Early history Large centers of population already thrived along the coasts and rivers of present-day Batangas.
Barangays lined the
Pansipit River draining
Bombon Lake (now Taal), a major waterway. The area was a major site for the Maritime Jade Road, one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world, operating for ~3,000 years from ~2000 BCE to ~1000 CE. Trading relations with other Philippine peoples,
Borneo,
Chinese,
Japanese, among others were maintained. Archaeological findings and written accounts by the Spanish explorers in the mid-16th century show that pre-colonial
Tagalogs have long histories in complex, stratified societies with trade networks encompassing Southeast and East Asia. This was shown by certain jewelry, made from a chambered nautilus shell, where tiny holes were created by a drill-like tool. The ancient peoples of present-day Batangas were influenced by trade with
Indianized states and to a lesser degree China, as shown in many loanwords from
Sanskrit and unearthed
tradeware ceramics primarily from China and present-day
Vietnam and
Thailand. A Buddhist image unearthed in Calatagan was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion in
bas-relief. According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of
Buddha in
Siam,
India, and
Nepal. The pot shows
Buddha Amithāba in the
tribhanga pose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that there is a strong
Mahāyānic orientation in the image, since the Boddhisattva
Avalokiteśvara was also depicted. One of the major archaeological finds was in January 1941, where two crude stone figures were found in Palapat, also in Calatagan. They were later donated to the
National Museum. One of them was destroyed during
World War II. Eighteen years later, a grave was excavated in nearby Punta Buaya. Pieces of brain coral were carved behind the heads of the 12 remains that were found. The site was named
Likha (meaning "create"). The remains were accompanied by furniture that could be traced as early as the 14th century. Potteries, as well as bracelets, stoneware, and metal objects were also found in the area, suggesting that the people who lived there had extensive contact with people from as far as China. The presence of dining utensils such as plates or "chalices" found with the remains also suggest that prehistoric Batangueños believed in the idea of life-after-death. Thus, the Batangueños, like their neighbors in other parts of Asia, have similar customs of burying furniture with the dead. Like the nearby tribes, the Batangan or the early Batangueños were a non-aggressive people. Partly because most of the tribes in their immediate environment were related to them by blood. Some weapons Batangans used included the
bakyang (bows and arrows), the
bangkaw (spears), and the
suwan (bolo). Being highly superstitious, the use of
agimat (amulet or talisman) showed that these people believed in the presence of higher beings and other things unseen. The natives believed that forces of nature were a manifestation these higher beings. The term 'Tagalog' may have been derived from the word
taga-ilog or "river dwellers" referring to the
Pasig River located further up north of the region. However, Wang Teh-Ming in his writings on Sino-Filipino relations points out that Batangas was the real center of the Tagalogs, which he then identified as
Ma-yi or
Ma-i. According to the Chinese Imperial Annals,
Ma-yi had its center in the province and extends to as far as present-day
Cavite,
Laguna,
Rizal,
Quezon,
Bataan,
Bulacan,
Mindoro,
Marinduque,
Nueva Ecija, some parts of
Zambales, and
Tarlac. However, many historians interchangeably use the term Tagalog and Batangueño.
Henry Otley Beyer, an American archaeologist, also showed in his studies that the early Batangueños had a special affinity with the precious stone known as the jade. He named the Late Paleolithic Period of the Philippines as the
Batangas Period in recognition of the multitude of jade found in the excavated caves in the province. Beyer identified that the jade-cult reached the province as early as 800 B.C. and lasted until 200 B.C.
Pre Colonial period During the precolonial era, there were many prominent settlements (bayan) in Batangas, including that of Balayan, Bonbon (Taal) and Kumintang. Kumintang was a large polity around the
Calumpang River in modern-day
Batangas ruled by the legendary figure Gat Pulintan according to local tradition, was the paramount datu in the region who refused to be Christianized continued resistance against Spanish occupation in the hills.
