The Battle of Mactan occurred on April 27, 1521 marking the first organized resistance of Filipinos against foreign invaders. Lapu-Lapu, a chieftain of Mactan Island, defeated Spanish sailors under Portuguese sea captain and explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Prelude On Saturday, 3:00 pm, March 16, 1521, Magellan sighted the mountains of what is now Samar while on a mission to find a westward route to the Moluccas Islands for Spain making his landing on the beaches of Limasawa (referred then as Masao) where they hold their mass of thanksgiving. He befriends the natives who referred him to the king of the Rajahnate of Cebu, Humabon. Humabon and Magellan became friends. The Rajah, his wife, and his followers converted to Christianity, receiving baptism under the Catholic faith. Humabon is christened as Carlos, in honor of King Charles I of Spain, while his wife, Hara Humamay was given the name Juana, after Charles' mother, Joanna of Castile. Rajah Humabon then orders the other chiefs in Cebu to provide food and supplies to Magellan and his men, and they too convert to Christianity. The local chiefs followed Humabon's orders except Datu Lapu-lapu, one of the chiefs in Mactan Island. Humabon and Zula, another chief, suggested to Magellan that he should subdue Lapu-lapu, and force the latter to comply to his demands. But Lapu-lapu was defiant and refused to pay tribute to the Spanish Crown. Magellan agrees to the proposal to seal his friendship with Humabon. Proper According to the accounts of Antonio Pigaffeta, Magellan’s voyage chronicler, the Portuguese sea captain set out at dawn and deployed 48 armored men, less than half his crew, with swords, axes, shields, cross-bows and guns. A number of natives who converted to Christianity also joined him. Because of the rocky outcroppings and coral near the beach, Magellan could not get his ships to anchor close to shore rendering their cannons useless and his men had to traverse and breach the outcrops, which was difficult because they are wearing suits of armor that weighed them down. The natives, numbering around 1,500 men swarmed in wielding bolos, spears, bows and arrows and kampilan swords. As a distraction, Magellan orders his men to burn the adjacent houses. This only angered the natives as they close in even further. Magellan's leg was shot by a poisoned arrow and was wounded by a spear. The remaining men, retreated back to their boats leaving their dead companions and their leader's body behind. Post According to Pigafetta, Rajah Humabon sent Lapu-lapu a message to negotiate the retrieval of the captain and his men's bodies in exchange of all the merchandise Lapu-lapu wanted. Lapu-lapu turned it down, saying the captain's body is far more important and is a symbol of their triumph against a foreign invader. Because of this, Lapu-lapu is considered as the first Filipino national hero. Resources: https://welovecebu.com/history-of-cebu-the-battle-of-mactan/ https://spanishcolonization.wordpress.com/events/battle-at-mactan/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZDvt1Pjn6Y Thank you :)