Acehnese invasion of Johor

Last updated
Acehnese invasions of Johor
DateMay 4, 1613 – September 1615
Location
Result Acehnese victory
Belligerents
Flag of Aceh Sultanate.svg Sultanate of Aceh Flag of Pahang (1853 - 1887).svg Johor Sultanate
Flag of the Dutch East India Company.svg Dutch East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Aceh Sultanate.svg Iskandar Muda Flag of Pahang (1853 - 1887).svg Alauddin Riayat Shah III
Flag of Pahang (1853 - 1887).svg Abdullah Ma'ayat Shah
Strength
First invasion:
20000-40000 men
60-70 ships
Second invasion:
30000-40000 men
300 ships
First invasion:
Unknown Johorese garrison
31 Dutch men
Second invasion:
Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Heavy Johorese casualties
22 Dutch captured

The Acehnese launched their invasion of Johor between 1613 and 1615 to subjugate and vassalize the Johor Sultanate, as part of the Acehenese expansion in the Malay peninsula under Iskandar Muda reign.

Contents

Background

Aceh has been a long-term enemy of the johorese, and the actual conflicts start when the Acehnese began expanding their empire by invading and capturing several Sumatran ports like Pidie and Pasai, whom the Portuguese infiltrated, the Johorese saw the Acehnese as a danger to their rule while the Acehnese saw the Johorese as traitors for siding with the Portuguese in Malacca, [1] in 1564 Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor was captured by the Acehnese and later executed, in 1568 the Johorese assisted the Portuguese against Acehnese siege of Malacca. [2] Because of the frequent alliances between Johor and the Portuguese this gave enough justification for the Acehnese to invade Johor who sought to wipe out the Portuguese presence in the Malay peninsula. [3]

First invasion

On May 4, 1613, the Acehnese, with a large army between 20000 and 40000 and an armada consisting of 60 to 70 ships invaded Johor, they overran the Johor River and attacked coastal settlements such as Johor Lama, Batu Sawar, and also the Town of Singapore, [4] [5] the Acehnese found out some of the Dutch in Johor, they demanded the Dutch to be neutral during the conflict with the promise that no harm would be done to them, the Dutch serving the Johor sultan, retorted because they signed a treaty to protect Johor from any attack, but unsure of how to deal with them since they were allies of the Dutch East India Company or VOC company, the resident members of the VOC encouraged the Dutch to resist, 6 members of the company alongside 25 men fought with the Johor but were outnumbered, Batu Sawar fell on June 6, the Acehnese captured the sultan's younger brother Abdullah Ma'ayat Shah alongside 22 Dutch men. [6] [7]

The fate of the Johorese sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah III is disputed with some saying he was captured by the Acehnese and executed while others stated he escaped to the Lingga Island where he died in 1615. [8] The captured Dutchmen were taken to Aceh as prisoners of war, where they apologized to Sultan, saying that they were bound by their treaty of 1606 with Johor to defend the sultan who was a friend of the Dutch, Iskandar was troubled by the fact that the Dutch had come to the defense of his Malay enemy, yet he forgave them and allowed the captives to stay in their lodge on bail of the company's goods. [9]

His younger brother, Abdullah Ma'ayat Shah known as "Raja Bongsu" was married to Iskandar Muda's sister and sent back to Johor to rule it as a Vassal of Aceh, [10] [11] because of his anti-Portuguese stance, he was a better candidate, returning with 2000 Achenese to rebuild Batu Sawar. [12]

Second invasion

In 1614, Johor once again made a truce with the Portuguese, this political setback was a challenge to the Acehnese power equilibrium gained over Malacca, Malacca's ability to force Abdullah shows Aceh's ineffective authority over Johor, [13] and this time the Acehnese Armada of 300 and 30000 to 40000 men invaded Johor in September 1615 and for the second time destroyed Batu Sawar, Abdullah escaped and have taken refuge in Bintan Island, [14] [15]

Aftermath

In 1615, the Acehnese armada attempted to attack Portuguese Malacca, but encountered a Portuguese fleet that engaged them at the Battle of Formoso River. In the battle, one of the Portuguese galleons blew up when its gunpowder magazine caught fire causing confusion in Portuguese ranks and the Acehnese captured between 50 and 60 Portuguese prisoners. [16] [a] [17] Having suffered thousands of casualties in the battle, the Acehnese called off the attack on Malacca and fled to Aceh.

