Luzon

Luzon is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines.

It serves as the primary economic and political center of the entire nation. The island contains Manila, which is the capital city of the Philippines. It also contains Quezon City, the most populous city in the country.

With 64.3 million residents, Luzon holds 55 percent of the country's total population. This makes it the 4th most populous island globally. It is also ranked as the 15th largest island in the world by land area.

In a broader sense, Luzon refers to a major island group. This group includes the Luzon Mainland and the Batanes and Babuyan island groups to the north.

It also encompasses the Polillo Islands to the east. Other islands included are Catanduanes, Marinduque, and Mindoro. Some sources also include Masbate, Palawan, and Romblon in this group. However, those three are sometimes classified with the Visayas instead. The name Luzon likely comes from the Tagalog word *lusong*.

A *lusong* is a large wooden mortar used for dehusking rice.

The history of the island reaches back tens of thousands of years. Fossils found in Callao Cave belong to *Homo luzonensis*. This was an extinct, archaic human species. These fossils date back at least 50,000 to 67,000 years. Before 1000 CE, several coastal polities existed in south and central Luzon. These included Maynila, Tondo, and Namayan. These polities were thalassocracies, which are states based on maritime trade. They were structured by relationships between chiefs called Datu and paramount lords called Lakan or Rajahs.

These early kingdoms were influenced by Hinduism, Animism, or Islam. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription from 900 is the oldest known Philippine document. It mentions places near Manila Bay and also mentions Medan in Indonesia. Around 1200 BCE, Tagalog settlers arrived from the eastern Visayas or northeast Mindanao. They interacted heavily with the Kapampangan and Sambal people. Eventually, these groups moved and settled in different parts of the island. For example, Kapampangans moved to modern Tondo, Navotas, and Central Luzon.

Luzon was also a center for specialized manufacturing and trade. In the 12th century, a trade in large clay jars flourished with Japan.

These were known as *Ruson-tsukuri*, or Luzon-made jars. They were used to store green tea and rice wine. Local potters used Baybayin letters to mark the jars. These marks identified the specific kiln and the individual urn. Some kilns had better reputations than others, affecting their prices. Today, the Burnay jars of Ilocos are the only large clay jars still made in Luzon with these ancient origins.

Global interactions shaped the island's political landscape. In the early 1300s, Chinese annals reported that Hindu Brunei administered some Luzon kingdoms. These included Ma-i, which scholars think is in Mindoro or Laguna. Later, the Kingdom of Maynila became a puppet-state of the expanding Sultanate of Brunei. This brought Islamic influence and new dynasties to the region. Meanwhile, other kingdoms like Pangasinan resisted Islam. Pangasinan remained a tributary state of China and maintained trade with Japan.

Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to record the island in their charts. They called it Luçonia or Luçon and referred to the people as Luções.

These people were highly mobile and active in international maritime networks. Some Luções served as naval muscle for the Portuguese in India. Others worked in Malacca, where individuals like Regimo de Raja held high positions. De Raja was appointed as Temenggong, a Sea Lord responsible for maritime trade. This title suggests that many Luções belonged to noble or royal lineages.

Luzon warriors were known for their strength and skill across Southeast Asia. In the 1500s, Luções fought in various conflicts, sometimes for Muslim fleets and sometimes against them. In Siam, they were so successful that the king granted them land and ennoblement.

In the Sultanate of Aceh, Luções were even assigned as royal guards. This role was reserved for the most capable and aristocratic warriors. Their influence reached as far as Sri Lanka, where Luzon-made pottery was discovered.