Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 9

This week: the Ottoman Empire!

Exploring the history, culture and legacy of one of the longest lasting and most influential empires. From sultans and battles to daily life, let's uncover its story and why it still matters.

Follow along and join the conversation!

#OttomanEmpire #History #Empire

Map of the Ottoman Empire at Its Peak (1683 CE) provided by TheCollector.com

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Thanks so much for following along with this series!

I really appreciate your interest and support. Feel free to ask any questions or share suggestions about which Empire or Civilization you'd like to explore next.

Looking forward to diving deeper together! 🧵🙏

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Tondo's history is a story of power, trade, diplomacy and survival; not some distant legend or sanitised fairy tale. It laid foundations for what would become modern Philippine society.

The next time you hear these myths, remember: the past was complex, and so is the future we're building.

1 1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #6:
"The past is irrelevant to modern Filipinos."

Fact:
History deeply shapes identity, values, and a sense of belonging. Reclaiming the story of Tondo and other precolonial societies empowers Filipinos to reconnect with a rich cultural heritage that colonial narratives tried to erase.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #5:
"Tondo was always peaceful and politically unified."

Fact:
Tondo's history was shaped by shifting alliances and rivalries, especially with Manila and nearby polities. Power struggles, competition for trade and regional tensions created a dynamic, often contested political landscape.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #4:
"Spanish colonisers 'civilised' the Philippine islands."

Fact:
Long before Spain arrived, the archipelago was home to thriving, organised societies. The Spanish didn’t bring civilization, they conquered it; often by manipulating local rivalries and alliances to gain control.

1 1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #3:
"Precolonial Filipino nobility was just like European feudal lords."

Fact:
Social classes were far more fluid, with mobility possible across ranks. Roles and obligations differed from European feudalism, and alipin were not chattel slaves but held varied, complex social functions.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #2:
"Precolonial Filipinos had no writing system or historical record."

Fact:
The Baybayin script was widely used, rich oral traditions preserved collective memory, and early documents like the Doctrina Christiana still survive as proof of a literate, expressive culture.

1 1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Myth #1:
"Precolonial Filipinos were savages or just scattered tribes."

Fact:
The Kingdom of Tondo had established rulers, engaged in international trade, practiced diplomacy, and followed systems of law. Far from primitive, it was organized, sophisticated, and connected.

1 1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Precolonial Philippines is often misunderstood or oversimplified.

Let's bust some of the most persistent myths about Tondo and the complex world that existed in the era before the Spanish set foot on the islands. 🧵🔍

#PhilippineHistory #PrecolonialPhilippines #SoutheastAsianHistory #Tondo

Overhead view of how Tondo might have appeared at its peak.

1 1 1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Next up in the Tondo mini-series: Let's separate fact from fiction. What are the myths and misconceptions about Tondo and early Philippine history? 🧵🧐

Follow now to continue this journey together.

#Pihlippines #PhilippineHistory

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Archaeological finds unearthed in Manila and around Laguna Bay continue to reshape our understanding of the past. Artifacts show a complex society, rich and connected through trade and culture, flourishing long before any European contact.

Archaeological site in Shopwise, Sta Ana, Manila

Zernan2014, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Today, efforts are underway to revive the ancient Baybayin script, deepen the study of precolonial history, and celebrate diverse native heritage. These initiatives are working to reclaim and tell Tondo's story, rescuing it from centuries of imposed silence.

Zoom-in on the Baybayin displayed in the Philippine passport (2016 edition). The full text of this message, partially blocked by the flag in this page, is "Ang katuwiran ay nagpapadakila sa isang bayan" ("Righteousness exalts a nation").

Glennznl, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

During the Spanish colonial period, efforts were made to erase native systems and traditions. Yet indigenous languages, rituals, and traditional crafts persisted underground, enduring quietly. These cultural elements sometimes resurfaced, especially during nationalist movements.

Performers depicting babaylans.

Hptina24, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Indeed, many modern Filipino families trace their lineage to Tondo's maginoo nobility, including prominent political clans. This link provides a thread connecting the contemporary Philippines and its people to their pre-Spanish roots.

Filipino families proudly tracing their ancestry to Don Lacandola. AI generated.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

The name Lakan Dula survives, honoured in streets, schools, and the collective public memory across the Philippines. This recognition, however, often exists without historical context. Nonetheless, he remains a symbol of precolonial sovereignty and an embodiment of Filipino resilience.

Entrance of Lakan Dula High School in Manila.

Zarate123, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Today, Tondo is a bustling district in Manila, recognised as one of the largest urban poor communities in Asia. Its journey, from an ancient royal seat of power to a modern megacity's dense, often struggling, urban centre, tells a story of transformation and survival.

Tondo Skyline by Patrickroque01, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 8

Legacy of Tondo: Echoes in Modern Philippines

Tondo's ancient kingdom may be gone but its legacy lives on. In countless place names, prominent family names and the very fabric of Filipino identity, the spirit of whispers from the past. 🧵🔍👇

#Philippines #TondoLegacy #PhilippineHistory

A performer depicting a babaylan in a Babaylan Festival in Bago City.

Hptina24, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

Next up:

What remains of the once-great Kingdom of Tondo today? Its spirit endures in monuments, myths and collective memory. We'll talk about the lasting legacy of Tondo in the next instalment.

Follow for more Philippine history! 🧵🕯️

#Tondo #PhilippineHistory #LostKingdoms #History

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

And yet Lakan Dula's name survived, etched into the collective consciousness, imprinted on enduring place names and kept alive in the local memory of the people. Even today, some families in the Philippines proudly trace their ancestry to Don Lacandola, a symbol of their nation's lost sovereignty.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

This proved to be the last major act of resistance by Tondo's ruling class. In the aftermath, Tondo ceased to be a kingdom. Instead, it was absorbed into the Spanish colonial framework, becoming another administrative district. Its identity as a sovereign polity was erased.

Tondo under the Spanish colonials. AI generated.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

But not all accepted this. A resistance emerged in 1587-1588, as Lakan Dula's relatives, along with other native nobility, joined the Tondo Conspiracy: a plot to overthrow Spanish rule with help from Brunei, Japan, and Borneo.

It ultimately failed, and its leaders were either killed or exiled.

Tondo Conspiracy, relatives of Lakan Dula plotting to overthrow Spanish rule, photograph. AI generated.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

Later, after Lakan Dula's death, an erosion of power began, stripping his heirs of their traditional authority. By the early 1600s, Spanish colonial law had replaced native customs. Tondo's once-powerful noble families were reduced to a new class of Christianised elites under European colonial rule.

Spanish colonial law replacing native customs in Tondo, photograph. AI generated.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

The Spanish, facing the task of controlling Luzon, needed allies. They gave Lakan Dula the title of Don Carlos Lacandola and treated him as a local chief. But this was not equality; it was subjugation. Tondo went from independent polity to vassal, then just another province under colonial rule.

Lakan Dula as Don Carlos Lacandola. AI generated.

1

Gu Kur History - Empires and Civilizations @gukur.bsky.social · Jun 7

In 1571, after Rajah Sulayman's defeat at the Battle of Bangkusay, Spain established Intramuros, a walled colonial capital, over the ruins of Manila. Faced with this reality, Lakan Dula accepted Spanish suzerainty. He was permitted to retain some power, but this arrangement would be temporary.

Intramuros Guardhouse (modern-day remains of) by Jun Acullador <<https://www.flickr.com/photos/acullador/>>, CC BY-ND 2.0 <<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en>> via Flickr.

1