Capiz: History
=== Rival kingdoms period ===
According to the epic of Maragtas, Capiz was settled by datus from Borneo who fled the oppression of Rajah or Sultan Makutanao of Sarawak. And, after the datus founded new towns in Panay island, Negros island, Taal lake, and the Bicol region, they organized a successful expedition to retake their conquered homeland and sacked the capital of Sultan Makatunao, Odtojonan, and they killed him, and afterwards enslaved his subjects and made them vassals in the new towns the datus established in the Philippines. After this brief war with Sultan Makatunao, the Kedatuan of Madja-as including the datus of Capiz, often raided Luzon and Mindoro in the north; the locations of the kingdoms of Tondo and Ma-i that there is an old Capiznon saying: “sa diin timo nangayaw nga mait” which translates as “did you raid (pangayaw) up north (mait)?” but actually means “where have you been?”, as a memory of Capiznon raids against the kingdoms of Luzon.
The account of early Spanish explorers about Capiz and its people was traced back in 1566 when the Spaniards set foot in the mouth of Banica river.
Early settlements were seen in the town of Panay. The town was originally called Bamban. The name was changed by the early Spaniards to Panay, a word which means "mouth of the river." This is also the location of a fortress built by Juan de la Isla in late 1570. The Paseo de Evangelización 1566 can be found in the town plaza and was erected through the efforts of Rev. Msgr. Benjamin F. Advíncula.
When the Spaniards led by Miguel López de Legazpi came to Panay from Cebu in 1569, after sailing from Mexico, they found people with tattoos, and so they called the island Isla de los Pintados.
How the island itself came to be called Panay is uncertain. The Aeta (Negritos) called it Aninipay, after a plant that abounded in the island. Legend has it that López de Legazpi and his men, in search of food, exclaimed upon the island, pan hay en esta isla! "There is bread in this island"! and the island of Panay closely resembles the shape of a heart and the heart of Jesus Christ is considered present in the Eucharistic Bread. The Spanish then came and established their first settlement on the island at the mouth of the Banica River and called it Panay. This was the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines, following San Miguel, Cebu. Unknown to many, Calle Revolución in Panay is the second oldest street in the Philippines after Calle Colón in Cebu City, Central Visayas. The town was founded by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi with 4 soldiers as settlers and encomienederos.
Later in 1569, Captain Diego de Artieda, who was sent by López de Legazpi, landed in the town of Panay and proclaimed it the capital of the province. Later, the Spaniards moved the capital to its present site upon founding the town of Capiz (not the province, and now Roxas City) which was near the sea and provided docking facilities.
In 1716, the province was created a separate encomienda and was later organized into a politico-military unit. …