maharlika

Maharlika is a term used in the Philippines to describe a status group in pre-colonial Tagalog society. The word, derived from Tagalog, is often translated as nobleman, warrior, or freeman. The exact meaning and composition of the maharlika varied by region and era, and modern scholars differ on whether it signified hereditary nobility, a class of free landowners, or a broader category of non-slaves.

In many accounts, maharlika referred to free men who were not slaves and who could own property. They typically owed allegiance to a datu (leader) and performed military or other duties. Some sources describe them as distinct from alipin (slaves) and from other free groups such as the timawa, while others use maharlika in a more general or region-specific sense. The boundaries between social groups were fluid and not uniformly defined across the archipelago.

In modern usage, maharlika appears in historical and nationalist discourse and has been revived in public talk about pre-colonial governance and social organization. The term has also been adopted in contemporary policy contexts, including as the name of the Maharlika Investment Fund, a Philippine government program intended to promote investment and development; its governance and financial viability have been the subject of debate.