Sultanate of Ternate
Encyclopedia
The Sultanate of Ternate was originally named the Kingdom of Gapi, but later change the name base of its capital, Ternate
. The sultanate is one of the oldest Muslim kingdoms in Indonesia
, established by Baab Mashur Malamo in 1257. It reached its Golden Age during the reign of Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583) and encompassed most of the eastern part of Indonesia and a part of southern Philippines. Ternate was a world producer of cloves and a major power in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries.
completed the colonization of Maluku in the 19th century, the Sultans of Ternate ruled empires that claimed at least nominal influence as far as Ambon
, Sulawesi
and Papua
.
In part as a result of its trade-dependent culture, Ternate was one of the earliest places in the region to which Islam
spread, probably coming from Java in the late 15th century. Initially, the faith was restricted to Ternate's small ruling family, and spread only slowly to the rest of the population.
The royal family of Ternate converted to Islam during the reign of King Marhum (1465–1486); his son and successor, Zainal Abidin (1486–1500) enacted Islamic Law and transformed the kingdom into an Islamic Sultanate; the title Kolano (king) was then replaced with Sultan.
The peak of Ternate's power came near the end of the sixteenth century, under Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583), when it had influence over most of the eastern part of Sulawesi
, the Ambon and Seram
area, Timor island, parts of southern Mindanao and as well as parts of Papua
. It frequently engaged in fierce competition for control of its periphery with the nearby Sultanate of Tidore. According to historian Leonard Andaya, Ternate's "dualistic" rivalry with Tidore is a dominant theme in the early history of the Maluku Islands.
expedition of Francisco Serrão
out of Malacca
, which was shipwrecked near Seram
and rescued by local residents. Sultan Bayanullah of Ternate (1500–1522) heard of their stranding and, seeing a chance to ally himself with a powerful foreign nation, he brought them to Ternate in 1512. The Portuguese were permitted to build a fort on the island, construction of which began in 1522, but relations between the Ternateans and Portuguese were strained from the start.
An outpost far from Europe generally only attracted the most desperate and avaricious, such that the generally poor behaviour of the Portuguese, combined with feeble attempts at Christianisation, strained relations with Ternate's Muslim ruler. In 1535 Sultan Tabariji
was deposed and sent to Goa by the Portuguese. He converted to Christianity and changed his name to Dom Manuel. After being declared innocent of the charges against him he was sent back to re-assume his throne; however, he died en route in Malacca in 1545. He had though bequeathed the island of Ambon
to his Portuguese godfather, Jordão de Freitas. Following the murder of Sultan Hairun at the hands of the Portuguese, the Ternateans expelled the Portuguese in 1575 after a five-year siege. Ambon became the new centre for Portuguese activities in Maluku. European power in the region was weak and Ternate became an expanding, fiercely Islamic and anti-Portuguese state under the rule of Sultan Baab Ullah (r. 1570–1583) and his son Sultan Said.
Spanish
forces captured the former Portuguese fort from the Ternatese in 1606, deporting the Ternate Sultan and his entourage to Manila. In 1607 the Dutch came back to Ternate, where with the help of Ternateans they built a fort in Malayo. The island was divided between the two powers: the Spaniards were allied with Tidore and the Dutch with their Ternaten allies. For the Ternaten rulers, the Dutch were a useful, if not particularly welcome, presence that gave them military advantages against Tidore and the Spanish. Particularly under Sultan Hamzah (1627–1648), Ternate expanded its territory and strengthened its control over the periphery. Dutch influence over the kingdom was limited, though Hamzah and his grandnephew and successor, Sultan Mandar Syah (1648–1675) did concede some regions to the Dutch East India Company
(VOC) in exchange for help controlling rebellions there. The Spaniards abandoned Maluku in 1663.
Desire to restore Ternate to its former glory and expel the western power, Sultan Sibori of Ternate (1675–1691) declared war to the Dutch, but the power of Ternate had greatly reduced over the years, he lost and forced to concede more of his lands to the Dutch by an unjust treaty in 1683. By this treaty, Ternate had lost its equal position with the Dutch and became a vassal. However, the Sultans of Ternate and its people were never fully under Dutch control.
