The Crusades in the Philippines
The fortress of Fray Bermejo in Bolhoon used to fight off the Moros By Antonio Rubi Written for the feast of Saint James the Great Everyone, especially traditionalists know the Crusades, about knights in shining armor fighting the Mohammedans in the Holy Land. From Pope Urban II, Godfrey of Bouillon, Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, and King St. Louis IX. For every parent especially in the United States or in the West, this article is for you. But what is less known is that there were also crusades in my country, the Philippines during the Spanish era, notably as an offshoot of the Spanish Reconquista which ended in 1492. The Philippines was conquered by Conquistador Legazpi in 1565, and conquered Manila in 1571, where the Spanish fought the Mohammedan Rajah Suleiman. There is also the 1578 Brunei war between the Spanish and the Sultanate of Brunei also known as the Castilian War. One of the crusaders I admire is Father Agustin de San Pedro (1599 - 1653/1660) who was a Portu...