Empire of Butuan

In the annals of history, the Rajahnate of Butuan was integrated into the Spanish Empire after the last known monarch, Rajah Siagu, made a blood compact with Ferdinand Magellan. Despite being one of the two oldest kingdoms in the Philippines. I hated that part of the history, but what if it never happened? What if, Rajah Saigu never made a blood pact with the Spanish Expeditioner Ferdinand Magellan? Here is a short history of the Kingdom.

In the year 988 AD, Rajah Shaja Killing founded the Rajahnate of Butuan and named himself Rajah. Located in what is now known as the Region of Caraga in modern-day Philippines, the Rajahnate of Butuan, with its capital being called Sooraj (Sun) because of the beautiful view of the sun in the area. The Rajahnate flourishes at an astonishing speed because of its people's ability in boat crafting, trade, textile weaving, and gold mining to name a few.

They were so prosperous that by the year 1189, the Rajahnate is now far richer than the Kingdom of Srivijaya.

In the year 1190, war broke out between the local tribes of Bukidnon and the Rajahnate, killing thousands in what is marked by modern historians as the start of the Rajahnate's rise to power and the almost extinction of local inhabitants.

After the war, the Rajahnate of Butuan expanded south, killing local tribesmen or incorporating them. By the end of 1193, the Rajahnate of Butuan now fully controls almost half of the land area of the island of Mindanao. Its vast area encompasses the entire region of Caraga, Davao, and a huge chunk of the Northern Mindanao Region.

By the year 1293, after a hundred years of tolerance and diplomacy between the 3 remaining kingdoms on the Island. Rajah Yash 'The Calm', declared war on the Sultanate of Maguindanao and Sanmalan after warriors from these two Muslim states invaded the Rajahnate. This war will be known in the future as 'the War of the 3 Kings.'

Lasting for 3 years, the war emptied the resources of the 3 nations and destroyed villages, but non take much damage as the Sultanate of Sanmalan. The once prosperous Sultanate were reduced to nothingness after being ransacked by the Rajahnate warriors, executing the entire royal family of the Sultanate.

By 1296, the Rajahnate of Butuan offered a peace treaty after taking most of Sanlaman's territory. The treaty includes the Rajahnate's annexation of 70% of the Sultanate of Sanlaman's territory while the remaining 30% shall be given to the Sultanate of Maguindanao which will result in the Sultanate of Sanlaman ceasing to exist. This was then accepted by the Sultan of Maguindanao after realizing that his Sultanate also could not bear the prolonged war.

Peace returned to the Island after the war. Now, a few years after the treaty the Rajahnate continues to prosper with its trade with other kingdoms, reaching as far as the Persian Empire. Dignitaries and traders from different kingdoms docked on the prosperous harbour of the Rajahnate.

Despite this prosperity and peace, the Rajahnate remains vigilant in patrolling its borders with the Sultanate of Maguindanao. In the year 1300s, Brunei simultaneously declares war on the Rajahnate of Butuan and the Sultanate of Maguindanao.

After 2 years of stalemate, a peace treaty was made. In exchange for peace, Brunei will be Annexing the Sulu Archipelago (Sultanate of Maguindanao) and the land of the Previous Sultanate of Sanlaman (Rajahnate of Butuan).

1305 AD, all of the lands controlled by the Rajahnate of Butuan is now fully integrated into it, identifying as a single subject of the Rajahnate. The Sulu Archipelago and the previous land of the Sultanate of Sanlaman declare their independence from the Sultanate of Brunei, re-establishing the Sultanate of Sanlaman and establishing the Sultanate of Sulu.

In 1310 AD, a war broke out between the Rajahnate of Butuan and the Sultanate of Sanlaman. By 1312, the Sultanate of Sanlaman was brought down to its knees after 2 years of war, after being defeated by the Rajahnate of Butuan. As the warriors of Butuan march towards the end of the Sultanate of Sanlaman to completely annex the Sultanate, The Sultanate of Maguindanao along with the Sultanate of Sulu declares war on the Rajahnate, marking the start of the 4th Rajah-Sultan War on the Island.

