Aklan, including what is now Capiz, was organised as "Minuro it Aklan" by settlers from Borneo in 1213. It was one of three political units, sakops, into which Panay was divided, the other two being Hamitc (now Antique) and Irong-Irong (now Iloilo) The firs ruler of Aklan was named Datu Bangkaya. Under Datu Dinagandan, the present site of Batan was made its capital towards the end of the 1400-century. In 1433, Datu Bendahara of the earliest written body of laws. When Datu Manduyog became ruler in 1437, he moved the capital to Bakan (the ancient name of Banga). When Legazpi landed in Batan in 1565, Datu Kabayag was ruling Aklan from what is now Libacao. When the Spaniards settled in the area, they changed its name to Capiz, much to the dimay of the Aklanons. The Aklanons agitated for their separation from Capiz throughout the American period. Aklan finally became a separate province in 1956. An early Aklanon settlement called Madyanos, near the town of Nemancia, later became Kalibo.

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