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'' ( pam, balen; "country" or "polity") of Cainta was a fortified upriver polity that occupied both shores of an arm of the Pasig River. It was located not far from where the Pasig River meets the Lake of Ba-i, and is presumed to be the present site of the municipality of

Cainta, Rizal Cainta, officially the Municipality of Cainta ( fil, Bayan ng Cainta, ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 376,933 people. It is one of the oldest municipalit ...

Description

Descriptions of early chroniclers say that the polity was surrounded by bamboo thickets, defended by a log wall, stone bulwarks and several

lantaka The ''Lantaka'' (Baybayin: pre virama: ''ᜎᜆᜃ'': post virama: ''ᜎᜈ᜔ᜆᜃ'') also known as ''rentaka'' (In Malay) was a type of bronze portable cannon or swivel gun, sometimes mounted on merchant vessels and warships in Maritime So ...

s, and that an arm of the Pasig River flowed through the middle of the city, dividing it into two settlements. As described in an anonymous 1572 account documented in Volume 3 of Blair and Robertson's compiled translations:

This said village had about a thousand inhabitants, and was surrounded by very tall and very dense bamboo thickets, and fortified with a wall and a few small culverins. The same river as that of Manilla circles around the village and a branch of it passes through the middle dividing it in two sections.

The Siege of Cainta (August 1571)

When the Spanish forces of

Miguel López de Legazpi Miguel López de Legazpi (12 June 1502 – 20 August 1572), also known as '' El Adelantado'' and ''El Viejo'' (The Elder), was a Spaniard who, from the age of 26, lived and built a career in Mexico (then the Viceroyalty of New Spain) and, ...

first established the city of Manila in 1571, Cainta was one of the surrounding polities who went to Manila to negotiate for friendship with Manila. However, Cainta's envoys noted the small size of Legazpi's forces and decided to withdraw their offer of friendship, since Cainta was a fortified polity which was perfectly capable of defending itself. In August 1571, Legazpi assigned his nephew,

Juan de Salcedo Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – March 11, 1576) was a Spanish- Novohispanic conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompa ...

, to "pacify" Cainta. After travelling several days upriver, Salcedo lay siege to the city, and eventually found a weak spot on the wall. The final Spanish attack over 400 residents of Cainta killed including their leader Gat Maitan.

Dissolution

Cainta was established as a ''visita'' (annex) of Taytay on November 30, 1571, under the administration of the

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

List of Rulers

References

{{Former and present states in the Philippines Former countries in Southeast Asia Former countries in Philippine history History of the Philippines (900–1565) Barangay states History of Luzon 1580s disestablishments in Asia

Description

The Siege of Cainta (August 1571)

Dissolution

List of Rulers

See also

References