History and Heritage

The Royal Kingdom of Sulu was founded by King Baguinda of the Tausugs in 1390, in Jolo, Sulu, from the remnants of the old Great Tausug kingdom of Butuan in Central Mindanao that rose to prominence in Mindanao at the beginning of the 11th century. It signed a Treaty with China during the 12th century and this first Tausug kingdom lasted up to the end of the 14th century but fell due to the depletion of their commerce and trade.

The Tausug royalty of Butuan migrated to Sulu where they settled and founded their sovereign Tausug kingdom in 1390, which became the Sultanate of Sulu in 1457. It became known as “The Unconquered Kingdom” of original Filipinos as they never surrendered during the Spanish conquest of over 377 years (1521 to 1898)  to the King of Spain during the era in the Philippines.  They co-existed through trade and belief that Muslims and Christians both adhere that Jesus was born to Mary, a virgin and that Jesus is the Messiah and was one of the most important prophets of God.

In 1390, the Kingdom of Sulu became a sovereign kingdom nation-state and in 1417 signed the Most Favored Nation Treaty with China. Continued from 1457 as a sovereign Sultanate (Kingdom) patterned after the sultanates in the Middle East. The meaning of Sultanate is: "A monarchial sovereign state ruled by the Sultan whose powers are derived from Islamic faith, customs, traditions, and practices.

In 1457, the Royal Sultanate of Sulu was the very first in the whole world that installed the "Tri-partite Form of Government;" with the Sultan (King) as the Head of State, the Ruma Bichara as Congress or Legislature, and the Supreme Qadi as the Islamic Supreme Court.

From 1390 to 1946 through the Sultanate of Sulu was annexed to the newly created Republic of the Philippines from the Sultan and the Tausug people, the Kingdom of Sulu was a sovereign kingdom nation-state that was the envy of the world because of its very strong economy, peace and order secured under the reign of the Sultan.

The Sultan of Sulu sent more than 2,500 Royal Tausug Army Expeditionary Force that imposed peace in Borneo. The Brunei Sultan as a sign of gratitude granted as gifts eternal and ceded to the Sulu Crown the islands of Palawan that made these three (3) dominions properties of Sulu Sultan. These gifts from the Sultan of Brunei to the Sulu Crown made possible the ownership of the Sulu Sultan of the lands of Sabah and Palawan.

On July 4, 1946, the USA added and annexed the Royal Sultanate of Sulu to the newly created independent Republic of the Philippines and it became a part of the Philippines as from 1946 to this day.

As a sovereign kingdom for centuries recognized by other nations The Royal Sultanate of Sulu signed most favored nation treaties with foreign powers i.e. China, UK, Spain, Portugal, Holland, France, Malayan sultanates, Royal Sultanate of Brunei, Indonesian principalities, USA (two treaties), plus other kingdoms in Southeast Asia  had unbroken exchanges of diplomatic relations with these nations and kingdoms for centuries.

The Tausogs today only occupied a small portion of Mindanao in the Philippines.  Luzon, Palawan, and Borneo were ruled by the Brunei Sultan while Visayas and Mindanao ruled by the Sultan of Sulu --  the Sultanates of Maguindanao and Buayan, which became 2 distinct Sultanates in Mindanao. Today, these are the 3 Sultanates in the Philippines: Sulu, Maguindanao, and Buayan. And the Tausogs art and commerce is imbedded throughout the county's heritage.