Aceh Ascendant

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Aceh Ascendant

I

Meanwhile, the Portuguese had conquered Melaka in 1511. They rapidly gained the animosity of Muslim and other traders who preferred to move to other port cities in the region. In this process, the strongly Muslim Acheh was a clear winner. Acheh enjoyed a strategic location at the northern tip of Sumatra, which gave it access to trade in the Indian Ocean area and the Red Sea. An unreliable Ottoman account says that the sultan of Acheh approached the Ottoman sultan Selim I in 1516 and offered vassalage( however the Ottomans would rather choose to give military assistance to Acheh rather than vassalage in order to back a strong regional ally). However, the Achehnese-Ottoman relations actually seem to belong to a later period, during the reign of Sultan Ali's son Alauddin al-Kahar. In his geographical work Suma Oriental (c. 1512-15) the Portuguese writer Tomé Pires writes that the king of Acheh also ruled over Lamuri and lorded over Biheue. He was "a knightly man among his neighbours. He uses piracy when he sees an opportunity." The ruler had 40 lancharas (ships) to use for sea expeditions. Other kingdoms on

the north coast at that time included Pidië, Lide (unknown location), Peudada, and Pasai.

The first direct contact between Acheh and the Portuguese took place in 1519 when a Gaspar da Costa arrived with a ship but was captured by the inhabitants. He was later ransomed by the syahbandar (harbour master) of Pasai and found refuge there. In the next year 1520, Sultan Ali and his brother Raja Ibrahim began a series military campaigns to dominate the northern part of Sumatra, which would soon draw in the Portuguese in a deadly struggle. His first campaign was to Daya, on the northwest coast, which, according to Tomé Pires, had not yet been Islamized (although this can only be partly true since members of the Achehnese sultan's family ruled the place). A Portuguese fort had been built there, but was now lost. Further conquests extended down the east coast, incorporating several pepper-producing and gold-producing regions. The addition of such regions ultimately led to internal tensions within the Sultanate, as Acheh's strength was as a trading port, whose economic interests vary from those of producing ports

Next, a Portuguese fleet with 200 men led by Jorge de Brito arrived in 1521. Sultan Ali sent an envoy, a certain Portuguese who stayed in Acheh, with gifts to the visitors. However, the envoy changed sides and persuaded de Brito to attack the capital of Acheh, reminding him of previous Achehnese robberies and enticing him with stories of a sanctuary filled with gold in the capital. However, Sultan Ali marched out with 800-1,000 men and 6 elephants and inflicted a total defeat on the Portuguese. De Brito was killed and the survivors fled to the ships. Much European artillery was captured which came to good use against Pidië. In the same year the Portuguese occupied Pasai, inspiring new Achehnese attacks.

Pidië was soon conquered, as related above. A Portuguese fleet which had been dispatched to support Pidië was successfully pushed back. Sultan Ali's brother and commander Raja Ibrahim fell in the war of conquest on 30 November 1523. However, in 1524 Pasai was eventually captured and the Portuguese garrison there was expelled with Ottoman help. The Sultan of Pasai fled to Melaka while the ex-rulers of Pidië and Daya escaped to Aru (roughly corresponding to the later Deli).

The Achehnese decided to seize Melaka from the Portuguese in 1526, Acheh would gain the city of Melaka from the Portuguese with Ottoman Help in 1528, the Achehnese would overpower the sultanate of Johor, making it a mere puppet.

After that time, the Achehnese would send missionaries to Selurong and Borneo aiding the Brunieans in prosetylization, it would sure that the Northern half of the island of Selurong would fall under the influence of Acheh replacing the Javanese of Majapahit, due to the marriage between the nobility of Acheh and Selurong, one of such is a marriage of an Acheh Princess to a son of Lakan Tagkan, the ruler of Namayan and the same dynasty as the rulers of the Kingdoms of Selurong and Kaboloan, the Achehnese missionaries and merchants would dominate the cities of Hagunoy, Faru, Makabebe and Bigan since the initial wave of arrival of the Achehnese missionaries in the late 1520's to early 1530's.


note: Faru is called Aparri in OTL

Edit:

I changed Aceh to Acheh and I added a small revision of the first chapter since Aceh will be known as Acheh in this TL, the spanish and the portuguese might have some skirmish against the ottomans and the Acehnese...

 

[kasumigenx]

II

Due to the Achehnese expelling the Portuguese from Malacca, the Portuguese were driven to the East in Sunda and in the island of Timor in the East of the Malay Archipelago and also the Sultanate of Johor is placed under Acheh dominance, so are the Kingdoms of Kaboloan, Namayan and Selurong and the rest of the Northern half of the island of Selurong became under the influence of Acheh, later the Kingdom of Demak would be also under the Achehnese, the trading cities in the Northern half of Selurong would be under Achehnese suzerainty, the Achehnese would also gain the city of Banten under its suzerainty after it warred against the Kingdom of Sunda which sees the Achehnese as expansionists.

