Filipino Martial Arts

[lone wolf]

Philippine History from the FMA Warrior’s Perspective (1570-1579).

1570 –

When the Spaniards traveled to the island of Luzon, they found it inhabited by natives of the island with Chinese and Indonesian cross-cultures, and upon their arrival they were confronted by warriors. The Spanish expedition ordered by the conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi demanded the conquest of May Nilad. His nephew and second on command, Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo, departed from Cebu and arrived in May Nilad accompanied by 120 Spanish/Mexican conquistadors and several hundred Visayans.

24 May: The Muslim and indigenous Tagalogs at first welcomed the foreigners, but Goiti had other plans. May Nilad's young chieftan, Rajah Sulayman [aka Soliman, Suliman] rejected Spanish overtures for conquest, and Goiti's men captured May Nilad. The Spanish combined force of 300 soldiers marched through May Nilad and using firearms, defeated the inhabitants of Luzon.

The Spaniards did not, however, stay to occupy the city, but returned to Panay. Legazpi was briefed about the existence of a kingdom made rich by trade with China, Siam and Borneo.

France: Third French War Begins The peace ended quickly when the Third French War broke out the next year. It lasted for two years and ended with the Peace of Saint Germain-en Laye.

Germany: German master Joachim Meyer taught not only rapier, but also the two-handed sword, wrestling, dagger, and staff.

1571 –

1 Jan: Legazpi established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu naming it La Villa de Santissimo Nombre de Jesus after the discovery of a Sto. Nino in the island.

19 May: A second, larger expedition was organized and reached May Nilad’s Bay one year after the initial conquest. The threat of force was enough this time, and May Nilad fell bloodlessly to Spain.

The native city of May Nilad was conquered and declared a Spanish city. When Legazpi decided to transfer his capital to May Nilad, Cebu receded into the backwaters as influence and power shifted north to Luzon and its wide expanse of fertile lands. The Spanish gradually took control of the islands, which became their outpost in Asia. From then on, the art of Kali was prohibited, but it was still practiced and perfected by a dedicated few.

While Rajah Sulayman and two of his uncles, chieftans Lakan Dula and Rajah Matanda, opted to submit peacefully to the Spanish crown, Bambalito, a Pampango chieftan based in Macabebe, organized an attack on Goiti's forces. This attack was crushed in a naval battle in May Nilad’s Bay, and Bambalito was killed in action. This in turn led to the Battle of Bangkusay.

3 Jun: Battle of Bangkusay. After defeating Rajah Sulayman in the battle in Bangkusay, Martin de Goiti claimed May Nilad. Legazpi and his men then proceeded to May Nilad from Cebu and made a peace pact with the three rajahs and organized a city council consisting of two mayors, 12 councilors, and a secretary. A walled City known as Intramuros, at the southern banks of Pasig River was built to protect the Spanish colonizers.

24 Jun: The Spanish city of Manila (May Nilad) was formally established. Governor-General Legazpi selected Manila for the capital of the colony because of its fine natural harbour and the rich lands surrounding the city that could supply it with produce. The Spanish did not develop the trade potential of the Philippine's agricultural or mineral resources. The colony was administered from Mexico and its commerce centered on the galleon trade between Canton and Acapulco in which Manila functioned secondarily as an entrepot. Smaller Chinese junks brought silk and porcelain from Canton to Manila where the cargoes were re-loaded on galleons bound for Acapulco and the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The Chinese goods were paid for in Mexican silver.

Miguel Lopez de Legaspi was responsible for the first Spanish settlement and colonial government in Manila. With the help of Mindanao-native Panday Pira, a blacksmith with a cannon foundry, the new Capital of the Spanish settlement was presumed impenetrable.

7 Oct: (Lepanto) Battle of Lepanto - the Ottoman fleet of 240 galleys was defeated by a fleet from the Maritime League. The League's fleet consisted of ships from Spain, Malta, Genoa and Venice. The Maritime league takes 4,000 prisoneers, frees 12,000 Chritstian slaves and kills 25,000 Otoman in the battle.

1572 –

Parañaque: The then town of Palanyag (Parañaque) was founded. Since the place lay very proximate to the sea, the Paraqueños did much trade with the Chinese, Indonesians, Indians and Malayans. At that time the main means of livelihood were salt-making, fishing, planting rice, shoemaking, slipper-making and weaving. The community was headed by cabezas de barangay, a westernization of the local chieftains and the principalia as the local aristocrats were called, a very durable social institution since they were the political absorbers. They justified and moderated the demands of the Spanish colonizers. Education was limited to the principalia since it is only they who could afford it.

23-24 Aug: (France) St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre On August 23 and 24th Catholics in France killed 50,000 Hugenonts in Paris and the provinces. The massacre was called for by the queen mother Catherine de Medici and is applauded by Pope Gregory XIII.

Brach Observes Super Nova - Tycho Brache observed the first super nova. He showed that the nova was located beyond the moon. He was also the first to produce a modern star guide.

