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What has shaped Manila's history?
Home » The Philippines » Manila - History and Overview » What has shaped Manila's history?Manila (formerly called Maynilad – which means something close to “There is tall grass”) used to be a tiny Muslim settlement on the riverbank; by the 1500s it had three rulers – Rajah Sulayman, Rajah Lakandula, and Rajah Matanda. In 1570, the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi sent an expedition to conquer Manila; when they arrived, the 300 soldier force ignored the welcome from the people and crushed the settlement. The next year, Legazpi came and made a peace contract with the rajahs, setting up a city council and building a walled city to protect the Spanish. Later in the16th century, the king of Spain distinguished Manila as a loyal city and made it the capital of the Philippine Islands.
Later, Manila would be the headquarters for USAFFE (United States Army Forces Far East), military forces, and several airfields. However, American combat units withdrew from the city in December 1941, and Manila had Japanese forces occupying it by January 1942. During World War II, the city was utterly devastated, and the Manila Massacre took place. However, in 1945 Manila was finally liberated.
In recent years, Manila has suffered several militant attacks by groups like Abu Sayyaf. It has also been the workplace of terrorist cells of Al-Qaida and Project Bojinka. Currently security in Manila is attempting to handle such problems.
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