In the 18th century Ternate was the site of a VOC governorship, which attempted to control all trade in the northern Moluccas. By the 19th century, the spice trade had declined substantially. Hence the region was less central to the Netherlands colonial state, but the Dutch maintained a presence in the region in order to prevent another colonial power from occupying it. After the VOC was nationalised
by the Dutch government in 1800, Ternate became part of the Government of the Moluccas (Gouvernement der Molukken). Ternate was occupied by British
forces in 1810 before being returned to Dutch control in 1817. In 1824 it became the capital of a residency (administrative region) covering Halmahera, the entire west coast of New Guinea
, and the central east coast of Sulawesi
. By 1867 all of Dutch-occupied New Guinea
had been added to the residency, but then its region was gradually transferred to Ambon (Amboina) before being dissolved into that residency in 1922.
Sultan Haji Muhammad Usman (1896–1914) made a last attempt to drive out the Dutch by instigating revolts in the region; he failed and was dethroned, his wealth being confiscated, and he was exiled to Bandung
, where he lived his remaining years until 1927. The throne of Ternate was left vacant from 1914 to 1927, until the board of ministers under the blessing of the Dutch created Crown Prince Iskandar Muhammad Jabir the next Sultan.
The dynasty which ruled Ternate still exist today as well as the Sultanate itself, though they no longer hold any political power. Ternate is ruled by an unbroken line of rulers since its first king, Baab Mashur Malamo in 13th century. The current sultan is H.H. Sultan Drs. H. Mudaffar II Syah who assumed the title in 1986.
Ternate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....
. The sultanate is one of the oldest Muslim kingdoms in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, established by Baab Mashur Malamo in 1257. It reached its Golden Age during the reign of Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583) and encompassed most of the eastern part of Indonesia and a part of southern Philippines. Ternate was a world producer of cloves and a major power in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries.
Pre-colonial history
Ternate and neighbouring Tidore were the world's single major producer of cloves, upon which their rulers became among the wealthiest and most powerful sultans in the Indonesian region. Much of their wealth, however, was wasted fighting each other. Up until the DutchDutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
completed the colonization of Maluku in the 19th century, the Sultans of Ternate ruled empires that claimed at least nominal influence as far as Ambon
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
, Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
and Papua
Papua (Indonesian province)
Papua comprises most of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. Its capital is Jayapura. It's the largest and easternmost province of Indonesia. The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea...
.
In part as a result of its trade-dependent culture, Ternate was one of the earliest places in the region to which Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
spread, probably coming from Java in the late 15th century. Initially, the faith was restricted to Ternate's small ruling family, and spread only slowly to the rest of the population.
The royal family of Ternate converted to Islam during the reign of King Marhum (1465–1486); his son and successor, Zainal Abidin (1486–1500) enacted Islamic Law and transformed the kingdom into an Islamic Sultanate; the title Kolano (king) was then replaced with Sultan.
The peak of Ternate's power came near the end of the sixteenth century, under Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583), when it had influence over most of the eastern part of Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, the Ambon and Seram
Seram
Seram is an island in the Maluku province of Indonesia. It is located north of Ambon Island. The chief port/town is Masohi.- Geography and geology :...
area, Timor island, parts of southern Mindanao and as well as parts of Papua
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. It frequently engaged in fierce competition for control of its periphery with the nearby Sultanate of Tidore. According to historian Leonard Andaya, Ternate's "dualistic" rivalry with Tidore is a dominant theme in the early history of the Maluku Islands.
