Majapahit conquest of Manila (1365)

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The Majapahit conquest of Manila (1365) was a contested invasion of Manila, then allegedly called Selurong, by the Majapahit Empire. Several scholars are arguing over the veracity of the fact that the Selurong stated in the records, referred to have been captured by the Majapahit Empire, was the kingdom of Manila as Selurong was also a Malay royal name for Manila, or instead, referred to the Serudong river in Brunei.

Earliest mention of a Majaphit ruled Manila

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According to Mariano A. Henson's genealogical research [1] (later brought up by Majul in 1973, [2] and by Santiago in 1990)[3] a settlement in the Maynila area already existed by the year 1258. This settlement was ruled by "Rajah Avirjirkaya" whom Henson described as a "Majapahit Suzerain".

According to Henson, this settlement was attacked by a Bruneian commander named Rajah Ahmad, who defeated Avirjirkaya and established Maynila as a "Muslim principality".[1]

Maynila as Saludang/Selurong

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In the 14th century, according to the epic eulogy poem Nagarakretagama, which was dedicated to Maharaja Hayam Wuruk of the Majapahit, a place called "Saludang", also called "Seludong" or "Selurung" was listed in Canto 14 alongside "Sulot" and "Kalka" as its territories.[4]

The idea of Maynila being "Saludang", along with "Sulot" being identified with Sulu, was first mentioned in a book by Cesar A. Majul titled 'Muslims in the Philippines' (1973), stating:

"Brunei Sultan Bulkeiah (Nakhoda Ragam), who "was the Rajah who conquered the kingdom of Soolook and made a dependency of the country of Selurong, the Rajah of which was called DATOH GAMBAN", according to the Brunei Selesilah. Now, according to Brunei tradition, Selurong is said to be "in the island of Luzon and the site of the present town of Manila".[5]: 79 

Many other scholars, such as William Henry Scott (1994) and Mohammed Jamil Al-Sufri (2000),[6] acknowledged the theory of Maynila as Selurong/Saludang. Scott noted that "according to Bruneian folk history",[7]: 191  [ ] "Manila was probably founded as a Bornean trading colony about 1500, with a royal prince marrying into the local ruling family."[7]: 191 

In the original Selesilah however,[8]: 11 Datu Imam Aminuddin mentions:

"... and the Sultan begot Sultan Bolkiah, who fought a war with the people of Sulu and defeated the kingdoms of Sulu and Seludang whose ruler was Datu Gamban. Sultan Bolkiah was also named by the elders as 'Nakhoda Ragam'. He married Princess Lela Manjani (Menchanai)."[8]: 11 

French linguist Jean-Paul Potet notes that "According to some, Luzon and Manila would have been called Seludong or Selurong by the Malays of Brunei before the Spanish conquest (Cebu 1565, Manila 1571)."[9]: 122  However, Potet also points out that "there is no text to support this claim. Conversely, Borneo has a mountain site called Seludong."[9]: 122  Saunders (1994) meanwhile suggests that Saludang or Seludang is located on the Serudong River in eastern Sabah.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Henson, Mariano A (1955). The Province of Pampanga and its towns (A.D. 1300–1955) with the genealogy of the rulers of central Luzon. Manila: Villanueva Books.
  2. ^ Majul, César Adib (1973). Muslims in the Philippines. Diliman: University of the Philippines Asian Center.
  3. ^ Santiago, Luciano P.R. (1990). "The Houses of Lakandula, Matanda, and Soliman [1571–1898]: Genealogy and Group Identity". Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society. 18.
  4. ^ Gerini, G. E. (1905). "The Nagarakretagama List of Countries on the Indo-Chinese Mainland (Circâ 1380 A.D.)". The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 37 (3): 485–511. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00033517. JSTOR 25210168. S2CID 163895579.
  5. ^ Majul, Cesar Adib (1973). Muslims in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press. ISBN 978-971-542-188-1.
  6. ^ Awang.), Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri (Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Diraja Dato Seri Utama Haji (2000). Tarsilah Brunei: The early history of Brunei up to 1432 AD. Brunei History Centre, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
  7. ^ a b Scott, William Henry (1994). Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press. ISBN 971-550-135-4.
  8. ^ a b Suhaimi, Dk Umi Nadiah Pg (2011). "Development of Islamic Law in Brunei Darussalam: A Critical Evaluation". Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University.
  9. ^ a b Potet, Jean-Paul G. (2013). Arabic and Persian Loanwords in Tagalog. Lulu.com. p. 444. ISBN 978-1-291-45726-1.
  10. ^ Saunders, Graham E. (1994). A History of Brunei. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-967-65-3049-3.