Sultan Kudarat
QBy UITE often, we hear the reprise of Filipinos (Muslims) claiming they were never conquered by foreign colonials arriving at our shores. The pointed repartee to such notional pride, and for purposes of righting historical bravado, may be overturned by a careful reading on the life of ‘Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (15811671). Distinguish here, an unbowed religion vis-a-vis tribal- defeats.
Indications of Islam arriving in seminal Philippines date back to 1175 AD. Ayala Museum cites finding in a graveyard in Sta. Ana Church; Manila, where skeletal remains “oriented towards Mecca” were recovered. While Islam came, to Sulu in the mid-13th century, present day scholars make a fine point regarding the arrival of Muslim traders in the Philippines, in contrast to the initial conversion and spread of Islam as a religion. In 1450, the Sulu Sultanate was established by Hashim Abubakar, pointing to an indigenous hierarchy converting from local beliefs and paganism to Islam.
Colonial Spain’s attempt at planting the cross and employing the sword to open new settlements, controlling local trading, and expanding the territorial influence of the crown in Mindanao proved problematic. Periodic attacks conducted by sea-faring raiders from Mindanao on Luzon and Visayan coastal villages in retaliation for building the religious divide, and the need for women and children “slaves,” further provided the urgency for Spain subduing that part of the islands. Military expeditions employed a mix of Spanish regulars and the greater bulk of native militia recruited from Christianized vassals.
Sultan Kudarat ruled over a vast area covering present day Lanao, parts of Davao and Cotabato. In March 13, 1637 Captain General Hurtado de Corcuera led a force of Castillian regulars, Kapampangans and Visayans to pacify Sultan Kudarat and his forces. On March 16, with additional reinforcements landing, and despite great efforts at defending his capital, Lamitan fell. Kudarat’s wife seeing her sultan wounded and defeat imminent, was reported, to have thrown herself from a cliff while holding her child to avoid capture. Lamitan was considered the first major defeat of Sultan Kudarat.