Spanish occupation of Jolo (1638)

Battle of Jolo (1638)
Part of Spanish–Moro conflict
Date January 4, 1638 – April 14, 1646 Location Bauang (Jolo), Sulu Sultanate Result First Stage (January–May, 1638): Spanish Victory Spaniards set up garrison at Jolo.[1] Sultan and his court flee to Dungun, Tawi-Tawi.[1] Second Stage (1640): Tactical Spanish Victory, Strategic Sulu Victory Third Stage (1644–46): Sulu Victory Spanish garrison called back in 1645 after repeated attacks by Sultan Wasit and threatened invasion by Koxinga. Sulu-Spanish treaty signed in 1646 with Sultan Nasir ud-Din recognizing Sulu's boundaries as Tawi Tawi to Balabac Island in Palawan.[1]
Belligerents
Spanish Empire Captaincy General of the Philippines	Sulu Sultanate Minor Support: Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera	Sultan Muwallil Wasit Pangiran Salikula Sultan Nasir ud-Din
Strength
About 2,000 troops ~1,500 Cebuano auxiliaries 500 Spanish troops 80 Ships	4,000 troops from Jolo, Borneo, Makassar 1 Kuta (Fort) Unknown number of Dutch Navy vessels
Casualties and losses
Unknown (heavy)	Unknown (heavy)

The Spanish occupation of Jolo or Battle of Jolo was a military expedition in the 1630s to pacify the Moro of the Sulu Sultanate. The expedition, personally led by Sebastian de Corcuera, the then Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies was a follow-up expedition to the earlier successful campaigns against the Maguindanao Sultanate under Sultan Qudarat. It was initially successful, partly due to an epidemic within the Sultan Wasit's fort early in the campaign, resulting in the Sulu forces retreating to Tawi-Tawi.

The occupation of Jolo also saw the installment of a short-lived Spanish garrison in the town. Later on, Sultan Wasit and Sultan Nasir ud-Din, who many believe to be Sultan Qudarat, began a series of expeditions against the Spaniards, successfully diminishing the garrison until they were called back to Manila in defense against a rumored attack by Chinese pirate Koxinga. After the occupation, a short period of peace followed, with no significant attacks made on Mindanao or Sulu. Corcuera's occupation was the first prolonged Spanish occupation of Jolo from 1638 to 1645.