Editing Eastern Samar (section)

===Spanish colonial era===
[[File:Suluan quincentennial monument bas relief.jpg|thumb|165px|left|[[List of Quincentennial historical markers in the Philippines|Quincentennial historical marker]] of [[Ferdinand Magellan]]'s [[Magellan expedition|arrival]] in [[Suluan]], [[Guiuan]]]]

During his [[circumnavigation]] of the globe, [[Ferdinand Magellan]] had set foot on the tiny island of [[Homonhon]] in the southern part of the province. On March 16, 1521, the area of what is now Eastern Samar is said to be the first Philippine landmass spotted by Magellan and his crew.<ref name=FastFactsPhilProv-EasternSamar>{{cite book|last1=Lancion |first1=Conrado M. Jr. |others=cartography by de Guzman, Rey|title=Fast Facts about Philippine Provinces|date=1995|publisher=Tahanan Books|location=Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines|isbn=971-630-037-9|page=72|edition=The 2000 Millenium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r0EOAQAAMAAJ|access-date=4 December 2015|chapter=The Provinces; Eastern Samar}}</ref><ref name="Inquirer-GuiuansTreasure">{{cite news|last1=Labro|first1=Vicente S.|title=Guiuan's treasure chest of history, natural wonders|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/13922/guiuan%E2%80%99s-treasure-chest-of-history-natural-wonders|access-date=24 April 2016|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]|date=11 June 2011}}</ref><ref name="NSCBGovPH-EasternSamar">{{cite web|title=The Province of Eastern Samar|url=http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru8/profiles/provincial_profiles/esamar.htm|website=National Statistical Coordination Board|access-date=24 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206021350/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru8/Profiles/Provincial_Profiles/esamar.htm|archive-date=6 December 2014}}</ref>

In 1596, many names, such as Samal, Ibabao, and Tandaya, were given to [[Samar|Samar Island]] prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. During the early days of Spanish occupation, Samar was under the jurisdiction of [[Cebu]]. Samar and [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] were later separated from Cebu in 1735. They were split in 1747 but was reversed in 1762 with the approval of the [[King of Spain]], following complaints from the [[Jesuits]]. The province of [[Samar (historical province)|Samar]] was later established as a distinct province in 1768 after it got separated from the province of [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://samar.lgu-ph.com/history.htm|title=Samar History and Information|website=lgu-ph.com|accessdate=October 15, 2024}}</ref>  In 1777, Samar and Leyte split for the last time when it was approved in [[Madrid]] in 1786 and had been effective in 1799.