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The ''principalía'' or noble class was the ruling and usually educated upper class in the '' pueblos'' of
Spanish Philippines Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, comprising the ''
gobernadorcillo The ''gobernadorcillo'' (, literally "little governor") was a municipal judge or governor in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined charges or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and jud ...
'' (later called the c''apitán municipal'' and had functions similar to a town mayor), ''tenientes de justicia'' (lieutenants of justice), and the '' cabezas de barangay'' (heads of the
barangays A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
) who governed the districts. Also included in this class were former ''gobernadorcillos'' or municipal captains, and municipal lieutenants in good standing during their term of office. The distinction or status of being part of the ''principalía'' was originally a hereditary right. However, a royal decree dated December 20, 1863 (signed in the name of
Queen Isabella II Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
by the Minister of the Colonies, José de la Concha), made possible the creation of new ''principales'' under certain defined criteria, among which was proficiency in the
Castilian language In English, Castilian Spanish can mean the variety of Peninsular Spanish spoken in northern and central Spain, the standard form of Spanish, or Spanish from Spain in general. In Spanish, the term (Castilian) can either refer to the Spanish langu ...
. Later, wider conditions that defined the ''principalía'' were stipulated in the norms provided by the Maura Law of 1893, which was in force until Spain lost the Philippines to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
in 1898. The Maura Law also redefined the title of the head of municipal government from ''gobernadorcillo'' to ''capitán municipal'', and extended the distinction as ''principales'' to citizens paying 50 pesos in land tax. Prior to the Maura Law, this distinguished upper class included only those exempted from tribute (tax) to the Spanish crown. Colonial documents would refer to them as "'' de privilegio y gratis''", in contrast to those who pay
tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of land which the state conqu ...
(''"de pago"''). It was the true aristocracy and
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...
of the Spanish colonial Philippines, roughly analogous to the
patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...
class in
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
. The ''principales'' (members of the ''principalía'') traced their origin to the
precolonial Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...
''
maginoo The Tagalog ''maginoo'', the Kapampangan ''ginu'', and the Visayan ''tumao'' were the nobility social class among various cultures of the pre-colonial Philippines. Among the Visayans, the ''tumao'' were further distinguished from the immediate ...
'' ruling class of established kingdoms, rajahnates, confederacies, and
principalities A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...
, as well as the
lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
ships of the smaller, ancient social units called ''
barangays A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
'' in the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, ...
,
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, and
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
. The members of this class enjoyed exclusive privileges: only members of the principalía were allowed to vote, be elected to public office, and bear the titles ''
Don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...
'' or ''
Doña Don (; ; pt, Dom, links=no ; all from Latin ', roughly 'Lord'), abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and Croatia ...
''. The use of the honorific addresses ''"Don"'' and ''"Doña"'' was strictly limited to what many documents during the colonial period would refer to as ''"vecinas y vecinos distinguidos"''. For the most part, the social privileges of the nobles were freely acknowledged as befitting their greater social responsibilities. The ''gobernadorcillo'' during that period received a nominal salary and was not provided a public services budget by the central government. In fact, the ''gobernadorcillo'' often had to govern his municipality by looking after the post office and the jailhouse, alongside managing public infrastructure, using personal resources. ''Principales'' also provided assistance to parishes by helping in the construction of church buildings, and in the pastoral and religious activities of the clergy who, being usually among the few Spaniards in most colonial towns, had success in earning the goodwill of the natives. More often, the clergy were the sole representatives of Spain in many parts of the archipelago. Under the ''
patronato real The ''patronato'' () system in Spain (and a similar '' padroado'' system in Portugal) was the expression of royal patronage controlling major appointments of Church officials and the management of Church revenues, under terms of concordats with ...
'' of the Spanish crown, Spanish churchmen were also the king's ''de facto'' ambassadors, and promoters of the realm. With the end of Spanish sovereignty over the Philippines after the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...
in 1898 and the introduction of a democratic, republican system during the
American colonial period The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centur ...
, the ''principalía'' and their descendants lost legal authority and social privileges. Many were, however, able to integrate into the new socio-political structure, retaining some degree of influence and power.


Historical background


Pre-colonial principalities

From the beginning of the colonial period in the Philippine, the Spanish government built on the traditional preconquest sociopolitical organization of the barangay and coopted the traditional indigenous princes and their nobles, thereby ruling indirectly. The barangays in some coastal places in Panay,Manuel Merino, O.S.A., ed., Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid 1975.
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
,
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...
,
Jolo Jolo ( tsg, Sūg) is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has ...
, and
Butuan Butuan (pronounced ), officially the City of Butuan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Butuan; Butuanon: ''Dakbayan hong Butuan''; fil, Lungsod ng Butuan), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Caraga, Philippines. It is the ''de facto'' c ...
, with cosmopolitan cultures and trade relations with other countries in Asia, were already established principalities ('' kinadatuan'') before the coming of the Spaniards. In other regions, even though the majority of these barangays were not large settlements, yet they had organized societies dominated by the same type of recognized aristocracy and lordships (with birthright claim to allegiance from followers), as those found in more established, richer and more developed principalities. The aristocratic group in these precolonial societies was called the ''datu'' class. Its members were presumably the descendants of the first settlers on the land or, in the case of later arrivals, of those who were ''datus'' at the time of migration or conquest. The duty of the ''datus'' was to rule and govern their subjects and followers, and to assist them in their interests and necessities. What the chiefs received from their followers was: to be held by them in great veneration and respect; and they were served in their wars and voyages, and in their tilling, sowing, fishing, and the building of their houses. The natives attended to these duties very promptly, whenever summoned by their chief. They also paid their chief tribute (which they called ''buwis'') in varying quantities, in the crops that they gathered. The descendants of such chiefs, and their relatives, even though they did not inherit the lordship, were held in the same respect and consideration, and were all regarded as nobles and as persons exempt from the services rendered by the others, or the plebeians (''timawas''). The same right of nobility and chieftainship was preserved for the women, just as for the men. Some of these principalities and lordships have remained, even until the present, in un-Hispanicized and mostly
Lumad The Lumad are a group of Austronesian indigenous people in the southern Philippines. It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or "indigenous". The term is short for Katawhang Lumad (Literally: "indigenous people"), the autonym officially adopte ...
and Muslim parts of the Philippines, in some regions of Mindanao.


