Martin de Goiti | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1534 |
| Died | 1575 (aged 40–41) |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Branch |  Spanish Army |
| Years of service | 1564 - 1575 |
| Rank | Captain Soldier (Cavalry / Infantry ) |
| Battles / wars | Central Philippines: * Battle of Cebu (1565) Northern Philippines: *Battle of Manila (1570) *Battle of Bangkusay (1571) * Siege of Fort Santiago (1574) *Battle of Manila (1574) |
Martín de Goiti (c. 1534 – 1575) was aSpanishconquistador and one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish voyage of exploration to theEast Indies and thePacific in 1565, in search of rich resources such asgold,spice and settlements. They were seeking to find a route to the islands where the previous Spanish expeditions led byFerdinand Magellan had landed in 1521, andRuy López de Villalobos in 1543.
From his base inMexico City, he led the expedition toManila in thePhilippines, ordered by the Spanish generalMiguel López de Legazpi in 1569. He then engaged in warfare against the native chieftainsRajah Sulayman,Rajah Matanda andRajah Lakandula and fought the natives in order to establishEuropean settlements.
The Spaniards arrived in the island ofLuzon on 8 May 1570, and camped on the shores ofManila Bay for several weeks, while forming an alliance with the native tribes. On 24 May 1570, disputes and hostility erupted between the two groups. The Spaniards occupied the city ofTondo where they were greeted by thousands of tribal warriors. There, they defeated most of Rajah Sulayman's forces. The Spaniards marched their armies towards thePasig River, and occupied the settlements in Manila on 6 June 1570 and burned them.
Guerrilla warfare broke out following the battle, which continued for about ten months. The Spaniards fortified themselves in the area and constructed their military barracks ofFort Santiago, which became their outpost for trade withMexico. The Spaniards gained control of the settlements on 24 June 1571, after the arrival of López de Legazpi in Manila.
The Spanish colonization paved the way for the establishment of Manila as a permanent settlement andcapital city of theSpanish East Indies. He later exploredPampanga,Pangasinan and founded several Spanish settlements in Luzon between the periods of 1571-1573. De Goiti, along with other soldiers were granted with estates calledhaciendas, for the lands they had conquered, by KingPhilip II of Spain.
In 1574, de Goiti fought in the war against an invasion of about 6,500 Chinese seapirates who had sailed from theSouth China Sea. Their leader,Limahong, laid siege on the Spanish settlements in Manila. De Goiti was killed by these pirates. Most of the Spanish reinforcements came fromVigan andCebu. De Goiti's second in command,Juan de Salcedo leftIlocos Sur, after hearing the news and traveled to Manila where he discovered their settlements had been ceded to the pirates. Salcedo's forces attacked and drove the pirates out of Manila. Limahong and his fleets retreated toPangasinan where they re-organize their forces.
In 1575, Salcedo's army marched north to Pangasinan, in pursuit of the pirates, and besieged them for three months. There the pirates surrendered to the Spaniards.
De Goiti's remains are laid to rest on a knight's tomb inside theSan Agustin Church, inIntramuros in the Philippines.