1573 –

Two years after the conquest and founding of Manila by Legazpi, who actually became the first Spanish governor of the Philippines, Capt. Diego de Artieda assured Philip II that he could undertake an exploratory expedition to China with but two ships, 80 shoulders and enough provisions and ammunitions.

Catanduanes: The province derived its name from "Catanduan" or "where tando trees abound". Spanish explorer Juan de Salcedo found Malayan settlers believed to be sons of the Bornean datus who came to Panay in the 13th century.

Japan: Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu is an old Jujutsu style presumably founded by Minamoto, Yoshimitsu in the eleventh century.Â* Originally, it was only practised by the highest ranking Samurais in the Takeda family in the Kai fiefdom in northern Japan.

Feudal overlord Takeda, Shingen died, and his kinsman Takeda, Kunitsugu moved to the Aizu fiefdom, where he became Jito – overseer of the fief. Kunitsugu introduced Daitoryu Aikijujutsu at the Aizu fiefdom, where the secret fighting art only was taught to the feudal lords and the highest ranking samurais and ladies in waiting.

1574 –

10 Jun: King Philip II of Spain gave Manila the title of Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad ("Distinguished and Ever Loyal City").

9 Nov: The feared Chinese pirate, Limahong (a.k.a. Lim-Ah-Hong; Lin Feng, Lin T-ao), assisted by his Japanese counterpart, Sioco, attacked Manila from the sea. He was defeated at the hands of Juan de Salcedo, Legaspi’s grandson.

Revolt of Lakan Dula.

Japan: Kano Eitoku (1543-1590) - Noted painter - most famous works included 'Chinese Lions', 'Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons', and 'Scenes In and Around Kyoto' (a screen Nobunaga sent as a gift, along with 'Tale of Genji', to the eastern warlord Uesugi Kenshin in 1574).

Tunisia: Tunis Annexed by Ottomans -An Ottoman army under the command of Sinan Pasha retakes Tunisia. The Austrians had driven the Ottomans out the year before. It is annexed to the Ottoman Empire.

1575 –

The newly appointed Filipinas Islands' Governor and Captain-General Doctor Francisco de Sande, who succeeded after the death of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the colonial founder (the islands were discovered by Ferdinand Magellan) of the Filipinas Islands and the town of Cebu, personally led an expedition to the island of Borneo where he attacked and captured the enemy's fleet and the principal house and residence of the island king.

Among other enterprises, the governor made in person the expedition to the island of Borneo with a fleet of galleys and frigates. With these he attacked and captured the enemy’s fleet, which had come out to meet him. He captured also the principal settlement, where the king of the island had his house and residence.

After a few days he abandoned it (Borneo) and returned to Manila, on account of sickness among the crews, and his inability to support and care for the Spaniards in that island. On the way back, and by his orders, Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa entered the island of Jólo (in 157; he came to blows with the natives and their chief, whom he conquered, and the latter rendered him acknowledgment and submission in the name of his Majesty.Â* Captain Figueroa commanded the Governor's fleet of galleys and frigates, with more than 1,500 Indian bowmen from the provinces of Pangasinan, Cagayan, and Pintados, according to San Agustin's accounts.

Thence Governor de Sande went to the island of Mindanao which he explored (most probably the peninsula tip of Jambangan, which is the closest and first area of Mindanao island you see coming from the island of Jólo, reconnoitering its river (possibly the formerly great "Tumaga" river) and chief settlements (the barangay Tetuan was formerly a sizeable river delta community called "Lama-Lama" by the natives in honor of their chief named Datu Lama). On his way he reduced other towns and natives of the same island, who had been pacified, to friendship and alliance with the Spaniards (it should be noted that no captured Joloans or Mindanaoan ever signed a friendship or alliance pact with the conquering Spaniards - they only acknowledged and submitted temporarily to Spanish authority, until the Spaniards departed or became weakened).

Japan: After Shingen’s death, Nobunaga defeated the Takeda clan in the battle of Nagashino (1575), making use of modern warfare.

1576 –

Panday Pira (1483-1576), first documented Filipino cannon-maker. He forged the cannons which Rajah Sulayman used in defending the Muslim Kingdom of Manila against the Spanish invaders. Born in one of the islands in Southern Philippines in 1483.

Japan: Jisai Michiie (1576-1615), founder of Kanemaki Ryu Kenjutsu was born.

1577 –

8 Jun: Francisco de Sande in his report to the Crown of Spain for the Legazpi expedition, page 337, The Colonization and Conquest of the Philippines by Spain, VIII stated: "The Indians of this country are not simple or foolish, nor are they frightened by anything whatever. They can be dealt with only by the arquebuse, or by the gifts of gold or silver. If they were like those of Nueva Espana, Peru, Tierra Firme, and in other explored places where the ships of Castilla may enter, sound reasoning might have some effect. But these Indians first inquire if they must be Christians, pay money, forsake their wives, and other similar things. They kill Spaniards so boldy, that without the arquebuses we could do nothing. This was the reason that Magallanes, Sayavedra, and those who came afterward from Nueva Espana were maltreated. All those who have been killed since the coming of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi received their death through the lack of arquebuses. The Indians have thousands of lances, daggers, shields, and other pieces of armor, with which they fight so well. They have no leaders to whom they look up. The havoc caused by the arquebuse, and their own lack of honor, make them seek refuge in flight, and give obedience to our orders."