Pre-colonial principalities in the Visayas

In more developed barangays in Visayas, e.g., Panay, Bohol and Cebu (which were never conquered by Spain but were incorporated into the Spanish sphere of influence as vassals by means of pacts, peace treaties, and reciprocal alliances), the datu class was at the top of a divinely sanctioned and stable social order in a territorial jurisdiction called in the local languages as ''sakop'' or ''kinadatuan'' (''kadatuan'' in ancient Malay; ''kedaton'' in Javanese; and '' kedatuan'' in many parts of modern Southeast Asia), which is elsewhere commonly referred to also as ''barangay''. This social order was divided into three classes. The ''kadatuan'', which is also called ''
tumao The Tagalog ''maginoo'', the Kapampangan ''ginu'', and the Visayan ''tumao'' were the nobility social class among various cultures of the pre-colonial Philippines. Among the Visayans, the ''tumao'' were further distinguished from the immediate ...
'' (members of the
Visayan Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group ...
''datu'' class), were compared by the
Boxer Codex The ''Boxer Codex'' is a late sixteenth century Spanish manuscript that was produced in the Philippines. The document contains seventy-five colored illustrations of the peoples of China, the Philippines, Java, the Moluccas, the Ladrones, and Sia ...
to the titled lords (''señores de titulo'') in Spain. As ''agalon'' or ''amo'' (lords), the datus enjoyed an ascribed right to respect, obedience, and support from their ''
oripun The ''alipin'' refers to the lowest social class among the various cultures of the Philippines before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Visayan languages, the equivalent social classes were known as the ''oripun' ...
'' (commoner) or followers belonging to the third order. These datus had acquired rights to the same advantages from their legal ''"
timawa The ''Timawa'' were the feudal warrior class of the ancient Visayan societies of the Philippines. They were regarded as higher than the '' uripon'' (commoners, serfs, and slaves) but below the ''Tumao'' (royal nobility) in the Visayan social ...
"'' or vassals (second order), who bind themselves to the datu as his seafaring warriors. ''"Timawas"'' paid no tribute, and rendered no agricultural labor. They had a portion of the datu's blood in their veins. The Boxer Codex calls these ''"timawas"''
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
s and hidalgos. The Spanish conquistador, Miguel de Loarca, described them as ''"free men, neither chiefs nor slaves"''. In the late 1600s, the Spanish Jesuit priest Fr. Francisco Ignatio Alcina, classified them as ''the third rank of nobility'' (nobleza). To maintain purity of bloodline, datus marry only among their kind, often seeking high ranking brides in other barangays, abducting them, or contracting brideprices in gold, slaves and jewelry. Meanwhile, the datus kept their marriageable daughters secluded for protection and prestige. These wellguarded and protected highborn women were called ''"binokot"'', the datus of pure descent (four generations) were called ''"potli nga datu"'' or ''"lubus nga datu"'', while a woman of noble lineage (especially the elderly) was addressed by the
Visayans Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group ...
(of Panay) as ''"uray"'' (meaning: pure as gold), e.g., ''uray Hilway''.


Pre-colonial principalities in the Tagalog region

The different type of culture prevalent in Luzon gave a less stable and more complex social structure to the precolonial Tagalog barangays of Manila, Pampanga and Laguna. Enjoying a more extensive commence than those in Visayas, having the influence of Bornean political contacts, and engaging in farming wet rice for a living, the Tagalogs were described by the Spanish Augustinian Friar Martin de Rada as more traders than warriors. The more complex social structure of the Tagalogs was less stable during the arrival of the Spaniards because it was still in a process of differentiating.


Comparison

The Jesuit priest Francisco Colin made an attempt to give an approximate comparison of it with the Visayan social structure in the middle of the seventeenth century. The term ''datu'' or ''
lakan In early Philippine history, the rank of ''lakan'' denoted a " paramount ruler" (or more specifically, "''paramount datu''") of one of the large coastal barangays (known as a "bayan") on the central and southern regions of the island of Luzon. ...
'', or ''apo'' refers to the chief, but the noble class to which the ''datu'' belonged or could come from was the ''
maginoo The Tagalog ''maginoo'', the Kapampangan ''ginu'', and the Visayan ''tumao'' were the nobility social class among various cultures of the pre-colonial Philippines. Among the Visayans, the ''tumao'' were further distinguished from the immediate ...
'' class. One may be born a ''maginoo'', but he could become a ''datu'' by personal achievement. In the Visayas, if the ''datu'' had the personality and economic means, he could retain and restrain competing peers, relatives, and offspring. The term ''timawa'' came into use in the social structure of the Tagalogs within just twenty years after the coming of the Spaniards. The term, however, was being applied to former ''
alipin The ''alipin'' refers to the lowest social class among the various cultures of the Philippines before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Visayan languages, the equivalent social classes were known as the ''oripun' ...
'' (third class) who have escaped bondage by payment, favor, or flight. The Tagalog ''timawas'' did not have the military prominence of the Visayan ''timawa''. The warrior class in the Tagalog society was present only in Laguna, and they were called the ''
maharlika The ''Maharlika'' (meaning freeman or freedman) were the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society in Luzon, the Philippines. They belonged to the lower nobility class similar to the ''Timawa'' of the Visayan people. In modern Filipino ...
'' class. At the early part of the Spanish regime, the number of their members who were coming to rent land from their datus was increasing. Unlike the Visayan datus, the lakans and apos of Luzon could call all non''maginoo'' subjects to work in the datu's fields or do all sorts of other personal labor. In the Visayas, only the ''oripuns'' were obliged to do that, and to pay tribute besides. The Tagalog who works in the datu's field did not pay him tribute, and could transfer their allegiance to another ''datu''. The Visayan ''timawa'' neither paid tribute nor performed agricultural labor. In a sense, they were truly aristocrats. The Tagalog ''maharlika'' did not only work in his datu's field, but could also be required to pay his own rent. Thus, all non''maginoo'' formed a common economic class in some sense, though this class had no designation. The civilization of the precolonial societies in the Visayas, northern Mindanao, and Luzon were largely influenced by Hindu and Buddhist cultures. As such, the datus who ruled these principalities (such as Butuan, Cebu, Panay, Mindoro and Manila) also shared the many customs of royalties and nobles in southeast Asian territories (with Hindu and Buddhist cultures), especially in the way they used to dress and adorn themselves with gold and silk. The Boxer Codex bears testimony to this fact. The measure of the prince's possession of gold and slaves was proportionate to his greatness and nobility. The first westerners who came to the archipelago observed that there was hardly any "Indian" who did not possess chains and other articles of gold.


