History[edit]

See also: Lapu-Lapu and Rajahnate of Cebu

A 19th-century map of Cebu City.

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Cebu city was part of the island-rajahnate and trade center of
Pulua Kang Dayang or Kangdaya (literally "[the islands] which belong to Daya"), now better known as
the Rajahnate of Cebu. It was founded by a minor prince of the Hindu Chola dynasty of Sumatra, the
half-Malay and half-Tamil, Sri Lumay. The name Sugbo (shortened form of Kang Sri Lumayng Sugbo,
literally "that of Sri Lumay's great fire") refers to Sri Lumay's scorched earth tactics against Muslim
Moro raiders (Magalos).[4][5]

On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah
Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara), the grandson of Sri Lumay, together with
his wife and about 700 native islanders. Magellan, however, was killed in the Battle of Mactan, and
the remaining members of his expedition left Cebu soon after several of them were poisoned by
Humabon due to threats of foreign occupation. The last ruler of Sugbo, prior to Spanish colonization,
was Rajah Humabon's nephew, Rajah Tupas (d. 1565).[4][5]

On February 13, 1565, Spanish conquistadors led by Miguel Lpez de Legazpi together with
Augustinian friars, whose prior was Andrs de Urdaneta, arrived in Samar, taking possession of the
island thereafter. Afterwards, the expedition visited Leyte, Cabalian, Mazaua, Camiguin and Bohol
where the famous Sandugo or blood compact was performed between Lpez de Legazpi and Datu
Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol on March 16, 1565. The Spanish arrived in Cebu on April 15, 1565.
They then attempted to parley with the local ruler, Rajah Tupas, but found that he and the local
population had abandoned the town. Rajah Tupas presented himself at their camp on May 8, feast of
the Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel, when the island was taken possession of on behalf of
the Spanish King. The Treaty of Cebu was formalized on July 3, 1565. Lpez de Legazpi's party named
the new city "Villa de San Miguel de Ceb" (later renamed "Villa del Santsimo Nombre de Jess)." In
1567 the Cebu garrison was reinforced with the arrival of 2,100 soldiers from New Spain (Mexico). The
growing colony was then fortified with the Fuerte de San Pedro.

By 1569 the Spanish settlement in Cebu had become important as a safe port for ships from Mexico
and as a jumping-off point for further exploration of the archipelago. Small expeditions led by Juan de
Salcedo went to Mindoro and Luzon, where he and Martn de Goiti played a leading role in the
subjugation of the Kingdoms of Tundun and Seludong in 1570. One year later, Lpez de Legazpi
departed Cebu to discuss a peace pact with the defeated Rajahs. An agreement between the
conquistadors and the Rajahs to form a city council paved the way for the establishment of a new
settlement and the construction of the Christian walled city of Intramuros on the razed remains of
Islamic Manila, then a satellite state of the Bruneian Empire.

On 1571, the Spanish carried over infantry from Mexico and then raised an army of Christian Visayan
warriors from Cebu and Iloilo as well as mercenaries from the Tagalog region and assaulted the
Sultanate of Brunei, in what is known as the Castille War. The war also started the SpanishMoro
Wars waged between the Christian Visayans and Muslim Mindanao, wherein Moros burned towns and
conducted slave raids in the Visayas islands and selling the slaves to the Sultanates of the Malay

Archipelago and the Visayans fought-back by establishing Christian fort-cities in Mindanao, cities such
as Zamboanga City.

On August 14, 1595, Pope Clement VIII created the diocese of Cebu as a suffragan to the Archdiocese
of Manila.

On April 3, 1898, local revolutionaries led by the Negrense Leon Kilat rose up against the Spanish
colonial authorities and took control of the urban center after three days of fighting. The uprising was
only ended by the treacherous murder of Leon Kilat and the arrival of soldiers from Iloilo.[6] On
December 26, 1898, the Spanish Governor, General Montero, evacuated his troops to Zamboanga,
turning over government property to Pablo Mejia.[7]:522 The next day, a provincial government was
formed under Luis Flores as President, General Juan Climaco as Military Chief of Staff, and Julio
Llorente as Mayor.[7]:522

The signing of the Treaty of Paris at the end of the SpanishAmerican War provided for the cession of
Cebu along with the rest of the Philippine islands to the United States until the formation of the
Commonwealth Era (193546). On February 21, 1899, the USS Petrel (PG-2) deployed a landing party
of 40 marines on the shores of Cebu.[7]:523 Cebus transfer to the Commonwealth government was
signed by Luis Flores although others, most notably Gen. Arcadio Maxilom and Juan Climaco, offered
resistance until 1901.[7]:524 Governor W. H. Taft visited Cebu on April 17, 1901, and appointed Julio
Llorento as the first provincial governor.[7]:526 Juan Climaco was elected to that office in January
1904.[7]:526

After having remained a town since its original founding in 1565, Cebu became a chartered city on
February 24, 1937. Many other Philippine cities such as Dansalan (now Marawi), Iloilo City, and
Bacolod City were also incorporated at that time (see Cities of the Philippines).

Along with the rest of the country, Cebu came under Japanese occupation during WWII. The Japanese
encountered some opposition there from guerrillas led by Col. James Cushing and the Cebu Area
Command. It was finally liberated with the Battle for Cebu City in March and April 1945. The military
general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 8th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine
Constabulary, active from 1942 to 1946, was stationed in Cebu City during World War II.

Colon Street, the oldest national road in the Philippines, is the center of a dense and compact area in
downtown Cebu City that was once the heart of Cebu City's shopping and business activity, with
fashionable shops, restaurants and movie houses. In the early 1990s, much of this activity shifted to
the more modern and more diverse business districts located in almost all of the urban a