The first Franciscans arrived. Besides the convent in Intramuros, they owned three residences, a convent-school, a parish in San Francisco del Monte (Quezon City) and ten parishes in Samar Island and in Albay and Sorsogon provinces.

1578 –

Spanish Governor de Sande initiated the first official raids on the southern Philippines with hopes of conquest and conversion.

In the book "Mindanao: A portrait." - "The Colonial Encounter" p.87, Canoy notes that : "The conflict (moro wars) began with the invasion of Sulu by Captain Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa. With quick-loading arquebusses, heavy cannons and war elephants from Borneo, the Spaniards made short shrift of the kutas or earthen fortifications that protected Jolo."

Jolo, the capital of Sulu, first fell to the Spanish, when a Spanish force commanded by Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa vanquished Sultan Pangiran Budiman. A subsequent Spanish invasion of Mindanao, however, failed. Faced with Moros and malaria, the Spanish conquistadores met with repeated defeat when their Toledo blades engaged Moro kris and barong.

In fact, the Moro mounted their own invasion, and raided coastal settlements in the Visayas. Such raids would continue on and off for the next two hundred years. On some occasions the raids extended as far north as Manila.

Pagsanjan: Pagsanjan, Laguna first loomed in history as a barrio of Lumban, a town founded by the famous Fray Juan de la Plasencia, Franciscan missionary-historian. The other barrios were Longos (now Kalayaan), Paete, Pakil, Cavinti, and Santa Cruz. The first settlers of Pagsanjan were eight Christian Chinese and Japanese traders named Diego Changco, Alfonso Changco, Mateo Caco, Jose Jegote, Juan Juco, Diego Suico, Marcos Suico, and Eugenio Vinco. Highly impressed by the strategic location of the barrio at the juncture of two rivers, they established their trading settlement and engaged in betel-nut industry."

Japan: Kano Eitoku (1543-1590) - Noted painter - was contracted by Oda Nobunaga to produce a series of wall paintings (shôhekiga) for Azuchi Castle around 1578 but these were all lost when Azuchi was destroyed in 1582.

Jikishin Kage Ryu, a Kenjutsu, Bokken & Naginata system, was developed by Yamada Heiazaemon.

1579 –

The Spanish Dominican, Fr. Domingo de Salazar, had been appointed first Bishop of Manila. He had left Spain with twenty companions and arrived in Manila the next year with only one. As Ordinary, he was to welcome, encourage and greatly aid the members of the new Province in the years that followed their arrival.

[Sinyalan]

Lonewolf,

Pidi ba bai imo ko email sa mga "Philippine History from the FMA Warrior’s Perspective"? email addy naku is magtutudlo@hotmail.com. Salamat daan.

BTW, regards to all eskrimadors!!!

[lone wolf]

Sinyalan:

Pasensya na bai, we really would like to disseminate the available information that we have as soon as possible, but this is still an on-going project of MKI and the latest info that we have is just until 1570 AD.. we are aiming to break the 17 March 1521 psychological barrier to our national consciousness hopefully by end of april 2006 - you may have noticed that we have been remiss in acknowledging sources of our info - we hope to address this concern sometime in the future - the important thing for us right now is to have a somewhat comprehensive grasp of our past as a people -- we feel that this is what is lacking in our cultural identity [even to us modern day FMA warriors].. if you want, you can monitor the progress of our work at Mandirigmang Kaliradman Inc.'s webpage: www.geocities.com/mk_leskas and click enter: MK Forum<anything goes<out of the box<Philippine History from the FMA Warrior’s Perspective for the current compilation.. you can copy and paste the available info there but pls be informed that the data that we have gathered may contain certain historical errors -- we do acknowledge that there is a need to set things straight and we will clean this up once we have reached our target.. we hope that our fellow modern keepers of the flame can help us in breaking this barrier into our forgotten past in whatever capacity possible..

salamat,
lone wolf

[BaDBoY]

maayo ni dah aron atong ma utingkay ang roots and history of FMA... thanks for posting a bai lone wolf bai...

[lone wolf]

Philippine History from the FMA Warrior’s Perspective (1560-1569).

1560 –

China: Construction begins on the massive Ta Er monastery in the Nan Shan Mountains of Western China. As an important and popular Yellow Hat Buddhist temple, an additional "Defender of Buddhism" hall was added in 1631. Bronze mirrors lined the walls of this latter hall, and near the doors stood rows of spears and swords. The monks used these weapons to exorcise demons and entertain crowds during quarterly temple fairs.

Japan: Ito Ittosai Kagehisa (1560-1653) was born. He founded Itto Ryu - a Kenjutsu Ryu which had a profound on the development of Kendo.