Filipino nobility during the colonial period

When the Spaniards expanded their dominion to the Americas and later on to the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around ...
, they encountered different cultures that existed in these territories, which possessed different social structures (more or less complex) where as a common trait among them, there was a ruling class that held power and determined the destinies of peoples and territories under its control. These elites were those that the Spaniards discovered and conquered in the New World. It was these Spanish conquerors, using European terminology, who correlated the identity of classes of the pre-Hispanic elites, along with the royalty or with the nobility of Europe at the time according to appropriate categories, e.g., emperor, king, etc. The thoughts of the more notable among them give useful insights on how the first European settlers regarded the rulers of Indians in the New World. Fray Bartolome de las Casas, for example, would argue that indigenous nobles were ''"(...) as Princes and Infantes like those of Castile."'' Juan de Matienzo, during his rule of Peru, said that the ''" Caciques, curacas and principales are the native princes of the Indians."'' In the Lexicon of Fray Domingo de Santo Tomás and Diego González Holguín as well as in the work of
Ludovico Bertonio Ludovico Bertonio (1552 in Rocca Contrada – 3 August 1625 in Lima) was an Italian Jesuit missionary to South America. Life He entered the Society of Jesus in 1575. Sent to Peru six years later, he worked principally among the Aymara of southe ...
, several entries included were devoted to identify the pre-Hispanic society, comparing their old titles to those of their counterpart in the Iberian peninsula. The same approach to the local society in the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around ...
was used by the Spaniards. The principalía was the first estate of the four echelons of Filipino society at the time of contact with Europeans, as described by Fr. Juan de Plasencia, a pioneer Franciscan missionary in the Philippines. Loarca and the Canon Lawyer
Antonio de Morga Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay (29 November 1559 – 21 July 1636) was a Spanish soldier, lawyer and a high-ranking colonial official for 43 years, in the Philippines (1594 to 1604), New Spain and Peru, where he was president of the Real Audie ...
, who classified society into three estates (ruler, ruled, slave), also affirmed the preeminence of the ''principales''. All members of this first estate (the datu class) were ''principales'' whether they were actually occupying positions to rule or not. The Real Academia Española defines ''principal'' as, "A person or thing that holds first place in value or importance, and is given precedence and preference before others". This Spanish term best describes the first estate of the society in the archipelago, which the Europeans came in contact with. San Buenaventura's 1613 Dictionary of the Tagalog language defines three terms that clarify the concept of ''principalía'': # ''Poon'' or ''punò'' (chief, leader) – principal or head of a lineage. # ''Ginoo'' – a noble by lineage and parentage, family and descent. # ''Maguinoo'' – principal in lineage or parentage. The Spanish term ''señor'' (lord) is equated with all these three terms, which are distinguished from the ''nouveau riche'' imitators scornfully called ''maygintao'' (man with gold or hidalgo by wealth, and not by lineage). The first estate was the class that constituted a birthright aristocracy with claims to respect, obedience, and support from those of subordinate status.


Local nobility and the Laws of the Indies

After conquering Manila and making it the capital of the colonial government in 1571, Miguel López de Legazpi noted that aside from the rulers of Cebu and of the capital, the other ''principales'' existing in the archipelago were either heads or datus of the barangays allied as nations; or tyrants, who were respected only by the law of the strongest. From this system of the law of the strongest sprung intestinal wars with which certain dominions annihilate one another. Attentive to these existing systems of government without stripping these ancient sovereigns of their legitimate rights, Legazpi demanded from these local rulers vassalage to the Spanish Crown. On June 11, 1594, shortly before confirming Legazpi's erection of Manila as a city on June 24 of the same year, King Philip II issued a royal decree institutionalizing the recognition of the rights and privileges of the local ruling class of the Philippines, which was later included in the codification of the '' Recopilación de las leyes de los reynos de Las Indias''. In Book VI, Title VII (dedicated to the '' caciques'') of the '' Recopilación de las leyes de los reynos de Las Indias'' (''
Laws of the Indies The Laws of the Indies ( es, Leyes de las Indias) are the entire body of laws issued by the Spanish Crown for the American and the Asian possessions of its empire. They regulated social, political, religious, and economic life in these areas. T ...
''), there are three very interesting laws insofar as they determined the role that the '' caciques'' were to play in the Indian new social order under the colonial rule. With these laws, the Spanish Crown officially recognized the rights of these ''principales'' of pre-Hispanic origin. Specifically, Laws 1, 2 (dedicated to American territories) and; Law 16, instituted by Philip II, on June 11, 1594 which is similar to the previous two, with the main purpose of assuring that the ''principales'' of the Philippines would be treated well and be entrusted with some government charge. Likewise, this provision extended to the Filipino ''caciques'' all policies concerning the Indian caciques under the Spanish rule. To implement a system of indirect rule in the Philippines, King Philip II ordered, through this law of June 11, 1594, that the honors and privileges of governing, which were previously enjoyed by the local royalty and nobility in formerly sovereign principalities who later accepted the Catholic faith and became subject to him, should be retained and protected. He also ordered the Spanish governors in the Philippines to treat these native nobles well. The king further ordered that the natives should pay to these nobles the same respect that the inhabitants accorded to their local lords before the conquest without prejudice to the things that pertain to the king himself or to the ''
encomenderos The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...
''. The royal decree says: ''"It is not right that the Indian chiefs of Filipinas be in a worse condition after conversion; rather they should have such treatment that would gain their affection and keep them loyal, so that with the spiritual blessings that God has communicated to them by calling them to His true knowledge, the temporal blessings may be added, and they may live contentedly and comfortably. Therefore, we order the governors of those islands to show them good treatment and entrust them, in our name, with the government of the Indians, of whom they were formerly lords. In all else the governors shall see that the chiefs are benefited justly, and the Indians shall pay them something as a recognition, as they did during the period of their paganism, provided this is without prejudice to the tributes that are to be paid us, or to that which pertains to their encomenderos."'' Through this law, the local Filipino nobles (under the supervision of the Spanish colonial officials) became ''encomenderos'' (trustees) also of the king of Spain, who ruled the country indirectly through these nobles. Corollary to this provision, all existing doctrines and laws regarding the Indian caciques were extended to Filipino ''principales''. Their domains became selfruled
tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
''barangays'' of the Spanish Empire. The system of indirect government helped in the pacification of the rural areas, and institutionalized the rule and role of an upper class, referred to as the "''principalía''" or the "''principales''", until the fall of the Spanish regime in the Philippines in 1898. The Spanish dominion brought serious modifications to the life and economy of the indigenous society. The shift of emphasis to agriculture marginalized, weakened, and deprived the ''hildalgo''like warriors of their significance in the barangays, especially in the traderaiding societies in the Visayas (which needed the Vikinglike services of the ''"timawas"''). By the 1580s, many of these noblemen found themselves reduced to leasing land from their datus. Their military functions were eclipsed by farming. Whatever remained would quickly be disoriented, deflected, and destroyed by the superior military power of Spain. By the end of the 16th century, any claim to Filipino royalty, nobility or '' hidalguía'' had disappeared into a homogenized, Hispanicized and Christianized nobility – the ''principalía''. This remnant of the precolonial royal and noble families continued to rule their traditional domain until the end of the Spanish regime. However, there were cases when succession in leadership was also done through election of new leaders (''cabezas de barangay''), especially in provinces near the Manila where the ancient ruling families lost their prestige and role. It appears that proximity to the seat of colonial government diminished their power and significance. In distant territories, where the central authority had less control and where order could be maintained without using coercive measures, hereditary succession was still enforced, until Spain lost the archipelago to the Americans. These distant territories remained patriarchal societies, where people retained great respect for the ''principalía''.


