Manila

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Manila (Filipino: Maynila) is the capital and largest city of the Philippines. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, when the Philippines were a colony of the Spanish Empire, Manila served as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.

History

Golden Age of Piracy

In 1719, the Governor-General of the Philippines, Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda, ordered the arrest of the Archbishop of Manila, Francisco de la Cuesta, after the latter refused to allow the Spanish authorities to take action against several individuals with pending charges who had taken church asylum. In retaliation, several of the Archbishop's supporters stormed Bustamante's mansion and killed him in the streets.

In 1725, a merchant hired the Assassin Edward Kenway and his organization, the Zhang Wei Union, to escort his trading vessel from Macau to Manila, fearing attacks from pirates en route. During their brief stay in Manila, Edward's friend John Young went to party with the locals, from whom he learned that the East India Company and the Far East Company had begun recruiting people for an expedition in Southeast Asia. Edward deduced this to be a sign that the Templars were preparing to begin their search for the lost city of Angkor, a presumed Isu site.

Later that same year, the Union members and their ally Jan van Aert, the Chief Navigator of the Dutch East India Company, were attacked by two Spanish Men O' War during their voyage to Cebu, where they sought to investigate a lead to Angkor's location. After surrendering, they were brought to Manila and arrested by the Spanish authorities due to Jan's alleged involvement in the assassination of Governor Bustamante six years prior.

The 1725 riot

While Jan and his crew were imprisoned in the dungeon underneath Fort Santiago, the Union members were forced to remain aboard their ship, the Fenghuang, under the watch of several guards. After escaping, Edward took advantage of an ongoing protest in the streets to infiltrate Fort Santiago and rescue Jan and his men. However, he then witnessed the protest turn into a violent riot, led by a monk who wielded a Piece of Eden: the Crescent Amulet. Together with Shimazu Saito, Edward decided to confront the monk and take the Amulet from him.

Seven Years' War

In 1742, the Templar John Harrison was stationed in Manila to look for Isu sites throughout Asia. Although unsuccessful in his search, the time there allowed Harrison to pick up the trail of the Precursor box once held by the Assassin Shao Jun and trace its journey out of China and into the West Indies.

During the Seven Years' War, the Templars sent agents to the city to disrupt the interests of the Spanish presence in Manila. As a result, the city was conquered by the British, though it was returned to Spain a year after the war.

Gallery

• 
  The harbor of Manila in 1725
• 
  The Zhang Wei Union's ship departing Manila
• 
  Edward Kenway overlooking the city from atop the Manila Cathedral

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Rogue (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple (first appearance)