Bungsu had a very long reign marked with reverses and misfortunes.
He died before 1640, and was succeeded by Sultan Xasirud Din II and
Sultan Salahud Din Karamat. The latter was known to the Spanish
writers as Baktial, which was his Sulu name before the sultanate. During
the reign of Karamat the Philippines were threatened by a Chinese inva-
sion from the north and by war with Holland, and the government, under
the circumstances, decided to abandon Zamboanga and the Moluccas.
This purpose they carried out in 1663. In the days of Karamat the
Sulus became very active and made many raids in various directions. The
decline of Spain's political power and her inactivity in the century that
followed the evacuation of Zamboanga caused obscurity in the Spanish
records of the history of Sulu and Mindanao. The events of this century
are, with few exceptions, lacking in significance and interest.^
The sultans who followed Karamat are, in the order of their succession,
Shahabud Din, Mustafa Shafi^ud Din, Badarud Din I, Nasarud Din,
and Alimud Din I, better known as Amirul Mu'minin (Ferdinand I
of Sulu). The first three were brothers, the sons of Karamat, while the
last two were the sons of Badarud Din.
In 1718 Governor Bustamante reoccupied Zamboanga for the purpose
of waging war against piracy. 'The citadel (Fuerza del Pilar) was
rebuilt on an elaborate plan under the direction of the engineer, Juan
Sicarra. Besides the usual barracks, storehouses, and arsenals, there
were, within the walls, a church, a hospital, and quarters for the Pam-
pangan soldiers. Sixty-one cannon were mounted upon the defenses.^'
In 1725, a Chinese named Ki Kuan was sent to Manila to arrange for
peace and returned with two Spanish commissioners, who made a treaty
with the sultan of Sulu providing for trade between Manila and Jolo, the
return or ransom of captives, and the ceding to Spain of the Island of
Basilan. Xotwithstanding this treaty Moro raids continued either by
toleration of the sultan and datus or at their instigation.
In 1730 a brother of the sultan commanded an expedition of 31 vessels,
which attacked the fort of Taytay and ravaged the coast of Palawan.
Another expedition spent nearly a whole year cruising and destroying
among the Bisayas.
In retaliation a large Spanish fleet united at Zamboanga and, under
Ignacio de Irebri and Manuel del Rosal, invaded the shores of Sulu and
ravaged and burned some settlements. At Bwal they found the settle-
ment well protected and extensively fortified, so they contented themselves
with destroying some plantations and burning outlying houses. At Tapul
considerable damage was inflicted. A force of 600 disembarked, dis-
persed the Sulus, burned their settlements, destroyed many farms, the
salt works, and many boats, and returned to Zamboanga. In 1732 similar
raids were made and hostilities continued until 1737.