Emergence of the mestizo class

The ''principalía'' was larger and more influential than the preconquest
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
nobility. It helped create and perpetuate an oligarchic system in the Spanish colony for more than three hundred years, serving as a link between the Spanish authorities and the local inhabitants. The Spanish colonial government's prohibition for foreigners to own land in the Philippines contributed to the evolution of this form of oligarchy. In some provinces of the Philippines, many Spaniards and foreign merchants intermarried with the rich and landed MalayoPolynesian local nobilities. From these unions, a new cultural group was formed, the '' mestizo'' class. Their descendants emerged later to become an influential part of the government, and of the ''principalía''. The increase of population in the archipelago, as well as the growing presence of Chinese and ''
mestizos (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...
'' also brought about social changes that necessitated the creation of new members of the ''principalía'' for these sectors of Filipino colonial society. In this regard, pertinent laws were promulgated, such as the above-mentioned royal decree issued on December 20, 1863 (signed in the name of
Queen Isabella II Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
by the minister of the colonies, José de la Concha), which indicate certain conditions for promotion to the ''principalía'' class, among others, the capacity to speak the
Castilian language In English, Castilian Spanish can mean the variety of Peninsular Spanish spoken in northern and central Spain, the standard form of Spanish, or Spanish from Spain in general. In Spanish, the term (Castilian) can either refer to the Spanish langu ...
. The reform also paved way to the creation of authorities among the Chinese guilds in enclaves of big settlements like Manila, on condition that these leaders were Christianized. Furthermore, Chinese ''gobernadorcillos'' were not given jurisdiction over municipal districts. Their jurisdiction was exceptional and they only exercised this over persons belonging to their guilds.


Royal Cedula of Charles II

The emergence of the ''mestizo'' class was a social phenomenon not localized in the Philippines, but was also very much present in the American continent. On March 22, 1697,
Charles II of Spain Charles II of Spain (''Spanish: Carlos II,'' 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700), known as the Bewitched (''Spanish: El Hechizado''), was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War ...
issued a royal cedula, related to this phenomenon. The cedula gave distinctions to classes of persons in the social structure of the Crown colonies, and defined the rights and privileges of colonial functionaries. In doing so, the Spanish monarch touched another aspect of the colonial society, i.e., the status of indigenous nobles, extending to these indigenous nobles, as well as to their descendants, the preeminence and honors customarily attributed to the '' hidalgos'' of Castile. The royal cedula stipulates: ''"Bearing in mind the laws and orders issued by my Progenies, Their Majesties the Kings, and by myself, I order the good treatment, assistance, protection and defense of the native Indians of America, that they may be taken cared of, maintained, privileged and honored like all other vassals of my Crown and that, in the course of time, the trial and use of them stops. I feel that its timely implementation is very suitable for public good, for the benefit of the Indians and for the service of God and mine. That, consequently, with respect to the Indian mestizos, the Archbishops and Bishops of the Indias are charged by Article 7, Title VII, Book I of the
Laws of the Indies The Laws of the Indies ( es, Leyes de las Indias) are the entire body of laws issued by the Spanish Crown for the American and the Asian possessions of its empire. They regulated social, political, religious, and economic life in these areas. T ...
, for ordaining priests, being attentive to the qualities and circumstances present, and if some mestizas ask to be religious, they (Bishops) shall give support to those whom they admit in monasteries and for vows. But in particular, with regard to the requirements for Indians in order to accede to ecclesiastical or secular, governmental, political and military positions, which all require purity of blood and, by its Statute, the condition of nobility, there is distinction between the Indians and mestizos, inasmuch as there is between the descendants of the notable Indians called caciques, and those who are issues of less notable Indian tributaries, who in their pagan state acknowledged vassalage. It is deemed that all preeminence and honors, customarily conferred on the Hijosdalgos of Castile, are to be attributed to the first and to their descendants, both ecclesiastical and secular; and that they can participate in any communities which, by their statutes require nobility; for it is established that these, in their heathenism, were nobles to whom their subordinates acknowledged vassalage and to whom tributes were paid. Such kind of nobility is still retained and acknowledged, keeping these as well as their privileges wherever possible, as recognized and declared by the whole section on the caciques, which is Title VII, Book VI of the
Laws of the Indies The Laws of the Indies ( es, Leyes de las Indias) are the entire body of laws issued by the Spanish Crown for the American and the Asian possessions of its empire. They regulated social, political, religious, and economic life in these areas. T ...
, wherein for the sake of distinction, the subordinate Indians were placed under (these noble’s) dominion called «cacicazgo», transmissible from elder to elder, to their posteriority…"'' The royal cedula was enforced in the Philippines and benefited many indigenous nobles. It can be seen very clearly and irrefutably that, during the colonial period, indigenous chiefs were equated with the Spanish ''hidalgos'', and the most resounding proof of the application of this comparison is the General Military Archive in
Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is in the Inner Plateau ('' Meseta central''), near the northern slopes of t ...
, where the qualifications of "
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...
" (found in the Service Records) are attributed to those Filipinos who were admitted to the Spanish military academies and whose ancestors were ''caciques'', ''encomenderos'', notable Tagalogs, chieftains,
governors A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
or those who held positions in the municipal administration or government in all different regions of the large islands of the archipelago, or of the many small islands of which it is composed. In the context of the ancient tradition and norms of Castilian nobility, all descendants of a noble are considered noble, regardless of fortune. At the Real Academia de la Historia ('Royal Academy of History') in Spain, there is also a substantial amount of records giving reference to the Philippine Islands, and while most part corresponds to the history of these islands, the ''academia'' did not exclude among its documents the presence of many genealogical records. The archives of the ''academia'' and its royal stamp recognized the appointments of hundreds of natives of the Philippines who, by virtue of their social position, occupied posts in the administration of the territories and were classified as ''"nobles"''. The presence of these notables demonstrates the cultural concern of Spain in those Islands to prepare the natives and the collaboration of these in the government of the archipelago. This aspect of Spanish rule in the Philippines appears much more strongly implemented than in the Americas. Hence in the Philippines, the local nobility, by reason of charge accorded to their social class, acquired greater importance than in the
Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around ...
of the
New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
.


