View source for Gabriela Silang

{{Short description|Ilocano rebel against Spain (1731–1763)}}
{{more footnotes|date=November 2013}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Gabriela Silang
| image              = Gabriela Silang 1974 stamp of the Philippines.jpg
| caption            = Gabriela Silang on a 1974 stamp of the Philippines
| birth_name         = María Josefa Gabriela Cariño
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1731|3|19}}
| birth_place        = [[Santa, Ilocos Sur|Santa]], [[Ilocos (province)|Ilocos]], [[Captaincy General of the Philippines]], [[Spanish Empire]]
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1763|9|20|1731|3|19}}
| death_place        = [[Vigan]], [[Ilocos (province)|Ilocos]], Captaincy General of the Philippines, Spanish Empire
| other_names        = Gabriela Silang<br />''La Generala''<br />Joan of Arc of [[Ilocandia]]
| father             = Anselmo Cariño
| spouse(s)          = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Tomás Millan|1751|1754|reason=his death}}
* {{marriage|[[Diego Silang]]|1757|1763|reason=his death}}
}}
}}

'''María Josefa Gabriela Cariño de Silang''' ({{IPA|tl|siˈlaŋ|lang}}; March 19, 1731 – September 20, 1763) was a [[Filipinos|Filipino]] military leader best known for her role as the female leader of the [[Ilocos|Ilocano]] independence movement from Spain. She took over from her second husband [[Diego Silang]] after his assassination in 1763, leading [[Ilocano people|her people]] for four months before she was captured and executed by the colonial government of the [[Captaincy General of the Philippines]].

==Early life==
[[File:Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang PHC historical marker (Santa).jpg|thumb|left|upright|National historical marker installed in 1963 in Silang's hometown of Santa]]

Gabriela Silang was born in barrio Caniogan, [[Santa, Ilocos Sur|Santa]], [[Ilocos (province)|Ilocos]] to a Spanish [[Ilocano people|Ilocano]] father named Anselmo Cariño,<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 30, 2019|title=History: Bantonlagip ni Gabriela Silang, simbolo ti kinatured ken kinamaingel — Tawid News Magazine - Weekly Ilocos News 📰|url=https://tawidnewsmag.com/bantonlagip-ni-gabriela-silang-simbolo-ti-kinatured-ken-kinamaingel/|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Tawid News Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> a trader who ferried his wares from Vigan to Abra along the [[Abra River]] and a descendant of Ignacio Cariño, the first [[Galicia, Spain|Galicia]]n from Spain to arrive in [[Candon]] in the late 17th century. Her mother was a [[Itneg people|Tinguian]] who was from a Tinguian [[barrio]] in [[San Quintin, Abra|San Quintin]] (now [[Pidigan, Abra|Pidigan]], [[Abra (province)|Abra]]). 

She received a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] upbringing from the town's [[parish priest]], and attained elementary level education at the town's convent school. After being separated from her parents early in her childhood, she was raised by a priest, who eventually arranged a marriage between her and the wealthy businessman. They married in 1751, and he died three years later.<ref>Smith, Bonnie G. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.</ref>

== Revolutionary involvement ==
===Relationship with her spouse, Diego Silang===
After being widowed by her first husband, Gabriela met future insurgent leader [[Diego Silang]] and married him in 1757.

In 1762, as part of what would later be known as the [[Seven Years' War]], the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] declared war on Spain, and [[Battle of Manila (1762)|captured Manila]], resulting in the [[British occupation of the Philippines|British occupying the city]] and nearby [[Cavite]]. After the capture of Manila, an emboldened Diego sought to initiate an armed struggle to overthrow Spanish functionaries in [[Ilocos region|Ilocos]] and replace them with native-born officials. He joined forces with the British, who appointed him governor of Ilocos on their behalf. During this revolt, Gabriela became one of Diego's closest advisors and his unofficial [[aide-de-camp]] during skirmishes with Spanish troops. She was also a major figure in her husband's co-operation with the British.

Spanish authorities retaliated by offering a reward for Diego’s assassination. Consequently, his two former allies, Miguel Vicos and Pedro Becbec, killed him in [[Vigan]] on May 28, 1763.<ref name="auto1">Commire, Anne, and Deborah Klezmer. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Waterford, CT: Yorkin Publications, 2002. Print.</ref>

===Revolutionary leadership in Tayum===
After Diego's murder, Gabriela fled to [[Tayum, Abra|Tayum]], now part of [[Abra (province)|Abra]], to seek refuge in the house of her paternal uncle, Nicolás Cariño. There, she appointed her first two generals, Miguel Flores and Tagabuen Infiel. She later assumed her husband's role as commander of the rebel troops and achieved a "[[babaylan|priestess]]" status amongst her community and followers. Her popular image as the [[bolo knife|bolo]]-wielding ''La Generala'' on horseback stems from this period.

