The
Maguindanao Tarsilas
With some minor differences or variations, the
Maguindanao tarsilas narrate how the Sharif
Muhammad Kabungsuwan arrived on the shores of Mindanao
with a sea-fariing people, after a long voyage from Johore.
It is claimed that he was a son of the Sharif Ali Zein
ul-Abidin, an Arab from Mecca (or Hadhramaut) who settled
in Johore where he married a daughter (or sister, in other
accounts) of the Sultan Iskandar Julkarnain. Clearly what
is meant here is that the Sharif married a princess of the
royal family of Johore that was descended from the dynasty
founded by Iskandar Julkarnain, the first Malacca sultan.
In the list of Malacca sultans, only one, the first bears
his name; while in the list of the early Johore sultans,
none bears it. For good chronological reasons, Muhammad
Kabungsuwan could not have been a grandson of the first
sultan of Malacca whose rule began around 1400.
Consequently, it would have been more accurate to have
stated that the Sharif Ali Zein ul-Abidin married into the
Johore family that descended from Sultan Iskandar
Julkarnain.
It is interesting to note that there are
supplementary sections in the tarsilas regarding
the genealogy of the Sharif Ali Zein ul-Abidin from the
Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. This is unlike
the Sulu genealogy that does not contain a genealogy of
the Sharif ul-Hashim but merely asserts that he was a
descendant of the Prophet, may peace be upon him.
But the Maguindanao royal line is not entirely of
“foreign” descent for, as the tarsilas assert,
Muhammad Kabungsuwan married a few daughters of local
chieftains, thus giving his descendants a claim to hold
land, over and above a right to rule over Muslims. His
daughters, too, later on, married local chiefs. In this
light, it is evident why the rulers of Buayan, the Iranun
datus, and minor sultans among the Maranaos have all
claimed descent from Muhammad Kabungsuwan.
Since the kingdom of Johore was not established
before 1511, the year of Malacca’s fall to the
Portuguese, the coming of Muhammad Kabungsuwan must have
taken place after this event.
The
Maguindanao Rulers and Sultans
-
Sharif
Muhammad Kabungsuwan. According to the Maguindanao
tarsilas, his father was Sharif Ali Zein
ul-Abidin from Arabia, and his mother belonged to the
royal family of Johore. It may be speculated that he
arrived on the shores of Mindanao around 1515. He
first settled in what is now Malabang.
-
Sharif
Maka-alang. He
was a son of Muhammad Kabungsuwan and surnamed “saripada.”
His mother Angintabu was a daughter of an Iranun chief
from the area now known as Malabang.
In
1543, when the Villalobos expedition, some Spaniards
were able to go to the mouth of a big river (Pulangi)
where they were informed by the inhabitants that their
chief was called “Sarriparra.” This being a
variation of “Salipada” or “Saripada”, it can
be surmised that the chief was Sharief Maka-alang;
especially if it is considered that not only does a tarsila
explicitly state that the Sharif had such a title
but that such a title was not found among his
immediate successors.
-
Datu
Bangkaya. He was a son of Sharif Maka-alang. In
1574, Guido de Lavezaris wrote to the Spanish King
that the chief of the Mindanao River wanted to become
a friend of the Spaniards. In another Spanish report,
dated 1579, this chief is referred to as “Asulutan”
(Arabic, Assultan) with the information that he was a
father of Dimasangkay and that he had already died.
This refers probably to Datu Bangkaya who by 1574 must
have been reigning for some time, since in 1579, his
son, Dimasangkay, was considered by the Spaniards to
have been “an old man.” Datu Bangkaya could also
have been the ruler in the Pulangi who was reported to
have died in 1578.
-
Datu
Dimasangkay. He was a son of Bangkaya. Spanish
reports say that he was ruling in 1579 and that he was
an old man. The leading datus of the Iranuns and
Maranaos all claim descent from him.
-
Datu
Salikula. He was a half brother of Dimasangkay and
also known as Gugu Salikula. Up to early 1597, he
appeared to be a leading chief of Maguindanao,
Dimasangkay being dead
at that time. According to tarsilas, he
married a Sulu princess, and therefore he must have
been the Maguindanao chief seen in Jolo in 1597 where
he was supposed to have been vanished for being “restless
and rebellious” and who was further described as a
brother-in –law of the Sulu ruler and an uncle of
the Maguindanao rajah muda (erroneously called
“king”) by the Spaniards. He was chief around
1585-1597.