Christianization under the Spanish Crown

With the recognition of the Spanish monarchs came the privilege of being addressed as ''
Don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...
'' or ''
Doña Don (; ; pt, Dom, links=no ; all from Latin ', roughly 'Lord'), abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and Croatia ...
''. – a mark of esteem and distinction in Europe reserved for a person of noble or royal status during the colonial period. Other honors and high regard were also accorded to the Christianized datus by the
Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
. For example, the ''gobernadorcillos'' (elected leader of the ''cabezas de barangay'' or the Christianized datus) and Filipino officials of justice received the greatest consideration from the Spanish Crown officials. The colonial officials were under obligation to show them the honor corresponding to their respective duties. They were allowed to sit in the houses of the Spanish provincial governors, and in any other places. They were not left to remain standing. It was not permitted for Spanish parish priests to treat these Filipino nobles with less consideration. The ''gobernadorcillos'' exercised the command of the towns. They were port captains in coastal towns. They also had the rights and powers to elect assistants and several lieutenants and ''
alguacil Alguacil (in Spanish), aguazil or guazil (in Portuguese) is the title for a number of governmental office-holders. Origin The term ''alguacil'' is derived from the Arabic term (''wazir''), meaning Vizier. The first known use of the term dates b ...
es'', proportionate in number to the inhabitants of the town. On the day on which the ''gobernadorcillo'' would take on government duties, his town would hold a grand celebration. A festive banquet would be offered in the municipal or city hall where he would occupy a seat, adorned by the coat of arms of Spain and with fanciful designs, if his social footing was of a respectable antiquity. On holy days the town officials would go to the church, together in one group. The ''principalía'' and '' cuadrilleros'' (police patrol or assistance) formed two lines in front of the ''gobernadorcillo''. They would be preceded by a band playing the music as they process towards the church, where the ''gobernadorcillo'' would occupy a seat in precedence among those of the chiefs or ''cabezas de barangay'', who had benches of honor. After the mass, they would usually go to the parish rectory to pay their respects to the
parish priest A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...
. Then, they would return to the
tribunal A tribunal, generally, is any person or institution with authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title. For example, an advocate who appears before a court with a single ...
(municipal hall or city hall) in the same order, and still accompanied by the band playing a loud double quick march called ''
paso doble Pasodoble ( Spanish: ''double step'') is a fast-paced Spanish military march used by infantry troops. Its speed allowed troops to give 120 steps per minute (double the average of a regular unit, hence its name). This military march gave rise ...
''. The ''gobernadorcillo'' was always accompanied by an ''
alguacil Alguacil (in Spanish), aguazil or guazil (in Portuguese) is the title for a number of governmental office-holders. Origin The term ''alguacil'' is derived from the Arabic term (''wazir''), meaning Vizier. The first known use of the term dates b ...
'' or ''policia'' (police officer) whenever he went about the streets of his town.