Spanish colonial period in
Taal, Batangas. In 1570, Spanish generals
Martin de Goiti and
Juan de Salcedo explored the coast of Batangas on their way to Manila and came upon a settlement at the mouth of
Pansipit River. In 1572, the town of
Taal was founded and its convent and stone church were constructed later. Officially, the
Province of Bonbon was founded by Spain in 1578, through Fr. Estaban Ortiz and Fr. Juan de Porras. It was named after the name that was given to it by the
Muslim natives who inhabited the area. In 1581, the Spanish government abolished
Bonbon Province and created a new province which came to be known as
Balayan Province. The new province was composed of the present provinces of Batangas,
Mindoro,
Marinduque, southeast
Laguna, southeast
Quezon, and
Camarines. After the devastating eruption of Taal Volcano in 1754, the old town of
Taal, present day San Nicolas, was buried. The capital was eventually transferred to Batangas (now a city) for fear of further eruptions where it has remained to date. In the same years that de Goiti and Salcedo visited the province, the
Franciscan missionaries came to Taal, which later became the first Spanish settlement in Batangas and one of the earliest in the Philippines. In 1572, the
Augustinians founded Taal in the place of
Wawa, now San Nicolas, and from there began preaching in Balayan and in all the big settlements around the lake of
Bombon (Taal). The Augustinians, who were the first missionaries in the
diocese, remained until the
revolution against Spain. Among the first missionaries were eminent men, which included Alfonso de Albuquerque, Diego Espinas, Juan de Montojo, and others. During the first ten years, the whole region around the Lake of Bombon was completely Christianized. It was done through the preaching of men who had learned the first rudiments of the language of the people. At the same time, they started writing manuals of devotion in Tagalog, such as
novenas, and had written the first Tagalog grammar that served other missionaries who came. Foundation of important
parishes followed throughout the years: 1572, the
Taal Parish was founded by the Augustinians; 1581, the Batangas Parish under Fray Diego Mexica; 1596,
Bauan Parish administered by the Augustinian missionaries; 1605,
Lipa Parish under the Augustinian administration; 1774,
Balayan Parish was founded; By the end of the 1700s, Batangas had 15,014 native families and 451
Spanish Filipino families; By year 1818, the population increased, with 23,393 estimated souls, of which, native and mestizo tributes and families amounted to a combined 5,203 and 10,407, which is 15,610 in total and is slightly higher than the 1700s number (15,014 native families plus the 451 assimilated Spanish-Filipino Mestizo families). 1852, Nasugbu Parish was established; and 1868,
Lemery Parish too. There were also Spanish-Filipino families fresh from Spain scattered across Batangas with:
San Pablo de los Montes having 7,
Rosario had 4,
Lian has 7, and
Balayan amounting to 22. The town of
Nasugbu became an important centre of trade during the Spanish occupation of the country. It was the site of the first recorded battle between two European Forces in Asia in
Fortune Island,
Nasugbu, Batangas. In the late part of the 20th century, the inhabitants of Fortune Island discovered a sunken galleon that contained materials sold in the
Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. Batangas was also among the first of the eight Philippine provinces to revolt against Spain and one of the provinces placed under Martial Law by Spanish
Governor-General Ramon Blanco on August 30, 1896. This event was given distinction when
Marcela Agoncillo, also a native of the province, made the
Philippine Flag, which bears a sun with eight rays to represent these eight provinces.
American colonial era When the Americans forbade the Philippine flag from being flown anywhere in the country, Batangas was one of the places where the revolutionaries chose to propagate their propaganda. Many, especially the revolutionary artists, chose Batangas as the place to perform their plays. In an incident recorded by Amelia Bonifacio in her diary, the performance of
Tanikalang Ginto in the province led not only to the arrest of the company but all of the audience. Later, the play was banned from being shown anywhere in the country. General
Miguel Malvar is recognized as the last Filipino general to surrender to the
United States in the
Philippine–American War.
Japanese occupation After the attack on
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Japanese sent their planes to attack the
Philippines, launching major air raids throughout the country. The bombings resulted in the destruction of the Batangas Airport located in
Batangas City, of which nothing remains today. Batangas was also a scene of heavy fighting between the
Philippine Army Air Corps and the
Japanese A6M Zero Fighter Planes. The most notable air combat battle took place at the height of 3,700 metres (12,000 ft) on December 12, 1941, when 6 Filipino fighters led by Capt.
Jesús Villamor engaged the numerically superior enemy of 54 Japanese bombers and fighter escorts which raided the Batangas Airfield. Capt. Jesús Villamor won the battle, suffering only one casualty, Lt.
César Basa who was able to bail out as his plane was shot down, only to be strafed by the Zeroes. When
Gen. Douglas MacArthur ordered the overall retreat of the American-Filipino Forces to
Bataan in 1942, the province was ultimately abandoned and later came under direct Japanese occupation. During this time, the
Imperial Japanese Army committed many
crimes against civilians including the massacre of 328 people in
Bauan, 320 in
Taal, 300 in
Cuenca, 107 in
San Jose, and 39 in Lucero.
Liberation As part of the
Philippines Campaign (1944–45), the province's liberation began on January 31, 1945, when elements of the
11th Airborne Division, part of the
U.S. Eighth Army went ashore at
Nasugbu, Batangas. However, Batangas was not the main objective of the invasion force. Instead, most of its units headed north to capture
Manila, and by March 3, the capital was completely secured. Liberation of Batangas proper by American forces began in March 1945 by the
11th Airborne Division and the
158th Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 158th, stationed in Nasugbu, was tasked to secure the shores and nearby towns of
Balayan and
Batangas. The 11th Airborne, from the
Tagaytay Ridge, would attack the Japanese defenses north of
Taal Lake and open the Lipa corridor. By March 11 the 158th RCT had reached
Batangas City. With the capture of Lipa and Mt. Malepunyo, organized resistance ended in the province. Some elements of the 188th Infantry Task Force were left to clear the Batangas mountains located southeast of the province from the remaining Japanese. because according to then-Defense Secretary
Juan Ponce Enrile, the regime found it necessary to "emasculate the voices of the opposition." In 1981, Marcos used his Presidential "power of
eminent domain" to convert 167 hectares of agricultural lands in San Rafael, Calaca, for industrial use, paving the way for the construction of the Semirara Calaca power plant regardless of its health and environmental impact. Among the later victims of the regime were student leaders Ismael Umali, Noel Clarete, and Aurelio Magpantay from
Western Philippine Colleges in
Batangas City, along with their friend Ronilo "Nilo" Evangelio of the Justice for Aquino, Justice for All (JAJA) chapter in Batangas. The four who disappeared after a protest rally in March 1984, and their mangled bodies were later discovered abandoned in nearby
Cavite province.
Contemporary After the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos and the creation of the
Fifth Philippine Republic, numerous Batanguenos took up prominent positions in government - most prominently
Salvador Laurel, who became
Vice President of the Philippines under the first Aquino administration, and
Renato Corona, who became
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. == Geography ==