The Philippines was discovered in March 1521 by a Portuguese navigator, Ferdinand Magellan, who then died in Cebu, under the hands of a local warrior, Lapu-lapu. Few more expeditions, more Spaniards brought more people and established their settlement in the country and named it after the king of Spain. Most lowlanders of Luzon to Northern Mindanao were under their rule. Catholism was introduced and had all the natives converted. Only the Moros or the Muslims of Mindanao were never completely subdued.
Manila dominated the rule of the islands as the center of political events and commercial primacy with the assurance of the Galleon Trade with Mexico. This exhange attracted the interests of Chinese traders to settle more business in the country. Despite of the Spanish opposing reactions, they still dominated the flow of commerce in the country.
Spanish rule for 100 years was extended in most areas having Manila as the most powerful and the center of political activities due to its strong ruler and extensive commercial relations with the Chinese. The power of the church derived not only from wealth and official status. The priests had strongest commands on most Christianization and hispanization of all the natives. Most old practices were abolished and replaced with Spanish customs.
Political and Economic institutions were changed under the Spanish rules. Agricultural enhancement moved a little slow until the 18th century due to the prioritizing of more sedentary farming imposed mostly by the Friars. It was sooner changed to give others way to claim absolute ownership of their cultivated lands. This socioeconomic changes reinforced class differences between the locals. Datus, and his noble members, however, took advantage of this western agricultural law and claim their immediate ownerships, which was then called the Principalia or the heir of pre-spanish nobility.
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