Supremo: A Philippine TL [1521-1897]
- Thread starter caloysky
- Start date
La Rouge Beret
Donor
It is always pleasing to see a TL that is focused on strengthening the existing states within the region, rather than having another imperialist power exert control over the region.
For me I would like to see a TL, where Islam within SE Asia is regarded in a positive, developmental light and could lead to a stable pluralistic society. Well here's hoping anyway...
So keep up with your work and I will keep reading.
For me I would like to see a TL, where Islam within SE Asia is regarded in a positive, developmental light and could lead to a stable pluralistic society. Well here's hoping anyway...
So keep up with your work and I will keep reading.
1531 @ Seville, Spain
It was a bright and sunny day on a cemetery somewhere in Seville. The man known as Magellan stood silently in front of a nameless stone marker. Beside him was Lapu Lapu who seems to show some concern to his companion. While he was quiet sure that he can sail back home without his guidance he would make sure that Magellan doesn’t do anything stupid.
“I can’t believe she is dead.” Magellan spoke first.
“Cry it out until you’re satisfied, but don’t spend too much time drinking your misery away. We can do a lot more things with you alive than wallowing in pity.”
“You want me to come back to Sulu?” Magellan looks at the Datu of Mactan with wonder in his eyes,
“Why not, everything that identifies you as Magalyanes here is gone. All that is left is a stone marker of your wife left unattended for god knows how long. I will carve a new home in the southern reaches of Mindanao and your services will be extremely needed.”
“You’re planning to enter the spice trade?”
“We will be rich beyond our wildest dream! Just think about the palisades of Ternate’s and Tidore’s as they fly our banners. With your genius and the fleet that I would muster we will dominate the Celebes and the trade within the sea!”
---
1535 @ Sulu
Pulako was the name of Lapu Lapu in the court of the Sultanate of Sulu, He often wonder how did it end up like that, but he was not the type of person to inquire on a whimsical matter. For a long time he had been the favored war-monger of the Sultanate, the scourge of those who oppose its rule. But, when he captured Magalyanes and place him under his service everything took a drastic change. Armed with a Portuguese Caravel they begun raiding coastal area around the southern region of the Far East and plundering its wealth to buy more weapons more ship and enough power to usurper his own master.
At the shore of the island sanctuary of the Sultan of Sulu, Pulako and his lieutenants including the crew of Mactan and its other passenger had assembled in front of the Sultan himself. His ships were moored away from the shore sitting contently by the bay. The sultan was standing alone to meet his guests, he doesn’t need to his advisor to further escalate this facade. Unfazed by the number of Timawa warriors assembled before him.
What made him lose his concentration was the exotic beauty with red hair that was looking at him with her intense green eyes wearing modest amount of clothes. She was sitting contently in the shade of a coconut tree while furiously scribbling something on her tome. Beside her was another of Pulako’s Timawa unconcerned by her actions.
He gestures Pulako to come towards him, who in turn approaches him respectfully and obediently bowed his head to him.
“Stand up, Pulako and walk with me.” Pulako stood up and walked besides his Sultan. “With that much canons under your command you could take Sulu at this very moment. Tell Me Pulako, why are you still bowing and acknowledge me as your master?”
“The Europeans seeks to enslave us for god and profit. Right now our only advantage is the distance they have to travel to reach our land. We need to stand united against their intrusions or we will be conquered in piecemeal.” Pulako answered earnestly.
“I sincerely hope they won’t conquer us just because of cooking spices? I hear that they are quiet expensive in Malacca.”
It was a bright and sunny day on a cemetery somewhere in Seville. The man known as Magellan stood silently in front of a nameless stone marker. Beside him was Lapu Lapu who seems to show some concern to his companion. While he was quiet sure that he can sail back home without his guidance he would make sure that Magellan doesn’t do anything stupid.
“I can’t believe she is dead.” Magellan spoke first.
“Cry it out until you’re satisfied, but don’t spend too much time drinking your misery away. We can do a lot more things with you alive than wallowing in pity.”
“You want me to come back to Sulu?” Magellan looks at the Datu of Mactan with wonder in his eyes,
“Why not, everything that identifies you as Magalyanes here is gone. All that is left is a stone marker of your wife left unattended for god knows how long. I will carve a new home in the southern reaches of Mindanao and your services will be extremely needed.”
“You’re planning to enter the spice trade?”
“We will be rich beyond our wildest dream! Just think about the palisades of Ternate’s and Tidore’s as they fly our banners. With your genius and the fleet that I would muster we will dominate the Celebes and the trade within the sea!”
---
1535 @ Sulu
Pulako was the name of Lapu Lapu in the court of the Sultanate of Sulu, He often wonder how did it end up like that, but he was not the type of person to inquire on a whimsical matter. For a long time he had been the favored war-monger of the Sultanate, the scourge of those who oppose its rule. But, when he captured Magalyanes and place him under his service everything took a drastic change. Armed with a Portuguese Caravel they begun raiding coastal area around the southern region of the Far East and plundering its wealth to buy more weapons more ship and enough power to usurper his own master.