With its newfound strength from trade and abundance of immigrants from different islands new the Rajahnate, the Rajahnate were able to stand face-to-face with the two Sultanates. A series of clashes occurred on the Island, but nothing is comparable to the 'Massacre of Dawn' of 1313 where almost all of the combined forces of the 2 Sultanates were annihilated by the warriors of Butuan. A move of revenge by the warriors after the Sultanates ravages the settlements under the Rajahnate's rule. This gave the Butuan warriors some strength in continuing their advances towards the inner territories of the Sultanate of Maguindanao.

With that development in the war, the Sultans of Maguindanao and Sulu offered a peace treaty to the Rajah of Butuan in the year 1315. The Sultanate of Maguindanao will be seceding the entirety of its southern territory (Region XII in modern-day Philippines) leaving only the surrounding areas of its capital (modern-day BARMM) while the Sultanate of Sulu was forced to secede its mainland territory making the Sultanate a fragmented Island nation.

With its new lands at hand, The Rajah and its confidants make haste in making plans on converting and assimilating the locals in the areas. With the recent conclusion of the war, the entire Island is now 90% under the control of the Rajahnate of Butuan.

In the subsequent years that follows, the Rajahnate of Butuan started its conquest towards the north, conquering tribes, kingdoms, and Rajahnate. Starting with the Rajahnate of Cebu in 1318, by 1320 the Kedatuan of Dapitan falls under the Rajahnate's control.

In 1328, the Kedatuan of Madja-as and Ibalon falls under the control of the Rajahnate after a strong resistance from both kingdoms. By 1330, the entirety of Visayas is now under the control of the Rajahnate, establishing their dominance in the entire archipelago. Uprisings and dissatisfaction from the locals of the newly acquired lands ignited prompting the Rajah Arhaan I to send his trusted general, General Sikatuna, and his warriors to stabilize the entire lands.

By 1335, the Rajahnate conquered the state of Ma-i, and in the same year also, the Kingdom of Tondo and Maynila declared war on the Rajahnate after the Rajahnate warriors massacred the small community in Ma-i. The war between the Rajahnate of Butuan and the Kingdom of Tondo and Maynila lasted for 10 years with the defeat of both the Maynila and Tondo under the Rajahnate's naval warriors.

In the year 1340, a peasant revolt occurred in the Northern region of the Rajahnate in what is now known as Luzon, this revolt took the Rajahnate by surprise, resulting in carnage within its southern territory. Under the leadership of Rajah Arhaan II assisted by his most trusted General, General Bahadurjit, they then started their journey heading to the island of Luzon, bringing with them veteran warriors of the Rajahnate.

The revolt was squashed by 1345, beheading 10 local leaders who instigated the revolt. With the realm now once again in peace, development and prosperity embraces the whole realm as it enters another year of peace and stability.

By the year 1360, the first female ruler of the Rajahnate, Rani Mahati I of Butuan, ascended the throne after being the sole offspring of her father Rajah Arhaan III. Her ascension to the throne was not smooth and was challenged by her cousins who view her as weak and unfit for being a woman.

As such, by the year 1365, one of her cousins, Arhaan of House Shaja, declares himself as Rajah Arhaan IV resulting in a civil war between Rajah Arhaan's forces and Rani Mahati's forces. The Luzon Islands, the Visayas Islands, and the capital of the Rajahnate support Rani Mahati's claim while the south is under Arhaan's control. The civil war lasted for 6 years of small and big fighting between opposing forces and by late 1371 the civil war ended with the defeat of Arhaan's forces and his death. The civil war resulted in the banishment of all members of the royal house who are involved in the civil war. This civil war will be known in history as 'The War of the Bakunawas'.'