-
Kapitan
Laut Buisan. He was a younger half-brother of both
Dimasangkay and Salikula; he was sometimes called by
the title “Katchil.” His rule began around 1597
when he displaced Salikula; he controlled his nephew,
the rajah muda, a son of Dimasangkay. He must
have been chief at least up to 1619, since Dutch
sources mention relations with the immediate
predecessor of Qudarat at this date.
-
Sultan
Qudarat. A son of Buisan, he was known to the
Spaniards as Corralat and to some Dutch writers as
Guserat. In 1619-1621, there was war between Buayan
and Maguindanao, probably dynastic or a contest for
primacy in the Pulangi. Qudarat must have been
involved in this war for not long after a temporary
reversal he appears as exercising some political power
over Buayan. Furthermore, he must have consolidated
his power well enough after this to enable him to
attack Sarangani in 1625. He died about the end of
1671 after having ruled for about half a century. His
rule, with varying fortunes and at different capitals,
can, therefore, be fairly estimated to have taken
place from 1619 to 1671. By 1645, he was already using
the title of “sultan”. As a young man he was
entitled “Katchil.” His regal name was Qudratullah,
which denoted that the bearer’s power came from God.
His great grandchildren referred to him as Nasir ud-Din.
-
Sultan
Dundang Tidulay. He was a son of Qudarat and there
is a report that he died before his father. If he
ruled at all, it must have been for a very short time.
He was referred to as Saif ud-Din by his
grandchildren.
-
Sultan
Barahaman (Arabic, Abd ur-Rahman). He was a son of
Sultan Tidulay. He was also known as
Minulu-sa-Rahmatullah. His sons referred to him as
Muhammad Shah. He was the Almo Sobat (Arabic, Al
Muthabbat) to William Dampier or the Almo al Lasab
Brahaman to the Spaniards. The name of his grandfather
Qudarat was also used by him. He was heard of as
sultan as early as 1678. Information given to Dutch
officials at Ternate was that he died on July 6, 1699.
-
Sultan
Kahar ud-Din Kuda. He was a younger brother of
Barahaman and was sometimes known as Jamal ul-Azam. He
also assumed the title of Amir ul-Umara as well as
that of Maulana. His reign was contested by two of his
nephews, the sons of Barahaman. To make more secure
his authority, he asked the aid of the Sulu Sultan
Shahab ud-Din who came over to Simuay where Kuda held
court. A misunderstanding as well as bitterness due to
a long standing feud brought about a pitched battle
between the Sulus and Maguindanaons. In the struggle,
the Sulu Sultan personally slew Kuda. This event took
place on August 10, 1702.
-
Sultan
Bayan ul-Anwar. His regal name was Jalal ud-Din.
Entitled “Dipatuan” during lifetime, he was known
after his death as Mupat Batua. He was a son of Sultan
Barahaman. In 1701, he was already intriguing against
his uncle the sultan. He succeeded to the throne in
1702 and held court in Slangan but was often in
Sibugay. His younger bother Jafar Sadiq, the rajah
muda, revolted against him but he managed to keep
the throne. In 1736, Anwar “abdicated” in favor of
his son Tahir ud-Din Malinug (No. 13). He died around
1745.
-
Sultan
Muhammad Jafar Sadiq Manamir. He was a younger
brother of Sultan Buyan ul-Anwar. He was sometimes
referred to as Amir ud-Din. Referred to as Maulana
while alive, he was known after his death as Shahid
Mupat. He contested the reign of his older brother but
he was forced to flee to Tamontaka in 1710. Dutch
officials referred to him as “the young king” to
distinguish him from sultan Bayan ul-Anwar. By 1725,
he had assumed the title of Paduka Sri Sultan. In
March 1733, his brother and nephew Malinug attacked
his forces in Tamontaka. The latter caused his death
in the ensuing struggle. While his brother had power
along the coast, Manamir held sway over the interior.
His power was recognized in Tamontaka from about 1710
to his death in March 1733.