The Portuguese would try to retaliate against the Achehnese in Malacca in 1540 however the Muslim states like Demak would stop the Portuguese in any of their wars against the Achehnese, the Kingdom of Sunda would cede the city of Jakarta, a major port in the Kingdom of Sunda on 1541 to the Portuguese, signifying the continuing alliance between Sunda and the Portuguese against the Achehnese, this would push the Kingdom of Sunda to Christianization and further Portuguese Influence.

On 1550, the Achehnese would be under complete influence of the Ottoman Empire one of the reasons why the ottomans would gain more control in the Indian Ocean because the Ottomans have an ally and subordinate in the East of the Indian Sea and thus.

On this time the Portuguese would gain control of the Sunda and Timor as well as the Nusa Tengarra islands, however the Kingdom of Bali would remain Independent.

The Sultanate of Brunei would remain allied with the Sultanate of Acheh since both are committed to spreading the word of Islam in their islands, however the Kingdom of Tondo that is ruled by Lakandula and Kota Seludong would be threatened by the kingdoms influenced by the Achehnese, the Kingdom of Selurong is interested in regaining back the Kingdom of Tondo under its dynasty, however the Sultanate of Acheh would not care about their possible conflict with the Sultanate of Brunei, the sultan of Brunei would be under the control of the Ottomans due to their alliance with the Achehnese.

The sultans of Sulu became a vassal of the Sultans of Aceh in 1550 to ward against the Bruneians and due to it being a former Majapahit vassal.

In the further East the Spanish had already discovered the Islands of San Lazaro, later known as the Philippines, named after Philip II of Spain, the Spanish had Cebu and Butuan recognize the primacy of the King of Spain as their overlord, however the Spanish would not know the rabbit hole they are set up in the future as parts of the Northern part of the Archipelago are now under Achehnese influence.

Three decades after the failed attack of the Portuguese in Melaka the Spanish conquistador, Legaspi would embark to the Islands of SanLazaro, now known as the Philippines, the Spanish don’t know that their colonization of the islands might also affect their allies such as Hungary, Germany and Austria, as Acheh and Brunei are allies of the Ottoman Empire.

 

[kasumigenx]

Certain Differences from OTL

the Coastal languages in the Northern half of Luzon such as Ibanag also known Faru language and Kapampangan are heavily influenced by Acehnese instead of Spanish, however there are other surprises in store for this TL, the Muslim Javanese dialects are also influenced as well by Acehnese..

 

[kasumigenx]

III

A chief of Bohol island, named Catunao gave information to Miguel Lopez of Sebu and, accompanied Lopez as a guide. López de Legazpi's expedition anchored off the Indianized Rajahnate of Cebu on February 13, 1565, but did not put ashore due to opposition from natives.

On February 22, 1565 the expedition reached the island of Samar and made a blood compact with Datu Urrao. The Spaniards then proceeded to Limasawa and were received by Datu Bankaw, then to Bohol, where they befriended Datu Sikatuna (or Catunao) and Rajah Sigala. On March 16, Legazpi made a blood compact with Datu Sikatuna.

On April 27, 1565, the expedition returned to Cebu and landed there. Rajah Tupas challenged the Spaniards, but were overpowered by them. The Spaniards established a colony, naming the settlements "Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesús" (Town of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) after an image of Sto. Niño in one of the native houses.

In 1569, due to scarcity of food provisions in Cebu, Legazpi transferred to Panay where they were peacefully welcomed by the people in the Kedatuan of Madja-as and they founded a second settlement on the bank of the Panay River. In 1570, Legazpi sent his grandson, Juan de Salcedo, who had arrived from Mexico in 1567, to Mindoro to punish the Muslim Moro pirates who had been plundering Panay villages. Salcedo also destroyed forts on the islands of Ilin and Lubang, respectively South and Northwest of Mindoro.

In 1570, having heard of the rich resources in Luzon, Legazpi dispatched Martín de Goiti to explore the northern region. Landing in Batangas with a force of 120 Spaniards and 600 Visayans from Cebu and Panay islands, de Goiti explored the Pansipit River, which drains Taal Lake:79 On May 8, they arrived in Manila Bay. There, they were welcomed by the natives. Goiti's soldiers camped there for a few weeks, while forming an alliance with the Muslim leader, Rajah Ache, who was a vassal under the Sultan of Brunei. The Kingdoms of Selurong, Kaboloan and the citystates around them and are revealed to be vassals of the Sultan of Aceh, the Kumintang chiefs are loyal to the Bruneians according to the findings in the exploration to the kingdoms.

The Chiefs of Kumintang led by Sultan of Brunei would burn the lands of Lakandula and Rajah Ache and the Spanish settlements in 1573 making the cities of Kota Seludong and Tondo a part of the lands under the direct rule of the Sultan of Brunei, Abdul Kahar, the Spanish are expelled from the island.

Ali Ri'ayat Syah I, the sultan of Aceh would report what had happened to its ally Brunei to the Ottomans under Sultan Selim II, causing the French, Navarrese and Ottomans to plan a war against the Spanish.

 

[kasumigenx]

I plan to make a map soon as I have my computer replaced the scenario looks very good..