By the year 1392, Rani Mahati I passes away and was succeeded by her son, Rajah Arhaan V. In following years, the Rajahnate continues their conquest in uniting the entire Island of Luzon under its control, and by 1400-1410, the Namayan, Pulilu, Cainta, Caloocan, and Samtoy, falls under the complete control of the Rajahnate's.

By 1430, under the rule of Rani Mahati II, the Rajahnate started to take control of the Islands of modern-day Palawan, competing with the Sultanate of Brunei, and by 1433 a war broke out between the two nations. A decisive naval battle between Butuan and Brunei happened at the strait of North Baladac, destroying hundreds from both sides but the Rajahnate emerges victorious. This event was then called by historians the 5th Rajah-Sultan which lasted from 1433-1440.

By this time, the Rajahnate of Butuan controls the entirety of the Islands solidifying its rule on its vast Rajahnate.

In the year 1520, a Spanish explorer named Ferdinand Magellan landed on the Island. Welcomed by the locals with open arms and diplomacy, it was a great start for the 2 parties, trade and communication with Spain and Butuan started. The exchange of culture and language blossoms along with the Christianization of some inhabitants of the Rajahnate.

But in the middle of the year 1520, the Portuguese explorer offered the Rajah, Rajah Siagu I, a blood compact symbolizing that they were subservient to the Spanish Empire.

Feeling insulted and enraged by the words uttered by the explorer, Rajah Siagu I demands the explorer along with his people to leave his people and his domain at once or face death. Insulted by these remarks, the explorer vows to return and lay waste to the entire Rajahnate, not being able to accept the Rajah's reply.

And by the year 1521, the Spanish explorers led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan along with his native allies, Datu Humabon and Datu Zula, who both revolted against the Rajahnate of Butuan invaded the island of Mactan. Datu Lapu-Lapu resisted the invasion along with his warriors while sending a messenger to the Rajahnate's capital, Sooraj, to inform Rajah Siagu I of the invasion and rebellion of the Datu Humabon and Datu Zula.

In that same battle, Datu Zula, and Datu Humabon lost their lives after being killed by Lapu-lapu's warriors. Ferdinand Magellan on the other hand was killed by Datu Lapu-lapu. The defeat of Ferdinand Magellan delayed the Spanish colonization of the island. While the family of Datu Zula and Datu Humabon was uprooted by Rajah Siagu I himself, no one was spared even the children.

In the year 1530, under the leadership of Rajah Silongan I, the Rajahnate continues to prosper. Culture and diplomatic relations with other kingdoms bloomed throughout the Rajahnate's domain, which greatly influenced the Rajahnate on its advancement in civilization. In the following years, the Rajahnate continues to receive visitors and diplomats from other nations.

By 1535, the Rajahnate continues its development in trade with the Ming Dynasty and other neighbouring kingdoms. The use of firearms where then introduce in the Rajahnate by the Han traders, changing its primary weapons from swords to firearms.

Training camps for firearms were then established in the country's capital while also integrating the use of melee weapons, much like in the olden days. This action by the Rajahnate paves the way for its first institution, and what modern-day historians believe to be the paving time of the Renaissance in the Rajahnate.

1540, under the rule of Rajah Siagu II, the entire capital converted to Christianity through the missionary called Father Felipe. The new religion was accepted by Rajah Siagu II wholeheartedly. In the following years, the people of the Rajahnate started to convert to the Catholic faith, making the Christianization of the entire Rajahnate.

By 1550, the construction of a new royal complex located a few minutes away from the current royal palace was completed signalling the transfer of the royal household to the Palace of Sella, honouring the mother of the current Rajah, Rajah Siagu II.

By 1559, Rajah Siagu II died for some unknown reason. Rajah Siagu III, son of Rajah Siagu II, ascended the throne of the Rajahnate. In that same year, Father Felipe passed away. In remembrance of his contribution to converting the entire Rajahnate to Christianity, a small temple was constructed inside the Imperial complex in remembrance of him, the Temple of Felipe which was later renamed 'Temple of St Felipe'.