Class symbols

At the later part of the Spanish period, this class of elite Christian landowners started to adopt a characteristic style of dress and carry regalia. They wore a distinctive type of ''
salakot Salakót is a traditional lightweight headgear from the Philippines that is commonly used during pre-colonial era up to the present day, used for protection against the sun and rain. Every ethnolinguistic group in the archipelago has their own ...
'', a Philippine headdress commonly used in the archipelago since the precolonial period. Instead of the usual headgear made of
rattan Rattan, also spelled ratan, is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the closed- canopy old-growth tropical fores ...
, of reeds called ''nitó'', or of various shells such as capiz shells, which common Filipinos would wear, the ''principales'' would use more prized materials like tortoise shell. The special ''salakot'' of the ruling upper class was often adorned with ornate capping spike crafted in metals of value like silver, or, at times, gold. This headgear was usually embossed also with precious metals and sometimes decorated with silver coins or pendants that hung around the rim. It was mentioned earlier that the royalties and nobilities of the pre-colonial societies in the Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Luzon (Cebu, Bohol, Panay, Mindoro and Manila) also shared the many customs of royalties and nobles in Southeast Asian territories (with Hindu and Buddhist cultures), especially in the generous use of gold and silk in their costumes, as the Boxer Codex demonstrate. The measure of the prince's possession of gold and slaves was proportionate to his greatness and nobility. When the Spaniards reached the shores of the archipelago, they observed that there was hardly any "indian" who did not possess chains and other articles of gold. However, this way of dressing was slowly changed as colonial power took firmer grips of the local nobilities and finally ruled the Islands. By the middle of the 19th century, the usual attire of the ''principalía'' consisted of a black jacket, European trousers, ''
salakot Salakót is a traditional lightweight headgear from the Philippines that is commonly used during pre-colonial era up to the present day, used for protection against the sun and rain. Every ethnolinguistic group in the archipelago has their own ...
'', and colored (velvet) slippers. Many would even wear varnished shoes, such as high quality leather shoes. Their shirt was worn outside the
trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...
. Some sources claim that the Spaniards did not allow the native Filipinos to tuck their shirts under their waistbands, nor were they allowed to have any pockets. It is said that the intention of the colonizers was to remind the natives that they remain '' indios'' regardless of the wealth and power they attain. It is claimed that this was a way for discriminating the natives from their Spanish overlords. The locals also used native fabrics of transparent appearance. It is believed that transparent, sheer fabric were mainly for discouraging the ''indios'' from hiding any weapons under their shirts. However, the native nobles did not wish to be outdone in the appearance of their apparel. And so, they richly embroidered their shirts with somewhat baroque designs on delicate
Piña Piña ( ) is a traditional Philippine fiber made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. Pineapples are indigenous to South America but have been widely cultivated in the Philippines since the 17th century, and used for weaving lustrous lace-li ...
fabric. This manner of sporting what originally was a European attire for men led the way to the development of the Barong, which later became the national costume for Filipino men. Distinctive staffs of office were associated with the Filipino ruling class. The ''gobernadorcillo'' would carry a tasseled cane ( baston) decorated with precious metals, while his lieutenants would use some kind of
wand A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic. Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which ...
s referred to as ''vara'' (''rama''). On occasions and ceremonies of greater solemnity, they would dress formally in frock coat and high crowned hat. One distinctive status symbol of the ''principalía'' families of the rural pueblos, which remain handed down to their descendants until the present time, is the ownership of a '' santo'' or religious statue. ''Principalía'' families in provinces were mostly '' hacienderos'', who had the means and manpower to maintain and decorate ''carrozas'' or floats of sacred images, which are often processed during various religious occasions, most importantly the town fiesta and
Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
. Those who were endowed with more material possessions and power would own images with ivory heads and hands, and crowned with gold or silver halos. From the 17th to the 19th century, Spanish missionaries established a system of sponsorship for religious images. Those who sponsored ''santos'' were called ''"camareros"''. The prestige associated to being ''camareros'' influenced the contemporary trend among well-to-do Filipino Catholic families to sponsor ''carrozas'' for processions organized during various religious festivities in the country.


Race and status

Although the ''principalía'' had many privileges, there were limitations to how much power they were entitled to under Spanish rule. A member of the ''principalía'' could never become the governorgeneral (''gobernador y capitán general''), nor could he become the provincial governor (''alcalde mayor'').Hypothetically, a member of the ''principalía'' could obtain the position of provincial governor if, for example, a noblewoman of the ''principalía'' married a Spanish man born in the Philippines (an Insular) of an elevated social rank. In which case her children would be classified as white (or ''blanco''). However, this did not necessarily give a guarantee that her sons would obtain the position of provincial governor. Being ''mestizos'' was not an assurance that they would be loyal enough to the Spanish Crown. Such unquestionable allegiance was necessary for the colonizers in retaining control of the archipelago. The children born of the union between the ''principales'' and the ''insulares'', or better still, the ''
peninsulares In the context of the Spanish Empire, a ''peninsular'' (, pl. ''peninsulares'') was a Spaniard born in Spain residing in the New World, Spanish East Indies, or Spanish Guinea. Nowadays, the word ''peninsulares'' makes reference to Peninsular ...
'' (a Spanish person born in Spain) are neither assured access to the highest position of power in the colony.Emerson Salvador, ''Liberalism in the Philippines, The Revolution of 1898 : The Main Facts'' (Article published in the Newsletter of the Society of St. Pius X, District of Asia), Jan -Mar 2002

/ref> Flexibility is known to have occurred in some cases, including that of Marcelo Azcárraga Palmero who even became ''interim'' prime minister of Spain on August 8, 1897, until October 4 of that same year. Azcárraga also went on to become Prime Minister of Spain again in two more separate terms of office. In 1904, he was granted knighthood in the very exclusive Spanish chilvalric Order of the Golden Fleece — the only ''mestizo'' recipient of this prestigious award. In the archipelago, however, most often ethnic segregation did put a stop to social mobility, even for members of the ''principalía'' – a thing that is normally expected in a colonial rule. It was not also common for ''principales'' to be too ambitious so as to pursue very strong desire for obtaining the office of Governor-General. For most part, it appears that the local nobles were inclined to be preoccupied with matters concerning their barangays and towns. The town mayors received an annual salary of 24 pesos, which was nothing in comparison to the provincial governor's 1,600 pesos and the GovernorGeneral's 40,000 pesos. Even though the salary of a ''gobernadorcillo'' was not subject to tax, it was not enough to carry out all the required duties expected of such a position. This explains why among the ''principales'', those who had more wealth were likely to be elected to the office of gobernadorcillo (municipal governor). ''Principales'' tend to marry those who belong to their class, to maintain wealth and power. However, unlike most European royalties who marry their close relatives, e.g. first cousins, for this purpose, Filipino nobles abhorred
incestuous Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adopti ...
unions. In some cases, members of the ''principalia'' married wealthy and nonnoble Chinese ( Sangley) merchants, who made their fortune in the colony. ''Principales'' born of these unions had possibilities to be elected gobernadorcillo by their peers. Wealth was not the only basis for intermarriage between the ''principales'' and foreigners, which were commonly prearranged by parents of the bride and groom. Neither did having a Spaniard as one of the parents of a child ennobles him. In a traditionally conservative Catholic environment with Christian mores and norms strictly imposed under the tutelage and prying eyes of Spanish friars, marriage to a divorcée or secondhand spouse (locally referred to as ''"tirá ng ibá"'', literally "others' leftovers") was scornfully disdained by Filipino aristocrats. Virgin brides were a must for the ''principalía'', as well as for the Filipinos in general. Children who were born outside of marriage, even of Spaniards, were not accepted in the circle of ''principales''. These were severely ostracized in the conservative colonial society and were pejoratively called an ''"anák sa labás"'', i.e., "child from outside" (''viz.,'' outside marriage), a stigma that still remains part of the contemporary social mores.Julliane Love De Jesus, ''Bill seeks to omit ‘legitimate, illegitimate’ children in Family Code'' in ''Inquirer.Net'' (September 21, 2013

