1st Governor and Captain General of the Philippines, Spanish Conquistador. Born in Zumarraga, Guipuzcoa, Spain in 1502. He moved to New Spain (Mexico) in 1528 and married Isabel Garces. They had nine children together before her death in the mid 1550's. In those years he worked as leader of the financial department council and Civil Governor of Mexico City. By the order of King Philip II and commissioned by Viceroy Luis de Velasco, to find the Spice Islands first discovered by the Magellan expedition, Legazpi set sail with five ships and 500 soldiers on November 21, 1564. They landed in Cebu on February 13, 1565. They went to the islands of Leyete and Camiguin in March, where he made a "blood compact" with local chieftan. He returned to Cebu in April, and destroyed some villages while founding the first two Spanish settlements. In 1568, after hearing rumors of rich resources in Manila, he dispatched his Lt. Commanders, Goiti and Salcedo to explore the north. On May 24,1570, Goiti's men conquered Manila. Legazpi established a permanent settlement there on June 24, 1571, and ordered the walled city of Intramuros constructed. With the help of Augustinian and Franciscan friars, he became the first governor of the islands and converted many natives to the Catholic religion. On August 20,1572, Legazpi died of a heart attack. He was poor and bankrupt due to spending his fortune on his conquests. He was laid to to rest in the San Agustin church.
1st Governor and Captain General of the Philippines, Spanish Conquistador. Born in Zumarraga, Guipuzcoa, Spain in 1502. He moved to New Spain (Mexico) in 1528 and married Isabel Garces. They had nine children together before her death in the mid 1550's. In those years he worked as leader of the financial department council and Civil Governor of Mexico City. By the order of King Philip II and commissioned by Viceroy Luis de Velasco, to find the Spice Islands first discovered by the Magellan expedition, Legazpi set sail with five ships and 500 soldiers on November 21, 1564. They landed in Cebu on February 13, 1565. They went to the islands of Leyete and Camiguin in March, where he made a "blood compact" with local chieftan. He returned to Cebu in April, and destroyed some villages while founding the first two Spanish settlements. In 1568, after hearing rumors of rich resources in Manila, he dispatched his Lt. Commanders, Goiti and Salcedo to explore the north. On May 24,1570, Goiti's men conquered Manila. Legazpi established a permanent settlement there on June 24, 1571, and ordered the walled city of Intramuros constructed. With the help of Augustinian and Franciscan friars, he became the first governor of the islands and converted many natives to the Catholic religion. On August 20,1572, Legazpi died of a heart attack. He was poor and bankrupt due to spending his fortune on his conquests. He was laid to to rest in the San Agustin church.
Bio by: Kevin Caldwell
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