Emilio Aguinaldo was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary leader who is considered by many to be the first President of the Philippines. He was born on March 22, 1869 in Cavite, Philippines, the seventh of eight children in a wealthy family of Chinese and Filipino descent.
Aguinaldo received his education at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, where he excelled in academics and athletics. He was also heavily involved in student politics and participated in various secret societies that sought to overthrow Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines.
In 1896, Aguinaldo joined the Katipunan, a revolutionary society that sought independence from Spain. He quickly rose through the ranks and became one of the leaders of the organization. In 1898, following the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain and established a provisional government in Biak-na-Bato, a town in the mountains of central Luzon.
Aguinaldo's provisional government signed a peace treaty with the Spanish government in 1897, which included a payment of $800,000 to the revolutionaries in exchange for their surrender. However, the treaty was not honored by the Spanish and fighting resumed.
In 1898, the United States declared war on Spain and entered the Philippine Revolution. Aguinaldo initially welcomed the Americans as allies, but tensions soon arose as it became clear that the United States had no intention of granting independence to the Philippines.
Aguinaldo led the Philippine forces in a guerrilla war against the Americans, but was eventually captured in 1901. He was forced to swear allegiance to the United States and was subsequently exiled to Hong Kong.
Upon his return to the Philippines in 1903, Aguinaldo was pardoned by the American authorities and lived the rest of his life as a private citizen. He died on February 6, 1964, at the age of 94.
Despite his controversial role in Philippine history, Emilio Aguinaldo is remembered as a national hero and an important figure in the fight for independence from colonial rule.