Timawa

Part of a series on the
Pre-colonial history of the Philippines
Social classes Ruling class (Maginoo, Ginu, Tumao) Apo, Datu Bagani Lakan Panglima Rajah Sultan Thimuay Middle class Timawa Maharlika Commoners, serfs, and slaves Aliping namamahay Alipin sa gigilid Bulisik Bulislis Horohan Uripon
Political entities Luzon Caboloan Cainta Ibalon Kumintang Ma-i Maynila Namayan Pangasinan Pulilu Sandao Tondo Visayas Cebu Bo-ol/Dapitan Madja-as Mindanao Buayan Butuan Kumalarang Lanao Maguindanao Sanmalan Sulu
Key figures Agustin de Legazpi Azim ud-Din I of Sulu Batarah Shah Tengah Datu Daya Datu Sikatuna Dayang Kalangitan Dimasangcay Adel Dayang Sasaban Gat Pangil Gugu Sarikula Jayadewa Kamal ud-Din Laut Buisan Lakandula Lapulapu Magat Salamat Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram Muhammad Kudarat Sultan Muwallil Wasit Rajah Humabon Rajah Lontok Rajah Matanda Rajah Salalila Rajah Sulayman Rajah Tupas Regimo Diraja Kabungsuwan Sharif ul-Hāshim Sri Lumay Tarik Sulayman Urduja
Primary sources and artifacts Boxer Codex Butuan Ivory Seal Laguna Copperplate Inscription Monreal Stones The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898
By topic Cultural achievements Historiography Monarchs consorts Paramount rulers Religion Warfare
See also: History of the Philippines
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The timawa were the feudal warrior class of the ancient Visayan societies of the Philippines. They were regarded as higher than the uripon (commoners, serfs, and slaves) but below the tumao (royal nobility) in the Visayan social hierarchy. They were roughly similar to the Tagalog maharlika caste.

The term later lost its military and nobility connotations and was demoted to mean "freemen" during the Spanish conquest of the Philippines. During which, the word was also introduced to the Tagalogs, who incorrectly used the term to refer to freed uripon (more correctly the matitimawa or tinimawa in Visayan) and commoners in general (tuhay or mamahay in Visayan). Eventually, the meaning of timawa in modern Visayan languages was reduced to an adjective for "impoverished".