/ref> During the last years of the regime, there were efforts to push for a representation of the archipelago in the Cortes Generales, Spanish Cortes among a good number of principales. This move was prevalent especially among those who have studied in Spain and other parts of Europe (''
ilustrados The Ilustrados (, "erudite", "learned" or "enlightened ones") constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century. Elsewhere in New Spain (of which the Philippines were part), the term ''gente de ...
''). That initiative, however, was met with snobbery by the colonizers, who denied the natives of equal treatment, in any way possible. Towards the end of the 19th century, civil unrest occurred more frequently. This situation was exposed by the writer and leader of the Propaganda Movement, José Rizal, in his two novels: '' Noli Me Tángere'', and '' El Filibusterismo'' (dedicated to the three Filipino Catholic priests, who were executed on February 17, 1872, by Spanish colonial authorities, on charges of subversion arising from the 1872
Cavite mutiny The Cavite mutiny ( es, El Motín de Cavite) of 1872 was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of Fort San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in Cavite, Philippine Islands (then also known as part of the Spanish East Indies) on 20 January 1872. ...
). Because of this growing unrest that turned into an irreversible revolution, the position of provincial governor became awarded more and more often to the ''peninsulares''. In the ecclesiastical sector, a decree was made, stating there were to be no further appointments of Filipinos as parish priests.


''Status quaestionis''

The recognition of the rights and privileges of the Filipino ''principalía'' as equivalent to those of the ''hidalgos'' of Castile appears to facilitate entrance of Filipino nobles into institutions under the Spanish Crown, either civil or religious, which required proofs of nobility. However, such approximation may not be entirely correct since in reality, although the principales were vassals of the Spanish Crown, their rights as sovereign in their former dominions were guaranteed by the Laws of the Indies, more particularly the royal decree of Philip II of 11 June 1594, which Charles II confirmed for the purpose stated above, to satisfy the requirements of the existing laws in the peninsula. From the beginning of the Spanish colonial period, Miguel López de Legazpi retained the hereditary rights of the local ancient sovereigns of the archipelago who vowed allegiance to the Spanish Crown. Many of them accepted the Catholic religion and became Spanish allies at this time. He only demanded from these local rulers
vassalage A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...
to the Spanish Crown, replacing the similar
overlordship An overlord in the English feudal system was a lord of a manor who had subinfeudated a particular manor, estate or fee, to a tenant. The tenant thenceforth owed to the overlord one of a variety of services, usually military service or se ...
, which previously existed in a few cases, e.g., Sultanate of Brunei's overlordship of the
Kingdom of Maynila In early Philippine history, the Tagalog Bayan ("country" or "city-state") of Maynila ( tl, Bayan ng Maynila; Pre-virama Baybayin: ) was a major Tagalog city-state on the southern part of the Pasig River delta, where the district of Intramu ...
. Other independent
polities A polity is an identifiable political entity – a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources. A polity can be any other group of p ...
, which were not vassals to other states, e.g., the Confederation of Madja-as and the
Rajahnate of Cebu Cebu, or Sugbu, also called the Cebu Rajanate, was an Indianized raja (monarchical) mandala (polity) on the island of Cebu in the Philippines prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. It is known in ancient Chinese records as the na ...
, were ''de facto''
protectorates A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its inter ...
/ suzerainties having had alliances with the Spanish Crown before the kingdom took total control of most parts of the archipelago. A question remains after the cessession of Spanish rule in the Philippines regarding any remaining
rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * ...
equivalency of Filipino ''principalía''. Reassuming their ancestral titles as datus while retaining the ''hidalgos'' of Castile (their former protector state), as subsidiary title, is the logical consequence of the above-mentioned recognition by
Charles II of Spain Charles II of Spain (''Spanish: Carlos II,'' 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700), known as the Bewitched (''Spanish: El Hechizado''), was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War ...
. As guaranteed by this Spanish monarch's royal decree, the ancient nobility of the ''casiques'' within his realm (which includes the Filipino ''principales'') ''"is still retained and acknowledged"''. Besides, the principales retained many of the ordinary obligations of local rulers as manifested in constructing local infrastructures and in maintaining the government offices without funds from Spain. Expenditures of the local government came from the private and personal resources of the ''principales''. These were not taxes that citizens were obliged to pay as
tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of land which the state conqu ...
s required by their Spanish Crown from its subjects. In many ways, the ''principales'' retained much of the responsibilities, powers and obligations of the pre-colonial datus – their predecessors, except for the right to organize their own armed forces. Only the right of ''gobernadorcillos'' to appoint ''alguacils'' and "''cuadrilleros''" (police patrol or assistance) seem to point out to some kind of vestige of this pre-colonial sign of the datu's coercive power and responsibility to defend his domain. Like deposed royal families elsewhere in the world, which continue to claim hereditary rights as
pretender A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...
s to the former thrones of their ancestors, the descendants of the ''principalía'' have similar claims to the historical domains of their forebears.Valynseele, Joseph. ''Les Prétendants aux trônes d'Europe.'' Paris, 1967, p. 11, 187–190 (French).Curley, Jr., Walter J.P. Monarchs-in-Waiting. New York, 1973, pp. 4–6, 10. .