Japanese sword dancers start holding their scabbards with their left hands and quickly drawing their swords with their right, and within a few years, schools of swordsmanship have developed kata designed to teach batto-jutsu, or quick-draw techniques. Pioneers included Tamiya Heibei Narimasa, a sword instructor for the first three Tokugawa shoguns (and a student of Hayashizaki Jinsuke, the mid-sixteenth century samurai who reportedly developed these techniques after meditating for 100 days at a Shinto shrine in Yamagata). In 1932, the Japanese systematized some of these quick-draw techniques and then turned them into a new martial art called iaido. This name means "the Way of Harmonious Being," but implies "the awareness that one experiences when fully engulfed in dangerous training," and a leader in its popularization was Nakayama Hakudo of the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. Batto-do, or "Sword-drawing Way," is a less cryptic synonym used by some other styles.

Thailand: Rebac (1987) documents that in 1560 AD; The Siamese ("Black") Prince Naresuen fought the Burmese Crown Prince and defeated him in single combat with Muay Thai. This martial display persuaded Burmese King Bayinnaung not to attack Thailand.

1561 –

Spain: Gregorio Lopez (1561-1614) was born. He arrived in Manila in 1601 and made Philippine history by serving as the region’s first Provincial, the highest-ranking administrative post, holding this office from 1605 until 1612. He was instrumental in suppressing the Chinese rebellion of 1603 and in dramatically increasing the educational activities of the Colleges of Manila and Cebu.

China: Facing military pressure from all sides, the Ming Dynasty sends soldiers to learn boxing and quarterstaff fighting from the legendary masters of the Shaolin temple in Honan Province. The most famous of these soldier-students was Ch’eng Ch’ung-tou, who studied archery, horse-riding, and boxing with a Shaolin monk named Hung Ch’uan during the 1580s. Hung was probably a retired soldier, as the special skill of most Shaolin monks was not in boxing or cudgel fighting, but in staying awake while meditating. Ascetic hermits were often practitioners of martial arts, probably because many of them were retired soldiers or highwaymen. Meanwhile, other Chinese soldiers may have been learning the Japanese Shin Kage-ryu swordsmanship system, while yet others were supposed to be studying sword and spear fighting at O Mei Shan ("Moth Eyebrow Mountain") in Szechwan Province. While O Mei Shan ch’uan fa has been suggested as a possible root for Okinawan Shuri-te karate, this remains speculation rather than established fact.

Japan: Mochizuki Chiyome, the wife of the Japanese warlord Mochizuke Moritoki, establishes a training school for female orphans and foundlings. The skills the girls learned included shrine attendant, geisha, and spy. While Mochizuke-trained geisha are sometimes claimed as the first female ninja, it is more likely that the women were simply prostitutes trained to remember and repeat whatever they heard from their carefully selected patrons.

Venetia: In The Book of the Courtier, Baldissare Castiglione describes wrestling as something a Venetian gentleman (Castiglione’s patrons were the Dukes of Urbino) should master. The reason was that it provided a good basis for physical fitness. For revenging insults, however, Castiglione believed in swords and pistols. Sword masters whose teachings he valued included Pietro Monte.

1562 –

1563 –

As late as 1563 the Portuguese raiders prowled the Visayan waters, plundered Bohol, and killed or enslaved about 1,000 inhabitants.

China: A Ming Dynasty general named Ch’i Chi-kuang (or at least his staff) begins work on military handbook called Chi’hsiao hsin-shu, or "New Text of Practical Tactics." Although most of Chi’s book was devoted to battlefield maneuver and armed techniques, this was also the first Ming Dynasty text to advocate the use of Shaolin ch’uan fa during military training. "It would seem," wrote Ch’i (using Brian Kennedy’s translation of a passage in Chapter 14) "that chuan fa does not have much use in war. But the practice of chuan fa makes ["activates"] your hands, feet, and body, making them more flexible. It [chuan fa] is the foundation of all martial arts. So that is why chuan fa remains around as a school [or perhaps better said, "as a discipline"]. When you learn chuan fa, you become fast, flexible and agile." General Ch’i’s system borrowed techniques from as many as 23 northern Shaolin schools, taking what the military trainers thought was best from each. The idea was that the training would promote agility, improve physical conditioning, and instill a combative spirit.

1564 –

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi had his first glimpse of the natives’ exceptional skill and ability during his landing in Leyte in 1564 when he was entertained with a kali demonstration by the warriors of Chieftain Malitik. Similar demonstrations were made upon his visits in Limasawa, Camiguin, Sugbu and other places.

According to Buenaventura Mirafuente, editor of Mga Karunungan sa Larung Arnis [first book dedicated to the history and practice of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) - in the chapter entitled “Maikling Kasaysayan ng Arnis�], arnis was first known as Kali during the early years of the Spanish conquest.