===Assault on Vigan and execution===
[[File:Corregidor- Diego and Gabriela Silang in the Ilocos.jpg|thumb|Silang revolt monument in [[Corregidor]]]]
On September 10, 1763, Silang attempted to besiege [[Vigan]] but the Spanish retaliated, forcing her into hiding.<ref name="day" /> She retreated once more to [[Abra (province)|Abra]], where the Spanish later captured her. On September 20, 1763, Silang and her troops were executed by hanging in Vigan's central plaza.<ref name="day">{{cite news|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/19/bill-to-declare-special-non-working-day-to-honor-gabriela-silang-expected-to-breeze-through-house-senate/|title= Bill to declare special non-working day to honor Gabriela Silang expected to breeze through House, Senate|first=Ben|last=Rosario|publisher= [[Manila Bulletin]]|date=September 19, 2020|access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Gabriela Silang Monument, Ayala Triangle, Makati City.jpg|thumb|Gabriela Silang monument in [[Makati]]]]
She is remembered as the “[[Joan of Arc]] of [[Ilocandia]]”<ref name="day" /> The [[Order of Gabriela Silang]] is the sole third class [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the Philippines|national decoration]] awarded by the Philippines whose membership is restricted to women.<ref name="eo236">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2003/09/19/executive-order-no-236/ |title=Executive Order No. 236, s. 2003|publisher=Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines|access-date= January 15, 2021}}</ref> The organisation and [[party list]] [[Gabriela Women's Party]] ("General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action"), which advocates for women's rights and issues, was founded in April 1984 in her honour.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/23/general-vs-the-henerala/|title= General vs the Henerala|first=Tonyo|last=Cruz|publisher= [[Manila Bulletin]]|date=October 23, 2020|access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref> The [[BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301)]] is named after her.<ref name=GS_commissioning>{{cite news |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1257943/look-ph-coast-guards-newest-most-modern-ship-joins-fleet-in-private-commissioning-rites |title=LOOK: PH Coast Guard's newest, most modern ship joins fleet in private commissioning rites |publisher=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |date=April 13, 2020 |access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref> Asteroid [[7026 Gabrielasilang]], discovered by [[Eleanor Helin]] at [[Palomar Observatory|Palomar]] in 1993, is named in her honor.<ref name="MPC-object" /> The official {{MoMP|7026|naming citation}} was published by the [[Minor Planet Center]] on November 8, 2019 ({{small|[[Minor Planet Circulars|M.P.C.]] 118218}}).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" />

==In popular culture==
* Silang was portrayed by Tanya Gomez in the 1996 [[ABS-CBN]] educational television series [[Bayani (TV series)|''Bayani'']] in the two-episode "Gabriela Silang: Ang Alap" and "Diego Silang: Ang Sulat."
* Silang was portrayed by [[Kris Bernal]] in the 2013 [[GMA Network]] [[historical drama]] series ''[[Indio (TV series)|Indio]]'' and by [[Glaiza de Castro]] in the [[GMA News TV]] television romance anthology ''Wagas''.

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web
  |title      = (7026) Gabrielasilang 
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=7026
  |access-date = November 20, 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web
  |title      = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
  |access-date = November 20, 2019}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.vigan.ph/history/diego-silang-and-maria-josefa-gabriela-silang.html|title=Diego Silang and Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang - Vigan.ph|website=www.vigan.ph}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928015045/http://www.santa.gov.ph/ Birthplace of Gabriela Silang – Municipality of Santa, Ilocos Sur]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/10788836@N08/sets/72157602108876013 Pictures of The Ancestral House of Gabriela Silang]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ayalatriangle.com/attractions/gabriela-silang-monument|title=Gabriela Silang Monument - Ayala Triangle|website=www.ayalatriangle.com}}

{{Symbols of the Philippines}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Silang, Gabriela}}
[[Category:1731 births]]
[[Category:1763 deaths]]
[[Category:18th-century executions by Spain]]
[[Category:British invasion of Manila]]
[[Category:Executed Filipino women]]
[[Category:People of Galician descent]]
[[Category:Filipino people of Spanish descent]]
[[Category:Filipino Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Ilocano people]]
[[Category:Filipino paramilitary personnel]]
[[Category:People executed by Spain by hanging]]
[[Category:People from Ilocos Sur]]
[[Category:People from the Spanish colonial Philippines]]
[[Category:Filipino rebels]]
[[Category:Women in 18th-century warfare]]
[[Category:Women in war in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Female revolutionaries]]
[[Category:Separatism in the Philippines]]
[[Category:People from the Spanish East Indies]]
[[Category:Rebels from the Spanish East Indies]]