Europeans
The first Europeans to stay on Ternate were part of the PortuguesePortuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
expedition of Francisco Serrão
Francisco Serrão
Francisco Serrão was a Portuguese explorer and a cousin of Ferdinand Magellan. His 1512 voyage was the first known European sailing east past Malacca through Indonesia and the Indies. He became a member of the Sultan Bayan Sirrullah, the ruler of Ternate, becoming his personal advisor...
out of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, which was shipwrecked near Seram
Seram
Seram is an island in the Maluku province of Indonesia. It is located north of Ambon Island. The chief port/town is Masohi.- Geography and geology :...
and rescued by local residents. Sultan Bayanullah of Ternate (1500–1522) heard of their stranding and, seeing a chance to ally himself with a powerful foreign nation, he brought them to Ternate in 1512. The Portuguese were permitted to build a fort on the island, construction of which began in 1522, but relations between the Ternateans and Portuguese were strained from the start.
An outpost far from Europe generally only attracted the most desperate and avaricious, such that the generally poor behaviour of the Portuguese, combined with feeble attempts at Christianisation, strained relations with Ternate's Muslim ruler. In 1535 Sultan Tabariji
Tabariji
Tabariji or Tabarija was the Sultan of the Sultanate of Ternate, which also included Amboina and other islands beginning in 1532.Tabariji was the son of Sultan Abulais and his first and primary wife, Nycili Boki Raja. Nycili was the daughter of the king of Tidore and inherited that realm from her...
was deposed and sent to Goa by the Portuguese. He converted to Christianity and changed his name to Dom Manuel. After being declared innocent of the charges against him he was sent back to re-assume his throne; however, he died en route in Malacca in 1545. He had though bequeathed the island of Ambon
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
to his Portuguese godfather, Jordão de Freitas. Following the murder of Sultan Hairun at the hands of the Portuguese, the Ternateans expelled the Portuguese in 1575 after a five-year siege. Ambon became the new centre for Portuguese activities in Maluku. European power in the region was weak and Ternate became an expanding, fiercely Islamic and anti-Portuguese state under the rule of Sultan Baab Ullah (r. 1570–1583) and his son Sultan Said.
Spanish
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
forces captured the former Portuguese fort from the Ternatese in 1606, deporting the Ternate Sultan and his entourage to Manila. In 1607 the Dutch came back to Ternate, where with the help of Ternateans they built a fort in Malayo. The island was divided between the two powers: the Spaniards were allied with Tidore and the Dutch with their Ternaten allies. For the Ternaten rulers, the Dutch were a useful, if not particularly welcome, presence that gave them military advantages against Tidore and the Spanish. Particularly under Sultan Hamzah (1627–1648), Ternate expanded its territory and strengthened its control over the periphery. Dutch influence over the kingdom was limited, though Hamzah and his grandnephew and successor, Sultan Mandar Syah (1648–1675) did concede some regions to the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
(VOC) in exchange for help controlling rebellions there. The Spaniards abandoned Maluku in 1663.
Desire to restore Ternate to its former glory and expel the western power, Sultan Sibori of Ternate (1675–1691) declared war to the Dutch, but the power of Ternate had greatly reduced over the years, he lost and forced to concede more of his lands to the Dutch by an unjust treaty in 1683. By this treaty, Ternate had lost its equal position with the Dutch and became a vassal. However, the Sultans of Ternate and its people were never fully under Dutch control.
In the 18th century Ternate was the site of a VOC governorship, which attempted to control all trade in the northern Moluccas. By the 19th century, the spice trade had declined substantially. Hence the region was less central to the Netherlands colonial state, but the Dutch maintained a presence in the region in order to prevent another colonial power from occupying it. After the VOC was nationalised
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
by the Dutch government in 1800, Ternate became part of the Government of the Moluccas (Gouvernement der Molukken). Ternate was occupied by British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
forces in 1810 before being returned to Dutch control in 1817. In 1824 it became the capital of a residency (administrative region) covering Halmahera, the entire west coast of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, and the central east coast of Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
. By 1867 all of Dutch-occupied New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
had been added to the residency, but then its region was gradually transferred to Ambon (Amboina) before being dissolved into that residency in 1922.