-
Sultan
Muhammad Tahir ud-Din. A son of Sultan Bayan
ul-Anwar (No. 11), he was commonly known to the
Spaniards as Dipatuan Malinug. He was also known as
Muhammad Shah Amir ud-Din. In a battle in 1733, he
killed his uncle Jaafar Sadiq Manamir. In 1736, his
father started sharing with him the responsibilities
of government. His authority was however contested by
two of his cousins, sons of Manamir, forcing him to
retire to the interior where he died in Buayan around
1748.
-
Sultan
Muhammad Khair ud-Din. He was a son of Sultan
Jafar Sadiq and was better known to Europeans as Pakir
Maulana Kamsa (Arabic, Farqir Maulana Hamzah) or Amir
ud-Din Hamza. He also used the name Azim ud-Din and
assume the title Amir ul-Mu’minin. In 1733, after
his father was slain, he began to consider himself
heir to the throne and thereupon called himself “rajah
muda.” The next year, he was formally invested
with the duties of a sultan in the presence of Spanish
officials from Zamboanga. With some Spanish aid, he
was able to consolidate his position in Tamontaka and
contest the rule of his uncle Bayan ul-Anwar and later
that of his cousin Malinug. But upon the latter’s
death around 1748, the struggle for the sultanate
ceased. Pakir Maulana Kamsa emerged as paramount chief
of Maguindanao. Around 1755, he started to relinquish
some of his powers to his younger brother with the
condition that his son, Kibad Sahriyal, would be the raja
muda.
-
Sultan
Pahar ud-Din. He was a younger brother of Pakir
Maulana Kamsa and was known as Datu Pongloc or Panglu.
He began to exercise the powers of Sultan around 1755
and was in the sultan’s seat in that same year when
Captain Thomas Forrest paid a visit to Maguindanao.
After his death he was known as Mupat Hidayat.
-
Sultan
Kibad Sahriyal. His more regal title was Muhammad
Azim ud-Din Amir ul-Umara. He was ason of Pakir
Maulana Kamsa (No. 14). Even before the death of his
uncle the Sultan, he was already being addressed as
“sultan.” He was friendly towards the Spaniards
and at least twice entered into peaceful negotiations
with them, namely, in 1789 and 1794. He probably
governed from 1780 to 1805.
-
Sulatn
Kawasa Anwar ud-Din. He was a son of Kibad
Sahriyal and like his father was also entitled Amir
ul-Umara. He entered into a peaceful treaty with the
Spaniards in 1805. One of his seals carried the title
Iskandar Julkarnain. He possibly reigned from 1805 to
1830.
-
Sultan
Iskandar Qudratullah Muhammad Jamal ul-Azam. He
was more popularly known as Sultan Untong. He was a
great grandson of Kibad Sahriyal (No. 16) and a nephew
of Sultan Kawasa (No. 17). Some Spanish documents
carry his name as Iskandar Qudarat Pahar ud-Din. In
1837 and 1845, he entered into friendly treaties with
the Spaniards. He died either in 1853 or 1854.
-
Sultan
Muhammad Makakwa. He was a grandson of Sultan
Kawasa Anwar ud-Din (No. 17). His rule can be
estimated to have lasted from 1854 to 1884. He died in
Nuling (in the site of the old settlement of
Maguindanao)
-
Sultan
Muhammad Jalal ud-Din Pablu. Also known as
Sulatn Wata, he was a son of Sultan Makakwa. His
capital was at Banubu, just opposite the town of
Cotabato across the Pulangi. His death took place in
1888.
-
Sultan
Mangigin. He was a grandson of the famous Datu
Dakula of Sibugay, who, in turn, was a grandson of
Kibad Sahriyal (No. 16). He began his rule in 1896.
From 1888 to 1896, the sultanate was vacant. This was
probably due to the fact that Datu Utto (Sultan Anwar
ud-Din of Buayan wanted his brother-in-law Datu Mamaku
(a son of Qudratullah Untung) to become the Sultan.
The Spaniards, however, wanted the sultanate to go to
one of the Sibugay datus. Around the end of 1900,
Sultan Mangigin transferred his residence from
Cotabato to Sibugay. In 1906, he married Rajah Putri,
the widow of Datu Utto and sister of Datu Mamaku.
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