See also

*
Filipino styles and honorifics In the Philippines languages, Filipino honorific styles and titles are a complex system of titles and honorifics, which were used extensively during the pre-colonial era mostly by the Tagalogs and Visayans. These were borrowed from the Malay sys ...
*
Gobernadorcillo The ''gobernadorcillo'' (, literally "little governor") was a municipal judge or governor in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined charges or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and jud ...
*
Cabeza de Barangay A ''cabeza de barangay'' (literally "head of hebarangay), also known as ''teniente del barrio'', was the leader or chief of a barangay or barrio in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.Scott, William Henry. ''Barangay Sixteenth-Cen ...
*
Barangay state In early Philippine history, Barangay is the term historically used by scholars to describe the complex sociopolitical units which were the dominant organizational pattern among the various peoples of the Philippine archipelago , . in the per ...
*
Datu ''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...
*
Lakan In early Philippine history, the rank of ''lakan'' denoted a " paramount ruler" (or more specifically, "''paramount datu''") of one of the large coastal barangays (known as a "bayan") on the central and southern regions of the island of Luzon. ...
*
Maginoo The Tagalog ''maginoo'', the Kapampangan ''ginu'', and the Visayan ''tumao'' were the nobility social class among various cultures of the pre-colonial Philippines. Among the Visayans, the ''tumao'' were further distinguished from the immediate ...
*
Maharlika The ''Maharlika'' (meaning freeman or freedman) were the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society in Luzon, the Philippines. They belonged to the lower nobility class similar to the ''Timawa'' of the Visayan people. In modern Filipino ...
*
Timawa The ''Timawa'' were the feudal warrior class of the ancient Visayan societies of the Philippines. They were regarded as higher than the '' uripon'' (commoners, serfs, and slaves) but below the ''Tumao'' (royal nobility) in the Visayan social ...
*
Babaylan Filipino shamans, commonly known as (also ''Balian'' or , among many other names), were shamans of the various ethnic groups of the pre-colonial Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or a ...
*
History of the Philippines (1521–1898) Earliest hominin activity in the Philippine archipelago is dated back to at least 709,000 years ago. ''Homo luzonensis'', a species of archaic humans, was present on the island of Luzon at least 67,000 years ago. The earliest known anatomically ...
* Confederation of Madja-as * Maragtas *
Kingdom of Maynila In early Philippine history, the Tagalog Bayan ("country" or "city-state") of Maynila ( tl, Bayan ng Maynila; Pre-virama Baybayin: ) was a major Tagalog city-state on the southern part of the Pasig River delta, where the district of Intramu ...
*
Kingdom of Namayan Namayan ( Baybayin: Pre-Kudlit: or (''Sapa''), Post-Kudlit: ), also called Sapa,Locsin, Leandro V. and Cecilia Y. Locsin. 1967. ''Oriental Ceramics Discovered in the Philippines.'' Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Company. Maysapan or Nasapan, a ...
*
Kingdom of Butuan Butuan also called the Butan Rajanate and the Kingdom of Butuan (; Butuanon: ; ; ) was a precolonial Philippine polity centred on the northern Mindanao island in the modern city of Butuan in what is now the southern Philippines. It was known f ...
*
Rajahnate of Cebu Cebu, or Sugbu, also called the Cebu Rajanate, was an Indianized raja (monarchical) mandala (polity) on the island of Cebu in the Philippines prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. It is known in ancient Chinese records as the na ...
*
Sultanate of Maguindanao The Sultanate of Maguindanao ( Maguindanaon: ''Kasultanan nu Magindanaw''; Old Maguindanaon: كاسولتانن نو ماڬينداناو; Jawi: کسلطانن ماڬيندناو; Iranun: ''Kesultanan a Magindanao''; ms, Kesultanan Magindan ...
*
Sultanate of Sulu The Sultanate of Sulu ( Tausūg: ''Kasultanan sin Sūg'', كاسولتانن سين سوڬ; Malay: ''Kesultanan Sulu''; fil, Sultanato ng Sulu; Chavacano: ''Sultanato de Sulu/Joló''; ar, سلطنة سولك) was a Muslim state that ruled ...
* List of political families in the Philippines


Notes


Further reading

* Luque Talaván, Miguel, ''Análisis Histórico-Jurídico de la Nobleza Indiana de Origen Prehispánico'' (''Conferencia en la Escuela «Marqués de Aviles» de Genealogía, Heráldica y Nobiliaria'' de la ''«Asociación de Diplomados en Genealogía, Heráldica y Nobiliaria»'').
">Vicente de Cadenas y Vicent, ''Las Pruebas de Nobleza y Genealogia en Filipinas y Los Archivios en Donde se Pueden Encontrar Antecedentes de Ellas'' in ''Heraldica, Genealogia y Nobleza en los Editoriales de «Hidalguia», 1953–1993: 40 años de un pensamiento'', Madrid: 1993, Graficas Ariás Montano, S.A.-MONTOLES, pp. 232–235.
sup> /sup> /sup> /sup> /sup> /sup> * José Feced y Temprado, ''Manual del Gobernadorcillo en el Ejercicio de sus Atribuciones Judiciales y Escriturárias'' (Guia del Hombre de Negocios en Filipinas), Manila: 1867, Imp. de Ramirez y Giraudier.] Don José Feced y Temprado, Manual del Gobernadorcillo en el Ejercicio de sus Atribuciones Judiciales y Escriturárias (Guia del Hombre de Negocios en Filipinas), Manila: 1867, Imp. de Ramirez y Giraudier.
Rafael Moreno y Diez, ''Manual del Cabeza de Barangay en Castellano y en Tagalog'', Manila: 1874, Imprenta "Amigos del Pais".
* Regalado Trota Jose, ''The Many Images of Christ'' (particularly in the section: ''Spain retains the old class system'') in DALISAY, Jose Y, ed. (1998), ''Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People''. * See also: Alfredo Reyes; CORDERO-FERNANDO, Gilda; QUIRINO, Carlos & GUTIERREZ, Manuel C, eds. ''Filipino Heritage: the Making of a Nation'' (10 vols), Manila: 1997, Lahing Pilipino Publications.
Celdrán Ruano, Julia, ed. (2009). ''La configuración del sistema jurídico hispano en las Islas Filipinas: orígenes y evolución (siglos XVI-XVIII)'' in ''Anales de Derecho'', Vol. 27 (2009) (pdf) (in Español).Jorge Alberto Liria Rodríguez, ''LA PECULIAR ADMINISTRACIÓNESPAÑOLA EN FILIPINAS (1890–1898)'', Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Anroart, Asociación canaria para la difusión de la cultura y el arte, 2004.Maura Law.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Principalia Honorary titles History of the Philippines (1565–1898) Captaincy General of the Philippines Social class in the Philippines People of Spanish colonial Philippines Filipino nobility