And by 1564, the Spaniards arrived at the Island of Luzon and subsequently declared war on the Rajahnate by sweetly conquering the entire Island. By the year 1574, the Spanish invaders finally conquered the entire Island of Luzon and Half of Visayas before finally stopping after a full 4 years of stalemate on both land and naval warfare.

By the same year, the Spanish invaders finally established their control of the territory they controlled. Forcing the Western culture and the use of Spanish as the medium of communication and naming their children. Of course, some resisted but it was futile, even the Rajahnate couldn't do anything about this as they are still recovering from the damages they have sustained in the Spanish-Butuan War of 1564-1574.

By the year 1599, under the rule of Rajah Silongan II, economic reforms were made to ensure the survival and strengthening of the Rajahnate's economy. Slowly, the Rajahnate recovers from their defeat from the Spanish invaders. And by 1669, under the leadership of Rani Mary, the first monarch to adopt Western names, the only descendant of Rajah Siagu V, declares war on Spain on the pretexts of reconquering the lands that were rightfully theirs.

The war continues for the next 30 years, which historians dub 'The 30-year War of Reconquer.' The battle was devastating for both nations, thousands upon thousands of individuals were killed because of the war. And by 1690, the natives in the Island of Luzon and Visayas who are still loyal to the Rajahnate started an uprising against the Spanish colonizers. This divided the soldiers of the Spanish colonizers into multiple fronts, weakening their defence on the Islands of Visayas and Luzon. In that same year, the Sultanate of Sulu declares war on the Sultanate of Maguindanao, with the help of the Sultanate of Brunei.

Taking advantage of the uprising, Rajah Siagu VIII and his soldiers advances and started their naval invasion towards the islands in the Visayas, conquering the islands of Visayas in less than 2 years. And after 8 years of continuous war with the Spanish Empire, the Rajahnate of Butuan came victorious, kicking the Spaniards out of the land and annexing its entire territory by 1699. Marking the end of the Spanish rule on the Islands of Luzon and Visayas after 30 years of war between the Rajahnate and the Spanish Empire. This defeat causes the power of the Spanish Empire in the region to dwindle. The Maguindanao Sultanate has fallen, and Sulu annexes its territory.

In the year 1700s, the Rajahnate of Butuan under the leadership of Siagu X 'The Ambitious' invaded the Sultanate of Sulu, the Sultanate retaliated and calls for help from the Kingdom of Cambodia and Brunei Sultanate. The Rajahnate prevails with the help of Ayutthaya and Lan Xang, fully conquering the whole domain of the Sulu Sultanate, the Sabah Region of Brunei Sultanate, the Spratly Islands, and the Mekong River Delta of the Kingdom of Cambodia, while Ayutthaya and Lan Xang conquer the remaining part of the Kingdom.

Fearing to face the same faith as its allies, the Sultanate of Brunei offered a peace treaty despite facing humiliation, the Treaty of Sulu as what it is called contains the following conditions:

· Where the Rajahnate of Butuan and its allies will be annexing its conquered areas.

· The Sultanate of Brunei will be paying for war damages to the winning kingdoms of the war.

· The Sultanate of Brunei will be a vassal of the Ayutthaya kingdom.

With these conditions, the Sultan of Brunei signed the Treaty of Sulu. Ending the 6th Rajah-Sultan War that took 5 years.

With another territory added to its domain, celebrations were made throughout the Kingdom. And started to integrate its new domain into the kingdom.

In that same year also, Rajah Siagu X created a new Christian religion after 160 years of being a Catholic Rajahnate. Dissatisfaction from the Church of Rome and other major reasons were cited by then Rajah. The new religion is called the Temple of Butuan or Aylashanism, merging 3 major religions into its teaching. The Judaism, Catholicism, and Buddhism.

By the year 1707, a series of rebellions and wars between different factions claiming the throne of Lan Xang resulted in its split into the Kingdoms of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champassak. This split resulted in the entire area being under different monarchs who continues to weaken their respective countries.