Despite Achenese destruction of the Johorese capital, they failed to capture its sultan, Abdullah, Iskandar Muda was preparing a third expedition to capture the sultan with an armada of 200 Proa, 1623 they succeeded in capturing Lingga island and destroying his residence and capturing many of his subjects, [18] Abdullah later escaped to Tambelan Archipelago where he died there. [19]

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanjungpinang</span> City and capital of Riau Islands, Indonesia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johor Lama</span> Mukim in Johor, Malaysia

Johor Lama is a mukim in Kota Tinggi District, Johor, Malaysia. It is situated on the banks of Johor River. It was once a thriving port and the old capital of the Johor Sultanate.

Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Shah was the first sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1528 to 1564. He founded the Johor Sultanate following the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. He was the second son of Mahmud Shah of Malacca. Thus, Johor was a successor state of Malacca and Johor's sultans follow the numbering system of Malacca. Throughout his reign, he faced constant threats from the Portuguese as well as the emerging Aceh Sultanate.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alauddin al-Kahar</span> Sultan of Aceh (1537/9–1571)

Alauddin Ri'ayat Syah al-Kahar was the third Sultan of the Aceh Sultanate, reigning from either 1537 or 1539 until his death. He is considered to be one of the strongest rulers in the history of the sultanate and greatly strengthened Aceh. Alauddin's reign was marked by increased conflict with his Portuguese and Malay rivals and his dispatching of envoys to the Ottoman sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent in the 1560s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iskandar Muda</span> Sultan of Aceh

Iskandar Muda was the twelfth Sultan of Acèh Darussalam, under whom the sultanate achieved its greatest territorial extent, holding sway as the strongest power and wealthiest state in the western Indonesian archipelago and the Strait of Malacca. "Iskandar Muda" literally means "young Alexander," and his conquests were often compared to those of Alexander the Great. In addition to his notable conquests, during his reign, Aceh became known as an international centre of Islamic learning and trade. He was the last Sultan of Aceh who was a direct lineal male descendant of Ali Mughayat Syah, the founder of the Aceh Sultanate. Iskandar Muda's death meant that the founding dynasty of the Aceh Sultanate, the House of Meukuta Alam died out and was replaced by another dynasty.

Tun Muhammad bin Tun Ahmad, better known as Tun Sri Lanang, was the Bendahara of the royal Court of Johor Sultanate who lived between the 16th and 17th centuries. He served under two Sultans of Johor, namely; Sultan Ali Jalla Abdul Jalil Shah II (1570–1597) and Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah III (1597–1615) and also advisers to 3 Acheh sultans namely; Sultan Iskandar Muda, Sultan Iskandar Thani (1636–1641) and Sultana Tajul Alam Safiatuddin Shah (1641–1675). He had two honorific titles throughout his lifetime; as the Bendahara of Johor, Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Mohamad, while he was given the title of Orang Kaya Dato' Bendahara Seri Paduka Tun Seberang after settling in Aceh.

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References

  1. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, The age of Aceh And The evolution of kingship 1599 - 1641, p. 169
  2. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 169-170
  3. Peter Borschberg, The Singapore and Melaka Straits, Violence, Security and Diplomacy in the 17th Century, p. 112
  4. Peter Borschberg, p. 112
  5. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 171
  6. Peter Borschberg, p. 114
  7. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 171
  8. Peter Borschberg, p. 114
  9. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 171
  10. Peter Borschberg, p. 114
  11. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 172
  12. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 176
  13. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 190
  14. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 190-1
  15. Peter Borschberg, Iberians in the Singapore-Melaka Area and Adjacent Regions (16th to 18th Century), p. 44
  16. Peter Borschberg, p. 44
  17. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 192
  18. Ingrid Saroda Mitrasing, p. 194
  19. Tun Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid (2011). The Encyclopedia of Malaysia: Volume 16, The Rulers of Malaysia. Archipelago Press.
  20. Peter Borschberg, p. 44