Civil war ensued and the peace of the state was greatly disturbed. This war must have lasted more than thirty years, and its story is variously related by the Moros. The tarsila do not mention it at all. The best description was given by Captain Forest, who learned its details from the mouth of Pakīr Mawlāna, the chief person who conducted the campaign and terminated the struggle.
Kuda invited a party of Sulus living in Magindanao to Simway to support him against his nephew. The Sulus came, but finding him with only a small force, they treacherously murdered him and plundered his camp and possessed themselves of many pieces of heavy cannon, which Kuda had transported from Magindanao to Simway. “The Sulus returned home with their booty, and Manāmir’s party got the ascendency.” But the Sulus, conscious of their iniquity and fearful of resentment when peace should be restored, fomented trouble between Manāmir and his brother Anwār, and supported the latter. The state was again divided against itself, and the second struggle proved worse than the first. Skirmishes were kept up and nightly attacks and assassinations were continued until both sides were very much weakened. Their enmity grew bitter and Malīnug, the son of Anwār, killed his uncle Manāmir. Manāmir was the rightful sultan, and on account of his assassination he has ever since been called Sahīd Mupāt, which means “died a martyr.” Pakīr Mawlāna and Pakāru-d-Dīn, the sons of Sahīd Mupāt, were obliged to leave Magindanao, and retired to Tamontaka. “The country then suffered much. The great palace at the town was first plundered and then burned. In the conflagration many of the houses of Magindanao were destroyed, as was also a great part of the town of Slangan. The groves of cocoanut trees were also mostly destroyed, as being convenient and at hand to make palisades for temporary forts.”
In the meantime Sultan Anwār died at Batwa and has ever since been referred to as Mupāt Batwa, which means “died in Batwa.” Malīnug assumed the sultanate after his father’s death and kept up the fight.
“After a tedious, desultory war, Malīnug fled up the Pulangi to Bwayan. Pakīr Mawlāna then got possession of all the lands about Magindanao, and peace was made soon after. Malīnug died a natural death, and some time later his two sons visited Pakīr Mawlāna.”
Pakīr Mawlāna was a man of low stature, smiling countenance, and communicative disposition. He acquired a great reputation for wisdom and bravery during the civil war, which he brought to a happy conclusion. He spoke Malay and wrote the best tarsila of Magindanao. Magindanao flourished in his day and regained its former glory and prosperity. His pirates invaded the Celebes and had several encounters with Dutch and English vessels, often with success. His relations with Spain were friendly, but Spain had very little influence outside of the Zamboanga colony.
The greater part of Magindanao was in his days built on the point and the adjacent narrow strip of land which lies at the junction of the Matampay and the Pulangi and between them. A longitudinal raised street began at the point and extended for half a mile to a canal which was cut from river to river. More than 150 houses were situated on both sides of this street. The other part of the town of Magindanao did not exceed 20 houses. The town of Slangan was really continuous with Magindanao and extended for about half a mile down the river, forming one continuous street. Slangan was the larger town and had over 200 houses. Both towns had large numbers of mechanics, vessel builders, and merchants. Many Chinese carpenters, arrack distillers, and millers lived in both towns, but chiefly in Slangan. Gardens and rice fields surrounded the town. The chief datus at that time had forts and kept small bodies of troops as bodyguards and artillery corps to take care of the muskets and guns. Kibād Sahriyāl, son of the sultan, had the best and strongest fort at that time. This fort was called Kuta Intang (diamond fort) and was located at the extreme point of the land and commanded the river and the town. The fort had five pieces of cannon, 6 and 9 pounders, and a large number of swivels and lantaka. The Magindanao warriors of those days wore armor coats and helmets and carried krises, spears, and shields. The natives made gunpowder and secured their saltpeter from a cave near Taviran. They built vessels of all dimensions and cruised as far as Java and the Celebes. Their vessels were always long for the breadth and very broad for their draft of water.
In 1774 Mawlāna retired from office in favor of his brother, Pakāru-d-Dīn. Pakār was a weaker man than his brother and practically had very little control over affairs, and always acted in important state questions with the advice and consent of Kibād, his nephew. During his time the English tried to get Bongo Island and to establish a footing near the mouth of the Pulangi.
Sultan Pakāru-d-Dīn was succeeded by Kibād Sahriyāl, who possessed many of the good qualities of his father and ruled with firmness and success. In the meantime the power of Spain in Mindanao had revived and her forces became active again. Kibād maintained friendly relations with Spain and signed a treaty with her in 1794, in which he promised not to enter into any treaty or agreement with another power.
Like his father he had many wives and concubines and begot many children, chief among whom are Sultan Kawāsa and Alamansa Sul-Karnayn.
Kawāsa succeeded his father and maintained the dignity of his office and the prosperity of his sultanate. He is often called Anwāru-d-Dīn (lights of religion) and Amīru-l-Umara (the prince of the princes). He had many children, chief of whom was Intirīnu or Amīrul.