The Tale of Princess Urduja

A long, long time ago, in a land called Tawalisi—now known as Pangasinan in the Philippines—there lived a brave and beautiful princess named Urduja.

She was no ordinary girl. Urduja didn’t wait for a prince to rescue her—she was the hero. Her father, King Lakanpati, raised her to be a warrior. She rode horses, carried a sword, and led a strong army of women fighters who protected their kingdom from danger.

Urduja was smart, kind, and as strong as any king. Her father trained her just as he would a boy, knowing that she would one day lead. But as King Lakanpati grew older, he began to worry. Who would rule the tribe after him? He thought Urduja should marry a strong man who could become king—he chose Simakwel, the leader of the Tawilisi warriors.

But there was a problem. Urduja didn’t like Simakwel. He was proud, selfish, and only wanted the crown. Urduja had always said, “I will only marry the man who can defeat me in battle. He must be braver, stronger, and wiser than me.” No one had been braver enough to try.

One day, a Muslim traveler named Ibn Battuta came to visit Tawalisi on his way to China. The people invited him to a feast, but he said he didn’t want to eat with them. This upset Princess Urduja, so she invited him to her palace.

Ibn Battuta was amazed by what he saw. Urduja wore clothes made of silk and gold, with sparkling jewels, and sat on a golden throne covered with silk. Wise women surrounded her, giving her advice. Urduja said kindly but firmly, “Do I look like a wild person? My people are strong and wise. I became ruler because I won a big battle with my army of brave women.”

Ibn Battuta had never met a woman like Urduja before!

Not long after, a Chinese pirate named Limahong arrived on the shores of Tawalisi. He was running from his enemy, a powerful man named Wang. Urduja met Limahong—and soon, she began to like him.

But King Lakanpati didn’t trust outsiders. And Simakwel didn’t like Limahong either. He was afraid that Limahong would win the crown—and Urduja’s heart. So Simakwel tried to turn everyone against Limahong.

But Limahong was kind. He helped the people, protected the village, and proved he was brave. Soon, everyone began to trust and love Limahong.

One day, Wang found out where Limahong was hiding. With Simakwel’s help, Limahong agreed to surrender, but only if Wang promised not to harm Tawalisi. Wang agreed—but he broke his promise. He sent his soldiers to attack the kingdom!

Princess Urduja and her tribe fought bravely, even though Wang’s army was strong. Things looked bad.

But just in time, Limahong returned—with help! He had escaped and asked the Batyaw tribe, once Tawalisi’s enemies, to fight beside them.

Together, the Tawilisi and Batyaw joined forces and defeated Wang's army. They stood as one, brave and united.

After the battle, peace returned to their land. Urduja and Limahong fell in love—and this time, she didn’t need him to defeat her in battle. He had won her heart through courage, kindness, and love.

And so, Princess Urduja and Prince Limahong ruled together, with wisdom and strength.

They led their people into a time of peace, hope, and bravery—and their story lives on forever.

References:

Jocelyn Dimaculangan (April 14, 2008).  “The Love Story of Urduja and Limhang Unfolds this June.”  https://www.pep.ph/news/local/1822/the-love-story-of-urduja-and-limhang-unfolds-this-june

“Urduja.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urduja