In particular, mention is made of the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1564 and how he was greeted with demonstrations of the art by the local datu or chieftains and their followers. Legazpi’s reaction to those demonstrations is presented in the following:

Sa gayon ay nawika ni Legazpi sa sarili na “ang Kali ay hindi lamang larong libangan at pangpalipas ng panahon kundi isang mabising sining ng pagtanggol sa sarili sa larangan ng digmaan� (p.10)

(Consequently, Legazpi said to himself “Kali is not only a game and a measure of passing time but also an effective art of self-protection in the realm of warfare)�

Kali was then the favorite art of the royalties that every time a demonstration or competition was held, people usually came in droves to watch. Its popularity spanned well up to the Spanish times. However, when the Spaniards gained substantial control of the country it discouraged the practice of Kali. Fearful of the Filipinos exceptional skill, they imposed a total ban in the practice of the art.Â* Although the reason given was the unusual long hours spent by the natives in the practice and training, hence, neglecting their work it was obvious the authorities were fearful of the threat to their lives at the hands of the very skillful and well trained people. Hence, the Filipinos put aside their training devices and abandoned the practice of Kali.

21 Nov: Spanish colony (Islas Filipinas); subordinated to New Spain. King Philip II of Spain sent an expedition from New Spain (Mexico) led by Legaspi, who was accompanied by Father Andres de Urdaneta.

1565 –

Spain: Philip II, "the most Catholic of kings," after whom the islands are named, sent out Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who established the first permanent Spanish settlement, in Sugbu. The Philippines was not formally organized as a Spanish colony until 1565 when Philip II appointed Miguel Lopez de Legazpi the first Governor-General.

The Spanish gained a foothold in the Philippines through the efforts of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Upon Legaspi’s arrival in Leyte he found the natives uncooperative and largely unfriendly. They were so hostile that Legaspi’s fleet was forced to travel southward as far as Bohol before they found friendly inhabitants.

Legazpi, with the aid of the Malay pilot, explained to the two kings of Bohol, Katuna (Si Katuna) and Gala (Si Gala) that the Spaniards were not Portuguese and that they had come on a mission of peace not to destroy, kill or plunder. On learning this, the Bohol kings and their people became friendly and welcomed the Spaniards. During his brief stay in Bohol, Legaspi decided to move on to the island of Sugbu.

13 Feb: General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi pursued Spanish claim to the island of Sugbu. He contracted blood compacts with Sikatuna and Sigala at Bohol. He and his men noted that the Filipinos were a class by themselves in the art of stickfighting and blade or sword fighting.

16 Mar: To show a mutual acceptance of their trust, Legaspi and Rajah Sikatuna (a.k.a. Si Katuna, Sri Katuna) made a blood compact (sandugo) to seal their friendship. A few days later Legazpi had a similar pact with Gala.Â* In his report to Philip II, Legazpi described the ceremony of the blood compact in the following words: "It is observed in the following manner: one from each party draws two or three drops of blood from his own arm or breast and mixes them in the same cup, with water or wine. Then the mixture must be divided equally between two cups, and neither person may depart until both cups are alike drained."

27 Apr: Legazpi convoked a council of officers to decide where to establish the permanent Spanish settlement. The majority of officers voted to establish it in Sugbu. On Easter Sunday, the fleet, guided by Kings Gala and Katuna, left Bohol and anchored at Sugbu on April 27, 1565. The Sugbuanons, led by their king named Tupas (Humabon's son), massed at the shore in battle array, ready to resist the white invaders. Under flag of truce, Father Urdaneta went ashore to negotiate for amicable relations with Tupas, but the latter refused to heed his talk of peace. The parley having failed, Legazpi resorted to force of arms. Under cover of an artillery barrage, the Spanish soldiers landed and engaged the Sugbu warriors in battle. The former won because of their superior arms, forcing the latter to retreat to the hills and leaving their kingdom in flames.Â*

More of a statesman than a conquistador, Legazpi sought to win the Sugbuanons by a policy of attraction.Â* With the help of Cid Hamal, a Mohammedan Malay who happened to be in Sugbu at that time, he was able to convince Tupas of his friendly intentions.

4 Jun: A peace treaty was drawn up, whereby the Filipinos agreed to recognize Spanish sovereignty and pay tribute, and whereby, in return, Legazpi promised to protect them from their enemies and to conduct trade between Spaniards and Filipinos on a reciprocal basis.Â* That same year, Legazpi founded the first permanent Spanish settlement in Sugbu--on a strategic site granted to him by King Tupas.Â*

The first permanent Spanish settlement was founded by Miguel López de Legaspi, with five Augustinian friars, and 400 armed men, on Sugbu [Cebu], which became the town of San Miguel.

1566 –

Mountain Province: Spanish exploratory attempts to conquer Mountain Province were made between 1566 to 1665. Total subjugation of the area was never achieved throughout the three centuries of Spanish rule because the fierce, war-like, and hostile Igorots (native tribe) and formidable travel obstacles intimidated the Spaniards. Spanish occupation succeeded in some portions of the Cordilleras but it ended on September 3, 1899 when the Spanish headquarters in Bontoc was taken by Filipino forces.

