Spanish Colonisation (1521 - 1897)

1521 [top]

March 16: Ferdinand Magellan lands on Homonhon Island with three small ships - the Concepcion, Trinidad, and Victoria. Magellan calls the place San Lazaro Island since March 16 is Saint Lazarus day.

March 29: To seal the friendship between Magellan and Rajah Kulambo, they solemnize a blood compact. This is the first recorded blood compact in Philippine history.

Apr 27: Magellan dies in a battle with Lapu-Lapu, chieftain of Mactan, an island near Cebu.

1543 [top]

Feb 2: Ruy Lopez de Villalobos arrives in the archipelago and names the islands the Philippines in honor of the son of King Charles I, Prince Philip II of Spain.

1571 [top]

Jun 24: Miguel Lopez de Legaspi establishes his government in Manila and proclaims it the capital of the Philippines, calling it the "distinguished and ever loyal city."

1744 [top]

One of the most successful revolts in Philippine history breaks out, led by Francisco Dagohoy, and provides the island a feeling of independence from the Spaniards for the following 85 years.

1762 [top]

Sep 22: In a side encounter of the European Seven Years War, the British attack Manila and win the battle and occupy the city.

Oct 5: The British take control of the Philippines and open the colony to international trade and ultimately change its economic life.

1763 [top]

Feb 10: The Treaty of Paris between England, Spain, and France is signed which ends the Seven Years War in Europe as well as the British occupation of the Philippines.

1812 [top]

Mar 19: The Cádiz Cortes proclaims the Spanish Constitution. It vested sovereignty in the people, recognized the equality of all men, and granted the right of suffrage but provided for a monarchy and for Catholicism as the state religion.

1872 [top]

Feb 17: Three martyr priests are publicly strangled for being alleged leaders of the Cavite Conspiracy. The incident gave the Filipinos a force to unite and to develop national consciousness. It also gave birth to a Filipino reform movement known as the Propaganda Movement.

1882 [top]

Jun 2: In Madrid, José Rizal begins writing Noli me tangere, a political novel set in the Philippines that would unite Filipinos to fight for their independence.

1888 [top]

Dec 13: Filipinos in Barcelona establish the organization La Solidaridad. It demands for the Philippine's freedom of press, speech and assembly, equality before the law, participation in governmental affairs, social and political freedom and representation in the Cádiz Cortes.

1894 [top]

Jul 8: Andres Bonifacio forms the Katipunan. The organization wants to awaken nationalism and free the Filipinos from Spanish oppression.

1896 [top]

Aug 19: Spanish authorities discover the Katipunan when one of its members betrays the organization.

Aug 23: A revolution is proclaimed by Bonifacio known as the Cry of Pugad Lawin. Filipinos tore up their I.D. cards issued by the Spanish government which marked the beginning of Philippine Revolution.

Aug 30: The first real battle for Philippine independence takes place at San Juan del Monte. The Spanish Governor, Ramon Blanco, proclaims war in the eight provinces - Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.

Dec 30: The Spaniards execute José Rizal in Bagumbayan (today's Rizal Park).

1897 [top]

Mar 22: Emilio Aguinaldo is elected as president of Katipunan while Bonifacio is elected only as director of war. Bonifacio is insulted by the election results and refuses to recognize the new leadership.

Apr 29: Katipuneros arrest Andres Bonifacio and his brothers on orders of Aguinaldo. The Bonifacios are charged with sedition and treason before a military court of the Katipunan.

May 8: The Bonifacios are found guilty and are sentenced to death.

Dec 14: The Pact of Biak-na-Bato between the Spanish and Aguinaldo is signed. Aguinaldo agrees to surrender all arms and to go into exile in Hong Kong upon payment of 800,000 pesos and an additional 900,000 pesos for the non-combatants who suffered losses because of the war.