By 1720, under the rule of Charan I who rises to power after killing his entire family, declares the Rajahnate of Butuan as an Empire, marking the birth of the Empire of Butuan. This rise to power of Charan I, also known as Charan the Kinslayer, almost eradicated the entire House Shaja, resulting in its surviving members numbered not more than 15. Historians dubbed this bloody massacre as "The Wounding of the Bakunawa".

By 1722, two years after his ascension, Charan I declares war on the Kingdom of Champa. A series of battles happened throughout the war, but the warriors of Champa were outnumbered by the warriors from the Empire. This number and experienced advantage by the empire resulted in them defeating and annexing the entire Champa Kingdom by 1729.

Unsatisfied with his military achievements after conquering Champa, the Empire of Butuan once again started to train and station warriors on its border with Dai Viet. And by 1730, just 10 years after his ascension and 1 year after his success against the Kingdom of Champa, his ambition finally overwrites his reasoning. Charan I declares war on Dai Viet which at that time was under the rule of Trịnh Giang.

In the subsequence years, the Empire of Butuan conquered more than half of Dai Viet's territory. Sending a wave of concerns from its neighbouring nations, ever much so from the Qing Dynasty.

And by the year 1734, after much deliberation and pressure from its Imperial court and ministers over the Empire of Butuan's expansion, the Qing Dynasty finally declares war on the Empire of Butuan. Thousands of soldiers from different warlords of the Qing Dynasty marched towards the territory of Dai Viet to battle alongside the Dai Viet warriors against the Empire of Butuan.

The Empire of Butuan took a huge blow as it loses some of its Dai Viet territory from the combined forces of Dai Viet and Qing Dynasty soldiers. In these battles, Charan I receive its deadly blow resulting in his warriors retreating south of its Champa territory.

But despite their defeat in some of the encounters, the Empire of Butuan were still able to get some land from the Qing Dynasty, the Island of Hainan. The island itself was only left with a few soldiers to guard its government building, which isn't enough to stop the invading group of Butuanon warriors in 1736.

Hearing the words about the fall of Hainan Island, The Qing Dynasty sends their troops in an attempt to retake the island from Butuan. The Qiongzhou Strait became the battle stage in naval warfare between the two nations, as ships after ships from both sides were sunk to the bottom of the strait. But these attempts of the Qing Dynasty to retake the island are proven to be futile as the Qing Navy faces defeat after defeat against the Imperial Navy of Butuan.

This naval battle finally cemented the naval dominance of the Empire of Butuan in the entire region after defeating a huge number of naval ships of the Qing Dynasty. The Qing will continue to send naval warships towards the island for the next 2 years in an attempt to retake the island but will continue to fail until they finally decided to stop and focus their attention toward the other side of the war.

In the year 1737, Charan I died in his chamber, he was then succeeded by his son, Charan II who continues the war that his father started. The subsequent years of the war resulted in several deaths from battles being fought on the borders of Dai Viet and the Empire amounting to almost 40-55,000 warriors have fallen from 3 participating nations.

By the year 1740, pressure from their respective ministers and a handful of peasant revolts after the prolonged war between the three nations resulted in the three monarchs considering a peace treaty.

And by 1741 almost 11 years after the Empire of Butuan declared war against Dai Viet, Lord Trịnh Doanh along with the Qiánlóng Emperor proposes a peace treaty on Emperor Charan II. The Treaty of Ayutthaya marks the end of the 11-year war between the 3 sovereign nations.

The war ended with the Empire of Butuan being on the upper hand, as a result of this, the Empire of Butuan manages to keep half of Champa's territory and the entire Hainan Island.

The territory of Dai Viet that the Empire of Butuan conquered will be given back to the Dai Viet monarchy and some part of the Champa territory will also be given to them.

The Qing Dynasty was never compensated for the war, and it even loses an Island. This enrages the Qing Emperor and instantly banishes the envoy from the Empire of Butuan.