Japan: Eitoku produced a number of paintings for the Abbot's Quarters of the Jukônin in the Daitokuji.

1567 –

Although one of Ferdinand Magellan's shipmates, Antonio Pigafetta, wrote that the people of the Visayas were not literate in 1521, the baybayin had already arrived there by 1567 when Miguel López de Legazpi reported that, “They [the Visayans] have their letters and characters like those of the Malays, from whom they learned them.�

Japan: 1567 - 1600 Period of Unification

France: King Charles IX of France issues letters of patent to a Parisian fencing guild called the Académie d’Armes. This effectively standardizes French fencing, and removes such ungentlemanly activities as wrestling from the sport.

1568 –

21 Mar: Rajah Tupas entered the Christian world, with his erstwhile foe serving as godfather. Apparently there were some food shortages in Sugbu at the time. Since Sugbu has always been a trading hub, rather than a bread basket, it is likely the case that the Spanish conquest interrupted normal trading activity, leading to a disruption of the distribution of supplies.

When Legaspi’s men took the island of Sugbu [Cebu], and established a new fort and a new town called Villa San Miguel (the Village of St. Michael), it did not last long due to continuous raids by Sugbuanon warriors. Legaspi decided to relocate to the island of Panay, and later to May Nilad.

According to Vic Hurley: During pre-Hispanic times the May Nilad bay area was known as Lusong and ruled by the Muslim chieftain Rajah Nicoy. Nicoy was succeeded by Rajah Lakanduli who was in turn succeeded by the Bornean prince, Rajah Sulayman, who was the reigning chief of Manila during the time of Legaspi’s resettlement.

Legaspi asked his nephew Martin de Goiti to conquer Manila for the king of Spain, and sent a message asking for the friendship and support of Rajah Sulayman. Although Sulayman agreed, a canon was fired from a Spanish ship, which hit Sulayman’s fortress, causing a battle to erupt. Sulayman fought valiantly.

1569 –

Accdg to Maestro Ramon Martinez in his article Traditional Fencing: A Western Martial Art:

Mark Wiley states on page 39 in his 1996 book Filipino Martial Culture, "The Spanish methods of employing the rapier and dagger was taken into the Philippines in 1521 by way of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain…" This is impossible for a couple of reasons. First, the Spanish School (La Verdadera Destreza) was founded and created by Don Jeronimo De Carranza, who wrote his treatise in 1569. He was thirty-five years of age when he completed his text, placing his date of birth circa 1534. This leaves a discrepancy of 48 years from the time that Mr. Wiley asserts that Spanish rapier and dagger methods were introduced to the Philippines.

Secondly, the type of weapon that would have been carried by Magellan and most of the other officers in such an expedition would have been a military sword with a wide, straight, double-edged blade, more than likely with a simple medieval-style cruciform hilt. This type of sword was capable of splitting a skull, taking off an arm, or severely wounding a leg. In fact, during this time the dagger as an auxiliary weapon would not have been commonly used in a military context.

A rapier is a completely different weapon. There are several different theories of where the word "rapier" comes from but the strongest evidence indicates that it originates from the Spanish term espada ropera (dress or costume sword). The rapier is a totally civilian weapon, different from the military sword in that it generally has a long slender blade and an elaborate swept or cup-shaped hilt. The biggest misconception about the rapier is that the edges were dull and that one cannot cut with it. This is false. In the historical treatises that deal with rapier fencing the use of cuts was always covered as part of the repertoire of techniques. Although the rapier is used primarily for thrusting, it has always employed a variety of cutting techniques.

The rapier was meant to be used for self-defense and dueling. It was the weapon of the upper classes. It is not the weapon of the lower classes. In both self-defense and in a street fight there are no rules. The only criteria is to dominate the adversary and survive by any means necessary, which is not so in a duel. A duel is a prearranged combat done in cold blood that is bound by a code of rules and etiquette. These dueling codes changed from century to century and varied from country to country.

The rapier was a civilian weapon of the upper classes, and it would have been useless aboard ship when used on deck and upon landing when facing native weapons. Furthermore, if a secondary arm were used with the military sword in battle, it would have been a shield (targa) or a buckler (broquel). Also, the personnel under such a command would not have been comprised completely of Spaniards and certainly not of hidalgos, but of "volunteers" and mercenaries from various countries.

[lone wolf]

Philippine History from the FMA Warrior’s Perspective (1550-1559).

1550 –

In the mid-1500s, the areas in present-day May Nilad were governed by three rajahs, or Muslim community leaders. They were Rajah Sulayman and Rajah Matanda who ruled the communities south of the Pasig, and Rajah Lakandula who ruled the community north of the river. May Nilad was then the northernmost Muslim sultanate in the islands. It held ties with the sultanates of Brunei, Sulu, and Ternate in Cavite.