Sultan Haji Muhammad Usman (1896–1914) made a last attempt to drive out the Dutch by instigating revolts in the region; he failed and was dethroned, his wealth being confiscated, and he was exiled to Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, where he lived his remaining years until 1927. The throne of Ternate was left vacant from 1914 to 1927, until the board of ministers under the blessing of the Dutch created Crown Prince Iskandar Muhammad Jabir the next Sultan.
Lineage
| Kolano of Ternate | Reign |
|---|---|
| Mansahur Malamo [Tsuka] | 1257 - 1277 |
| Puli or Poit [Jamin Qadrat] | 1277 - 1284 |
| Komala 'Abu Said [Siale] | 1284 - 1298 |
| Bakuku [Kalabata] | 1298 - 1304 |
| Negara Malamo [Komala] | 1304 - 1317 |
| Patsaranga Malamo [Aitsi] | 1317 - 1322 |
| Sidang Arif Malamo [Aija] | 1322 - 1331 |
| Paji Malamo [A'ali] | 1331 - 1332 |
| Shah Alam | 1332 - 1343 |
| Tulu Malamo [Fulu] | 1343 - 1347 |
| Kie Mabiji [Buhayati I] | 1347 - 1350 |
| Ngolo-ma-Kaya [Muhammad Shah] | 1350 - 1357 |
| Mamoli [Momole] | 1357 - 1359 |
| Gapi Malamo I [Muhammad Bakar] | 1359 - 1372 |
| Gapi Baguna I | 1372 - 1377 |
| Komala Pulu [Bessi Muhammad Hassan] | 1377 - 1432 |
| Abdu'llah al-Mahrum Kapaslola [Gapi Baguna II] | 1432 - 1486 |
| Zainal Abidin [Tidore Wangi] | 1486 - 1500 |
| Bayana Sirru'llah 'Abu Lais [Bayangu'llah] | 1500 - 1522 |
| Dayalu I ibni al-Marhum | 1522 - 1529 |
| Abu Hayat [Bahayat II] | 1529 - 1533 |
| Mansur II | 1533 - 1534 |
| Khair ul-Jamal [Hairun Jamilun] | 1535 - 1570 |
| Babu'llah Datu Shah | 1570 - 1583 |
| Said ud-din Barakat Shah | 1583 - 1606 |
| Muzaffar Shah I | 1607 - 1627 |
| al-Hamza Hajah | 1627 - 1648 |
| Mandar Shah [Manlarsaha] | 1648 - 1650 |
| Manilha | 1650 - 1655 |
| Mandar Shah [Manlarsaha] | 1655 - 1675 |
| Sibori | 1675 - 1689 |
| Said Fathu'llah | 1689 - 1714 |
| Amir Iskandar Zulkarnain Saif ud-din | 1714 - 1751 |
| Binayatu'llah | 1751 - 1754 |
| Amir Iskandar Muda Shah | 1755 - 1763 |
| Shahid ul-Muh | 1763 - 1774 |
| Ikhtias ul-Rahman | 1774 - 1781 |
| Amir Iskandar II | 1781 - 1796 |
| Haj ul-Arifin | 1796 - 1801 |
| Said ul-Biladi | 1807 - 1821 |
| Amir ul-Mu'minin | 1821 - 1823 |
| Taj ul-Mulki Amir ud-din | 1823 - 1859 |
| ul-Mahf ul-Binayat Illahi | 1859 - 1876 |
| Taj ul-Mahs ul-Binayatu'llalali | 1879 - 1900 |
| Ilham [Kolano Ara Rimoi] | 1900 - 1902 |
| Taj ul-Mahsi | 1902 - 1915 |
| Iskandar Muhammad Jabir Shah | 1929 - 1975 |
| Haji Muzaffar Shah II [Dr Mudaffar Syah] | 1975 - present |
The dynasty which ruled Ternate still exist today as well as the Sultanate itself, though they no longer hold any political power. Ternate is ruled by an unbroken line of rulers since its first king, Baab Mashur Malamo in 13th century. The current sultan is H.H. Sultan Drs. H. Mudaffar II Syah who assumed the title in 1986.