At the shore of the island sanctuary of the Sultan of Sulu, Pulako and his lieutenants including the crew of Mactan and its other passenger had assembled in front of the Sultan himself. His ships were moored away from the shore sitting contently by the bay. The sultan was standing alone to meet his guests, he doesn’t need to his advisor to further escalate this facade. Unfazed by the number of Timawa warriors assembled before him.
What made him lose his concentration was the exotic beauty with red hair that was looking at him with her intense green eyes wearing modest amount of clothes. She was sitting contently in the shade of a coconut tree while furiously scribbling something on her tome. Beside her was another of Pulako’s Timawa unconcerned by her actions.
He gestures Pulako to come towards him, who in turn approaches him respectfully and obediently bowed his head to him.
“Stand up, Pulako and walk with me.” Pulako stood up and walked besides his Sultan. “With that much canons under your command you could take Sulu at this very moment. Tell Me Pulako, why are you still bowing and acknowledge me as your master?”
“The Europeans seeks to enslave us for god and profit. Right now our only advantage is the distance they have to travel to reach our land. We need to stand united against their intrusions or we will be conquered in piecemeal.” Pulako answered earnestly.
“I sincerely hope they won’t conquer us just because of cooking spices? I hear that they are quiet expensive in Malacca.”
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Interesting TL, i hope you dont skip too many years too fast, i dont want a good TL to die young 
There are lots of issues i can see that have to be settled by 1550, and i think you have to butterfly some of your events (such as the 1565 invasion of manila), with the increased contact in that area, the europeans would probably go there sooner, and with lapu-lapu's warmongering tendency, the sulanates and rajahnate would be heavily armed ( especially for an east asian island archipelago) and would repel the europeans back.
With their tech, i can see them plausibly conquering malacca or at least turning them into a vassal (they are much closer than the european nations and have a huge tech lead now). If the 2 sultanates and the rajanate at least form a confederation or a loosely tied empire like the HRE at the very least, it would be a formidable foe and can take on the south east asian island nations.
There are lots of issues i can see that have to be settled by 1550, and i think you have to butterfly some of your events (such as the 1565 invasion of manila), with the increased contact in that area, the europeans would probably go there sooner, and with lapu-lapu's warmongering tendency, the sulanates and rajahnate would be heavily armed ( especially for an east asian island archipelago) and would repel the europeans back.
With their tech, i can see them plausibly conquering malacca or at least turning them into a vassal (they are much closer than the european nations and have a huge tech lead now). If the 2 sultanates and the rajanate at least form a confederation or a loosely tied empire like the HRE at the very least, it would be a formidable foe and can take on the south east asian island nations.
I shall start at the age of sail, 1532 anno domini the time I met Pulako. The world at that time was divided between Spain and Portugal, while their empire spanning across the globe while their other rival compete in the ‘old’ world. In this time, the most profitable item to trade was spice. Spice gives food taste. Spice made seafaring nation into empires. With Spice comes wealth and in wealth comes power, so nations sought out the source of spice.
There are many type of spice. A lot of these spices are found in the islands of the Far East. These islands are verdant paradises untouched by the greed of men. Hidden within these small islands are people borne of war, who no prior knowledge of the oppressors that would enslave them.
- Magalyanes [derived from The Spice Must Flow – Frank Herbert]
--- 1538 @ Sarangani
The Bay in Sarangani located at the southernmost tip of Mindanao, boast a lot of advantages for anyone wanting to have an access to the Celebes. The bay itself is a natural harbor and the waters surrounding it are bountiful and can provide a safe haven from the weather. The area was specifically chosen by Pulako’s war council namely his chief naval expert Magalyanes, unfortunately the Sultan of Ternate had been extracting Tribute from Sarangani for a long time.
All this change when Rajah Pulako had been usurping Ternate’s control on the southern coast of Mindanao was a brief and violent affair under his leadership. Several attempts to wrest control from him were made, they all met the barrel of his canon. With his back resting firmly on reliable allies from Sulu and Magindanao he can begin the conquest of the spice island.
The Sultanate of Ternate had been weakened after their disastrous attempt of reasserting control on Sarangani, when Pulako’s forces landed in their island. Their Sultan rallied his defenders to repel the invaders from his land. He even attempted to plead for help from his European allies, but they refused him afraid to venture away from their forts. The Sultan met his end on the battlefield as Pulako’s sword cleaved him half, afterward his men fell in disarray.
The Portuguese promptly surrender upon seeing that their opponent had brought enough canons to obliterate the wall of their fort. Their fort and weapons are seized by Pulako and those who refused are hastily put down. They had given a chance to return to Malacca or continue their work on the spice trade. Without their weapons they are force to adhere with the laws of the land.