Japan: Batto jutsu - Cutting sword technique. A rapid version of iaido or iaijutsu, the art of quick draw and cut with a sword. The art was founded by Sekiguichi Yahoumen Uji Nari in 1550 A.D. The art existed in every major castle in Japan. During the Satsuma/Meiji government battle, most of the castle Sekiguichi Shihan Dai sided with the Satsuma, except for the Higo Castle Shihan Dai. When the Satsuma lost, the Meiji government banned the public teaching of SGR Batto Jutsu everywhere but at the Higo Castle area.

Japanese pirates (waka) use arquebuses during their raids into China and Korea. While the pirates’ successes owed more to disciplined small-unit infantry tactics than firearms, the new weapons still caused the Koreans to create new military bureaucracies. The Chinese, on the other hand, started hiring acrobats and boxers to teach their peasants how to fight. Stories of flying swordsmen, though, do not become a staple of Chinese fiction until the late nineteenth century.

Venice: Girolamo Muzio publishes a book of dueling rules called Il duello ("The Duel"). Essentially a discussion of middle-class Italian morality, its convoluted vocabulary and rules were ignored by everyone but lawyers. (As Alfred Hutton put it, real Italian duelists counseled crippling and maiming anyone that the duelist fought but decided not to kill, as doing otherwise risked assassination.) This was a transitional period in terms of weapon development. Therefore, some duelists fought in the old fashion with sword-and-buckler while others fought in the new Italian and Spanish fashion of rapier in one hand and cloak or dagger in the other. Regardless of weapons, duelists removed their coats to show that they were not wearing concealed armor or charms. Aristocratic honor being what it is, this of course led to duelists wearing leather armor under their shirts, so eventually duelists had to strip to the skin. The seconds (known as "godfathers" in Italy) attending these duels were sometimes active participants. Why? To quote Alfred Hutton, principals fought "because they had to, seconds because they chose to, the thirds because it was a horrible cold morning and they wanted to warm themselves, and the fourths because they both agreed that people might say disagreeable things about them if they did nothing but stand twiddling their thumbs when all their friends were fighting." Seconds sometimes, died, too. For instance, two seconds were killed and two more died of wounds as the result of a French duel of 1578.

1551 –

Burma: A South Asian prince named Bayinnaung begins the unification of what is today Burma. In the process, he destroyed the remnants of the Mongol Shan kingdom and conquered three Thai kingdoms. He was aided in the process by Portuguese musketeers. In both Burma and Thailand local governors conscripted troops whenever required. The government provided weapons included spears, swords, and cannon, and the locals were expected to provide boats, horses, oxen, buffalo, and elephants. Religious preparations included having both Hindu and Buddhist priests perform elaborate rituals. Animists weren’t neglected, either. Kings, for example, beseeched city guardian spirits while individual soldiers rushed out for protective amulets, the most powerful amulets were made of human fetuses. Horses and elephants were likewise protected by lesser charms made of jewels or heavy metals such as mercury. Defenses against firearms included carrying a Buddha figurine placed inside a hollow pyramid and ingesting various pharmaceuticals, including some made from human livers.

France: Robert Stephens Estienne of France divides New Testament verses in the Bible.

1552 –

Japan: Takayama (a samurai) Ukon was born the son of Takayama Tomoteru (also known as Zusho; 1531-1596), a retainer of Matsunaga Hisahide who held Sawa Castle in NW Yamato province.

Known in his childhood as Hikogorô, the future Ukon was given the name Shigetomo upon his coming of age.1 Ukon’s father became a Christian 1564 and Ukon was baptized as ‘Justo’. Not long afterwards, in 1565, Matsunaga murdered the Shôgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and then became involved in a war with the Miyoshi. In the course of the feud, Sawa, Tomoteru’s castle, was lost, forcing the Takayama to flee. Through the good offices of Wada Koremasa, a friendly acquaintance of Tomoteru’s, the Takayama came under Oda Nobunaga’s banner and took up service with the Wada in 1568.

Russia: During their conquest of the Volga Valley, Russian miners explode hundreds of tons of black powder under the Tartar capital at Kazan. The result is the largest man-made explosion of the sixteenth century. (While more famous, the explosion of a 70-ton Dutch fireship on the River Scheldt in 1585 was by comparison a mere flash in the pan.)

1553 –

Spain: In the year 1553, Philip II ascended the Spanish throne. As a Catholic King, he occupied himself with the temporal well-being of his subjects, but always in view to favor and to promote their spiritual and supernatural end. In Spain, there was a great deliberation concerning the "Islas del Poniente" as they called our archipelago.

Milan: Famous architect, mathematician and engineer of the Renaissance Camillo Agrippa wrote a fencing treatise. The fencing manual called Tratta di Scienza d’Arme ("Treatise on the Science of Arms"), published in 1568, dealt with the sidesword, yet also dealt with sword and shield and pole weapons alongside the sidesword and dagger. The manuscript reduced the number of guards from eleven to four, argued that the rapier was better used for thrusting than slashing, and stated that the swordsman should advance the front foot as far forward as possible while leaving the rear foot in place rather than passing through with the back foot. Agrippa also stated that the left arm should be held to the rear and up, a statement that some believe was inspired by a desire to be elegant rather than any practical combative considerations.

