Battle of Brunei Town

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Battle of Brunei Town
Part of Anglo-Bruneian War
HMS Vixen.jpg
HMS Vixen firing on Pengiran Yusof's house and battery
Date1845
Location
Brunei Town
Result Sarawakian victory
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Old Flag of Brunei.svg Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien II
Old Flag of Brunei.svg Pengiran Yusof  White flag icon.svg 		Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane
The letterhead of Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam.svg Pengiran Budaruddin
The letterhead of Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam.svg Pengiran Muda Hashim
Units involved
Old Flag of Brunei.svg Bruneian Army
Old Flag of Brunei.svg Bruneian Navy
Strength
~100 warrior
1 cannon
300 Kedayans
7 proa 		1 gunboat
~300-400
~100
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Brunei Town was a battle that occurred in Brunei Town, modern day Bandar Seri Begawan. The battle was part of the Anglo-Bruneian War between the Royal Navy and the Sarawakian forces lead by Rear-Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Pengiran Badruddin and Pengiran Muda Hashim respectively and the forces of Pengiran Yusof

Contents

Background

in August 1845, Cochrane who previously arrived at Brunei in July, reappeared with a handful ships to release two Lascar seamen who were believed to be hidden there. [1] [2] Badruddin accused Yusof of being involved in the slave trade due to his close relations with a notable pirate leader Sharif Usman in Marudu Bay and the Sultanate of Sulu. [1] Denying the allegation, Yusof refused to attend a meeting with Cochrane.

Yusof was a rogue noblemen, he was associated with Muhammad Alam who fought against Omar Ali Saifuddien II over control of the sultanate in the Bruneian Civil War of 1826. [3] He was very unpopular as the villagers of Kampong Burong Pingai turned against him. He likely only supported Muhammad Alam due to the fact Muhammad Alam opposed Western influence. He likely married into the House of Osman. [4]

Battle

Fighting started when Yusof fired a cannon shot at Cochrane's squadron from his house. HMS Vixen fired on his house in retaliation, with Yusof fleeing. [5]

Two days after Cochrane and his steamers left, Yusof seized the hill behind his late house with 300 Kedayans, and commenced an attack on Brunei Town, with Badruddin defeating him with a force similar in manpower. [6]

He once commenced another attack, this time using sailors from Marudu which were defeated by Hashim. [7] [8]

Aftermath

Yusof fled to Kimanis in northern Borneo, who was reported to be executed [7] [8] but recent research suggests otherwise. [1] His faction's power continued to grow until 1906. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Saunders 2013, p. 76.
  2. ↑ Gott 2011, p. 374.
  3. ↑ Mail & Anwar 2016, p. 12–13.
  4. ↑ Gerlich, Bianca (January 2003). Marudu 1845 - The Destruction and Reconstruction of a Coastal State in Borneo. Abera. pp. 138–140. ISBN   3-934376-47-9.
  5. ↑ Cree 1845.
  6. ↑ Keppel, Captain (1846). "THE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO OF H.M.S. DIDO FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY: WITH EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF JAMES BROOKE, ESQ., OF SARAWAK". The Daily Brunei Resources. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  7. 1 2 Miller 1970, p. 95.
  8. 1 2 Royal Asiatic Society 1960, p. 292.
  9. ↑ Universiti Brunei Darussalam & https://fass.ubd.edu.bn/staff/docs/BAH/revival.pdf.
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