Muhammad Kudarat

Sultan Muhammad Dipatuwan Kudarat
Sultan of Maguindanao
Reign	1619–1671
Successor	Sultan Saifuddin Dundang Tidulay
Born	Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat 1581 Maguindanao,
Died	1671 (aged 89–90) Simuay
House	Sultanate of Maguindanao
Father	Sultan Laut Buisan
Religion	Islam

Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (1581–1671) was Sultan of Maguindanao from 1619 to 1671. During his reign, he successfully fought off Spanish invasions and hindered the spread of Roman Catholicism in the island of Mindanao much like the other Muslim rulers of the southern Philippine Archipelago. He was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, an Malay-Arab Johor noble who brought Islam to Mindanaw between the 13th and 14th century. The Autonomous Muslim Mindanao Region province of Sultan Kudarat is named after him, together with the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanaw, where his descendants of Datus and rulers are still the current political leaders.

Under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, Sultan Kudarat became a Philippine national hero.

Sultan Dipatwan Kudarat, the Corralat according to prolific Spanish historian Combes. The word Dipatuwan is Malay in origin and means "master" or "sir." The word Qudrat is Arabic and means "Power." The letters d and q and r and / are interchangeable in Moro, and the word Qudrat is commonly pronounced qudlat or kurlat; hence the corrupted form "Corralat." Sultan Kudarat overshadowed his father, Bwisan, and ruled with a strong hand. He was probably the strongest and greatest Mindanao Sultan that ever lived. He fought the Spaniards well and held their sovereignty in check for many years. His sea warriors constantly attack Luzon and the Visayas for allowing themselves to become foot soldiers of the newly arrived Iberians, and providing them provisions and passage. His Sultanate controlled the southern seas for a long time.

In 1636 General Corcuera led an expedition against him and after considerable difficulty reduced his fort and defeated his forces. Kudarat had a large quantity of gunpowder and firearms, and his fort was very strongly fortified. The Spaniards captured 8 bronze cannons, 27 Lantaka or culverins, and 100 muskets.

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