1554 –

1555 –

Thailand: King Nareusan (1555-1605), one of Thailand’s most celebrated warrior-kings, and an excellent boxer in his own right, made Muay Thai a required part of military training.

England: Peace of Augsberg reached by Catholic Charles V with Lutherans.

1556 –

The Philippine islands were given their present name in honor of Philip II of Spain, who reigned from 1556 to 1598.

America: on St. Augustine's Day, Pedro Menendez de Aviles arrived to establish America's first city on Florida's Atlantic coast.

Mughul Empire: After his father died from falling down a flight of stairs, a 13-year old youth named Akbar inherits control of the Mughul Empire. A successful emperor (under his rule, the Mughul Empire spread east to the Bay of Bengal and south to the Deccan), he was above all else a warrior. (According to his panegyrist, he once knocked out a fleeing murderer using just a single well-aimed punch. Another time he killed a tigress with a sword. And a third time he crashed his personal elephant into a house holding armed bandits, receiving five arrows in his shield in the process.) When he wasn’t hunting or campaigning, Akbar enjoyed books. (The only illiterate in his family, he hired scribes to read to him.) He also liked pigeon racing, polo, and wrestling matches. Whenever possible, the wrestling matches were held each Tuesday at noon. The significance of this date was astrological. (Tuesday was Mars’ day.) Major contests were timed to coincide with Hindu festivals, partly to show the power of Akbar’s Muslim wrestlers, and partly to acknowledge the importance of Hindus in Akbar’s essentially Muslim state.

1557 –

China: The Chinese government allows Portuguese merchants to establish warehouses at Macao, an island south of Canton on the Pearl River estuary. To maintain status quo, the Chinese also established a naval base at Amoy, on the Fukien coast.

Rome: First Index of Forbidden Books officially issued under Catholic Pope Paul IV.

1558 –

Mexico: Luis de Velasco, the Viceroy of Mexico suggested to King Felipe II that an expedition be sent to the western islands. Acting on the suggestion, the King then sent Miguel Lopez de Legazpi as the expedition commander, and Father Andres de Urdaneta as his navigator. They sailed with galleons of San Pedro and San Pablo drawn by the purpose of finding a new route in their return trip from western islands to Mexico.

The fleet was able to reach Sugbu [Cebu] on February 13, 1565, and because of the desire to look for food and spices, they sailed to neighboring islands like Cibabao [Leyte], Tandaya [Samar], Limasawa, Butuan, and Bohol.

Siam: Palace guards are described as including trained boxers. Originally, the unarmed fighters seem to have been stationed closer to the king than were armed guards. Lesser nobles also seem to have had coteries of boxers.

1559 –

Spain: King Philip II ordered the viceroy of Mexico Don Luis de Velasco to equip an armada for the spiritual and the material conquest of the Philippines. Now, an experienced mariner presented himself to the scene. He was once a page at the Loaysa's expedition, but now an Augustinian priest. He is Fr. Andres de Urdaneta who told them that it was easy to sail west to reach the East and to return with the same route. So, because of his experience and confidence he was asked to join the expedition as the chief pilot. At his suggestion, a royal official of unblemished record in Mexico was chosen to command the fleet, Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

The preparations for the said fleet started on 24 September 1559 and, after some delay, the fleet set sail on November 20, 1564. There were four ships in this fleet: San Pedro (the flagship), San Pablo, San Juan de Letran and San Lucas.

Japan: A Chinese monk named Chin Gen Pinh came to Japan, accompanied with his knowledge and experience of Kempo known as the (China Hand), which was adopted by Jiujitsu. Shortly after Chin Gen Pinh came to Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi also migrated to Japan from China, bringing with him Ch-an Fa and Korean Tang Su a punching and nerve striking skill and method of fighting. These skills were also adopted by Jiujitsu.

France: A splinter from a fractured tournament lance kills King Henry II of France. While this makes jousting considerably less popular among the French aristocracy (the immediate replacement was tilting after mechanical targets called quintains), it also makes the reputation of the French occultist Michel de Nostredame, who had predicted the king’s death four years earlier. But of course it was not the end of equestrian entertainment at the Place du Carrousel in Paris.

[guian_capa7]

asa pwd makaskwela ug eskrima? nindot kau, nakakita man gud ko sa travels and destination bah nga gi feature nya ganahan ko mo skwela..

[foreplay]

Guys, the MK site is temporarily up.

You can visit it at http://www.mymotag.com/mk

the galleries are still down though, I'm still modifying the size of the pics as well as the layout.

[lasherlasher]

so where can i learn kali here in cebu? can somebody pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssse eeeeeeeeeee tell me.

[lasherlasher]

so where can i learn kali here in cebu? Â*can somebody pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssse eeeeeeeeeee tell me.