Search results
The earliest recorded history of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, dates back to the year 900 AD, as recorded in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription.By the thirteenth century, the city consisted of a fortified settlement and trading quarter near the mouth of the Pasig River, the river that bisects the city into the north and south.
- Overview
- History of Manila
In the late 16th century Manila was a walled Muslim settlement whose ruler levied customs duties on all commerce passing up the Pasig River. Spanish conquistadors under the leadership of Miguel López de Legazpi—first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines—entered the mouth of the river in 1571. They destroyed the settlement and founded the fortress city of Intramuros in its place. Manila became the capital of the new colony. Outside the city walls stood some scattered villages, each ruled by a local chieftain and each centred on a marketplace. As Spanish colonial rule became established, churches were built near the marketplaces, where the concentration of population was greatest. Manila spread beyond its walls, expanding north, east, and south, linking together the market–church complexes as it did so.
The propagation of Roman Catholicism began with the Augustinian friar Andrés de Urdaneta, who accompanied the expedition of 1571. He was followed by Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit, and other Augustinian priests, who founded churches, convents, and schools. In 1574 Manila was baptized under the authorization of Spain and the Vatican as the “Distinguished and Ever Loyal City” and became the centre of Catholicism as well as of the Philippines.
At various periods Manila was seriously threatened, and sometimes occupied, by foreign powers. It was invaded by the Chinese in 1574 and raided by the Dutch in the mid-17th century. In 1762, during the Seven Years’ War, the city was captured and held by the British, but the Treaty of Paris (1763) resulted in its restoration to Spain. It was opened to foreign trade in 1832, and commerce was further stimulated by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
The Manila area became the centre of anti-Spanish sentiment in the 1890s, and the execution of Filipino patriot José Rizal in the city in December 1896 sparked a year-long insurrection. During the Spanish-American War the Spanish fleet was defeated at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, and on August 13 the city surrendered to U.S. forces. It subsequently became the headquarters for the U.S. administration of the Philippines.
Britannica Quiz
Test Your Geography Knowledge with This Capital Cities Quiz
In the late 16th century Manila was a walled Muslim settlement whose ruler levied customs duties on all commerce passing up the Pasig River. Spanish conquistadors under the leadership of Miguel López de Legazpi—first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines—entered the mouth of the river in 1571. They destroyed the settlement and founded the fortress city of Intramuros in its place. Manila became the capital of the new colony. Outside the city walls stood some scattered villages, each ruled by a local chieftain and each centred on a marketplace. As Spanish colonial rule became established, churches were built near the marketplaces, where the concentration of population was greatest. Manila spread beyond its walls, expanding north, east, and south, linking together the market–church complexes as it did so.
The propagation of Roman Catholicism began with the Augustinian friar Andrés de Urdaneta, who accompanied the expedition of 1571. He was followed by Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit, and other Augustinian priests, who founded churches, convents, and schools. In 1574 Manila was baptized under the authorization of Spain and the Vatican as the “Distinguished and Ever Loyal City” and became the centre of Catholicism as well as of the Philippines.
At various periods Manila was seriously threatened, and sometimes occupied, by foreign powers. It was invaded by the Chinese in 1574 and raided by the Dutch in the mid-17th century. In 1762, during the Seven Years’ War, the city was captured and held by the British, but the Treaty of Paris (1763) resulted in its restoration to Spain. It was opened to foreign trade in 1832, and commerce was further stimulated by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
The Manila area became the centre of anti-Spanish sentiment in the 1890s, and the execution of Filipino patriot José Rizal in the city in December 1896 sparked a year-long insurrection. During the Spanish-American War the Spanish fleet was defeated at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, and on August 13 the city surrendered to U.S. forces. It subsequently became the headquarters for the U.S. administration of the Philippines.
Britannica Quiz
Test Your Geography Knowledge with This Capital Cities Quiz
5 days ago · Manila, capital and chief city of the Philippines. The city is the centre of the country’s economic, political, social, and cultural activity. It is located on the island of Luzon and spreads along the eastern shore of Manila Bay at the mouth of the Pasig River. The city’s name, originally Maynilad, is derived from that of the nilad plant ...
Manila (/ məˈnɪlə / mə-NIL-ə; Filipino: Maynila, pronounced [maɪˈnilɐʔ]), officially the City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila [lʊŋˈsod nɐŋ maɪˈnilɐʔ]), is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines, after Quezon City. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified ...
The history of settlement in Manila's region goes back roughly one thousand years, to the Tondo peoples' occupation of the land. By the late 15th century, the town was a fortified Muslim trading hub built on the remains of many previous towns and ruled by the Brunei Sultanate.
History. A historical province known as Manila encompasses the former pre-Hispanic kingdoms of Tondo and Maynila. It became the capital of the colonial Philippines, with Manila (Intramuros) serving as the center of colonial power. In 1898, it included the City of Manila and 23 other municipalities. Mariquina also served as the capital from 1898 ...
People also ask
When did Manila become a city?
When did Manila become a colony?
Is Manila a city?
Is Manila a colonial city?
What was Manila like during the Spanish colonial era?
How did Manila get its name?
The City of Manila administrative entity was created, composed of Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Pandacan, Quiapo, Santa Cruz, Barrio San Nicolas, San Miguel, San Fernando de Dilao (modern day Paco), Sampaloc and Tondo. The capital of the Philippines was relocated to Manila from Malolos. Arsenio Cruz-Herrera became mayor.
