Fact #8: The Srivijayan & Majapahit Empires Were Only Custodians of the Ophir's Gold

8. The nation's treasury of the Maharlikan people were so abundant that when under the Srivijayan-Majapahit Empire these were accumulated and taken as part of the empires’ treasury being the custodians of the wealth meant (only) for the Maharlikan nation.

In the previous topics, three facts were established: 1) the location of the land called Ophir (of the Maharlikan people) where King Solomon obtained gold points to no other place than the present-day Philippine Archipelago; 2) gold was so abundant in the land of Ophir during those days, and; 3) the Maharlikan people in the land of Ophir were in trade relations with other kingdoms and nations.

Prior to the Moslem's invasions of the Malayan Peninsula, in the 15^th century, the Majapahit Empire had already commercially controlled most part of the Maharlikan archipelago due to the latter’s having no central governance to unify the nation and no central forces to resist the impending occupation. It was an easy integration process on the part of the empire as there was no opposition at all. That condition of no central rulership had convinced them that the Maharlikan archipelago is a territory belonging to the Majapahit.

But owing to the unceasing incursions of the Moslems in the Malaya Peninsula between 1470's to 1520's establishing their sultanate governance and the Sharia Law in the region, the Majapahit Empire slowly disintegrated forcing its remaining central government to gradually moved from Java to Bali (Indonesia). And from there, a large number of courtiers, artisans, priests, and members of the royal family together with the huge amount of their treasury finally transferred to the Maharlikan archipelago in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (North Borneo).

There, in the Maharlikan archipelago the reigning royal family remained undisturbed for two centuries. With that reason, among others, as the reigning family continues, the treasures and natural resources were mined and accumulated into their treasury for the sustenance of the newly established kingdom. Gold was so abundant in the land that by shifting alone on the riverbeds anyone can find a gold nugget even as big as egg or walnut. Citing from the article Gold of Ancestors: Ayala Museum's Greatest Treasures written by Emmie V. Abadilla in 2014, she said, "Masters and slaves wore gold in their daily lives. Even the lowest of the low slaves wore gold ornaments. The country overflowed with gold in those days." It was no surprise why the Majapahit Empire was the richest kingdom in the world when it had controlled the Maharlikan archipelago. The same reason is also attributed to the legendary King Solomon’s temple made of gold that were mined from the land of Ophir.