Tondo Polity is categorized as a "Bayan" (a "city-state", "country" or "polity", lit. '"settlement"'). Travellers from monarchical cultures who had contacts with Tondo (including the Chinese, Portuguese and the Spanish) often initially observed it as the "KingdomofTondo".
Paramount datu
Most senior among Datus in Tondo, called a Lakan
Barangays
Social groupings in Tondo led by Datus
Alliance group
Formed by the various Manila Bay area polities
Included Tondo, Maynila, and various polities in Bulacan and Pampanga
Lakan
Highest regarded among Datus in the alliance group formed by the various Manila Bay area polities
Datus
Leaders of Barangays in Tondo
Tondo
Made up of several social groupings traditionally referred to by historians as Barangays
Significant trading relationswhich served as the main conduit for significant Indian cultural influence
Ming dynasty
Malaysia
Brunei
Majapahit empire
Culturally, the Tagalog people of Tondo had a rich Austronesian (specifically Malayo-Polynesian) culture