After the war against the Qing and Dai Viet, the Empire of Butuan finally experience a new era of peace. The Empire started to focus on the development of the entire realm and its new colonies in Mainland Asia.

The progress started with the promotion of the Butuanon identity to its people, emphasizing that despite the diversity of ethnicity, they were all one people of the Empire of Butuan. The Butuanon language was then taught in schools and used in government establishments furthering the emphasis of their unity as a nation. Priests and Bishops working under the Temple of Butuan were sent to the new lands of the empire to promote the faith to its people.

This proves to be a success as by the year 1760, under the reign of Emperor Siagu XI, the majority of its citizens already identify themselves as Butuanon and were able to speak the Butuanon language. Although minor uprisings occurred in the Island of Hainan and the Region of Champa, these uprisings were crushed easily by the Imperial Army stationed in the region.

In that same year, the Empire of Butuan were finally able to recover from the result of the war with the Qing and Dai Viet. Trading and crafting were once again flourishing in the empire. Developments and advancements in naval and land weaponry started, and the empire was once again on its way towards complete dominance in the region.

In the year 1777, King Taksin of Siam and Emperor Siagu XII simultaneously declared war on Cahmpasak which was later occupied by the two nations in 1778 with little to no resistance. By 1779, the two nations once again declared war on the Kingdom of Vientiane and on that same year, King Ong Boun surrendered. The Kingdom was then divided between the two nations, with whom the Empire decided to integrate the new territories to its domain while the Kingdom of Siam decided to install puppet Kings to its newly acquired territory.

In subsequent years, the Kingdom of Siam continues its conquest to conquer lands in its surroundings. Battling against the Dai Viet and its Burmese neighbours. While the Empire of Butuan continues its pursuit of National Unity over its vast scattered domain.

Although progress has been made over the years of its unification pursuits but despite these advancements problems also arise throughout the Empire's domain. Small and big uprisings against the monarchy over famine, corruption, and mismanagement. These events almost caused the collapse of the Imperial Family, but under the rule of Emperor Siagu XIII, the Imperial Family and the empire were saved.

In the year 1850, they started occupying kingdoms of the old. Occupying the Sultanate of Malacca, Dai Viet, Sultanate of Brunei, and the Sultanate in the Majapahit ruins. The Empire of Butuan and the Kingdom of Siam were spared, but not without taking arms against the enemy's forces. In the year 1870, the Euro-Sean War started.

The battle resulted in a defeat of Butuan and the Kingdom of Siam in the final battle of Phnom Penh in 1880, the allied power of Europe wanted the centuries-old two monarchies to be deposed, but fearing a strong resistance from the populace they have just decided to limit the power of the two nations monarch, resulting in both nations forced to adopt a constitutional monarchy type of government system.

By 1883, the Treaty of Singapore took effect. Formally ending the war that was started in 1870-1883. the Kingdom of Siam and the Empire of Butuan were forced to hand over their land (previously the Kingdom of Cambodia and their Lan Xang territories) to France and Great Britain (which only got the coastal cities). The Kingdom of Siam also formally handed the Sultanate of Brunei to the British after being its vassal kingdom.

By the year 1885 January 12, Emperor Siagu XV, age 26, of House Shaja ascended the throne of the Empire of Butuan alongside his wife, Empress Alice, age 25, of House Pangasinan, after the death of the previous emperor, Emperor Siagu XIV. Celebration erupted throughout the empire, and dignitaries from different countries arrived to congratulate the newly crowned monarch.

One year after the coronation, the Imperial Palace of Sella is in shambles as the Queen is about to give birth.

The birth of our story's protagonist. Alexis Francisco or shall the annals of history be known as Siagu XVI the one who will usher in the golden age of the Empire of Butuan.

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Author's note:

The Kingdom of Srivijaya is a real nation in the pre-colonial era and is known as a riches kingdom in its time but was surpassed by the Rajahnate of Butuan. This is true information.