Tidore soon followed but was given a chance to swear allegiance to the Rajah of Sarangani. He could barely believe that an Upstart like Pulako could pacify Ternate and their European allies in such a short period of time. But, when the canons begun roaring he wished he had answered differently.
---
The Rajahate of Sarangani’s conquest of the Spice Islands in the Celebes brought two rival sultanates to their knees. As a result it had inadvertently stabilized the region and created a quasi monopoly on the spice trade. Without the two rivaling sultanates fighting for superiority over the region, the production of spice had increased. Before the spice had to be picked up from the Celebes, but now they are brought directly to Malacca and Goa, this created an uneasy dynamics between the Europeans and the Rajahate of Sarangani.
--- 1568 @ Cebu, Port San Pedro
This is a hell hole. I often wonder if the promise of gold and conquest had blinded me of the dangers that lurk within these lands. Pirates in Portuguese caravel manned with fearsome Pintados would harass us in our every move. We must find a more defensible location as I am loosing men faster than I could replace them.
Send more help.
Miguel Lopez Legaspi
No it's not, my only complaint is that it seems to go too fast, i want to savor a slower Pinoy TL
--- 1565 @ Somewhere in Mindanao
"We grow richer by the day, because of the Spice coming from the Celebes. But at the same time the Europeans are growing more aggressive and bolder. Just a few months ago they took Cebu from our brothers, what are we to do if the enemy is right by our gates?" A stout man spoke among the group of nobles sitting comfortably among them was the Sultan of Sulu.
"The Sea Lord of Sulu wishes to maintain the strength of our fleets. Cebu might be our holding, but it is neither important nor essential to us. The Spaniards can have it, albeit it would cost them dearly..." A woman with flaming red hair spoke standing beside an old regal man who had been listening closely to the meeting. She would have spoke further if not for the old man raising his hand to stop her from speaking her mind.
"Nonsense! We have people there, do you care little for your home? Rajah Pulako, surely you want them returned under your control?" The stout man continued speaking as he directed everyone's attention to the old warrior.
"What I want is more ships and more guns..." A very old Lapu-lapu rumbled a replied. He might be on his twilight years, but the intensity of his presences never diminished. "To which the island of Cebu in unable to produce in quantity. But, that doesn't mean their actions won't go unnoticed. There will be reckoning I assure you. Sabur, will get it done."
--- @ Port of Iligan
Iligan is a thriving trade port located at the northern part of the island of Mindanao. It is situated by the bay owning the same name. The port is owned and controlled by the Sultanate of Sulu and serves as the primary trading hub for Spice brought from the Moluccas. As a result traders coming from different parts of Asia brought their goods to this place to trade for Spice. This made the port, a very attractive target for the Europeans vying for dominance in the east indies.
Miguel de Legaspi crossed the pacific with every intention of subjugating the Philippine islands. He imagined it would be like Cortez's conquest in the Americas, armed with the knowledge and wisdom of Europe he would bring glory to Spain and Gods words to these heathens. Never, in his worst nightmare that he imagined that these people would be armed to the teeth.
"We grow richer by the day, because of the Spice coming from the Celebes. But at the same time the Europeans are growing more aggressive and bolder. Just a few months ago they took Cebu from our brothers, what are we to do if the enemy is right by our gates?" A stout man spoke among the group of nobles sitting comfortably among them was the Sultan of Sulu.
"The Sea Lord of Sulu wishes to maintain the strength of our fleets. Cebu might be our holding, but it is neither important nor essential to us. The Spaniards can have it, albeit it would cost them dearly..." A woman with flaming red hair spoke standing beside an old regal man who had been listening closely to the meeting. She would have spoke further if not for the old man raising his hand to stop her from speaking her mind.
"Nonsense! We have people there, do you care little for your home? Rajah Pulako, surely you want them returned under your control?" The stout man continued speaking as he directed everyone's attention to the old warrior.
"What I want is more ships and more guns..." A very old Lapu-lapu rumbled a replied. He might be on his twilight years, but the intensity of his presences never diminished. "To which the island of Cebu in unable to produce in quantity. But, that doesn't mean their actions won't go unnoticed. There will be reckoning I assure you. Sabur, will get it done."
--- @ Port of Iligan
Iligan is a thriving trade port located at the northern part of the island of Mindanao. It is situated by the bay owning the same name. The port is owned and controlled by the Sultanate of Sulu and serves as the primary trading hub for Spice brought from the Moluccas. As a result traders coming from different parts of Asia brought their goods to this place to trade for Spice. This made the port, a very attractive target for the Europeans vying for dominance in the east indies.
Miguel de Legaspi crossed the pacific with every intention of subjugating the Philippine islands. He imagined it would be like Cortez's conquest in the Americas, armed with the knowledge and wisdom of Europe he would bring glory to Spain and Gods words to these heathens. Never, in his worst nightmare that he imagined that these people would be armed to the teeth.
Enjoy! Next the Spanish Conquest of Tundo.