ruled neighbouring Tondo. Sulayman refused to surrender his sovereignty when the Spaniards demanded submission. Maynila's position on a sheltered bay made it a desirable base. Guerrilla warfare lasted roughly ten months, and the Spaniards fortified the area, building barracks that became Fort Santiago. A larger fleet arrived in 1571, Tondo surrendered and Manila became the capital. The conquest ended the independence of the Tagalog rajahnates and made the Pasig delta the centre of Spanish power. At this point in the timeline (1570), the Philippines, under Spanish rule, was governed by Governor-General Miguel López de Legazpi (27 April 1565 – 20 August 1572). In the south, the Sultanate of Sulu was ruled by Muhammad ul-Halim, sultan of Sulu (1568 – 1596); the Sultanate of Maguindanao was ruled by Sharif Makaalang, sultan of Maguindanao (c. 1543 – 1574). Local rulers of the time included Rajah Sulayman, co-ruler of Maynila (c. 1570 – 1571), Kalamayin, ruler of Namayan at Spanish contact (c. 1570 – 1571), Lakandula, last Lakan of Tondo (c. 1521 – 1575) and Rajah Matanda, paramount Datu of Maynila (c. 1521 – August 1572).

## Why it matters
The sack of Maynila ended independent Tagalog rule on Manila Bay and prepared the site of the colony's permanent capital.

Ruler at the Time: [Miguel López de Legazpi](https://allhistories.com/philippines/rulers/miguel-lopez-de-legazpi)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Martín de Goiti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mart%C3%ADn_de_Goiti)
- [Wikipedia — Rajah Sulayman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Sulayman)
- [Wikipedia — Intramuros](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intramuros)