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| Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat statue situated at new Tantawan Park . |
Sultan
Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (1581-1671) was a Sultan of Maguindanao. During his reign, he
successfully resisted Spanish efforts
to conquer his sultanate and hindered the Christianization of Mindanao. He
was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuan, a Muslim missionary
who propagated the Islamic faith in
14th century Mindanao.
After
succeeding his father in 1619, he conquered several
Datus and made himself the master of the Pulangui area. He also controlled
present-day Cagayan de Oro and
Caraga territories
and made Misamis and Bukidnon his tributaries.
He was able to negotiate with the Dutch and
the Spaniards so
that they recognize his sovereignty
over these lands.
The
Spaniards tried but failed to conquer him in all battles. The Spaniards were
systematically defeated and forced to ransom their soldiers from the sultan. Governor-General Alonso Fajardo signed a treaty with Kudarat on June 25, 1645 which
allowed Spanish missionaries to
minister to the needs of the Christians in
Mindanao, allowed a church built,
and trade was
allowed in the sultan’s territories. War once more flared in 1658 when Mindoro, Bohol and Leyte were
sacked.
Spain was unable to dominate the
lands under Sultan Kudarat’s rule. That is how brave and great our local hero –
Sultan Kudarat is.
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| SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers with Hon Mayor Japal J. Guiani, Jr. |
