Siege of Aru
| Siege of Aru (1540) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
.svg){kind=small} Johor Sultanate |
 Sultanate of Aceh Ottoman Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Hang Nadim |
Alauddin al-Kahar Hereddin Mohamet † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
12,000 men[2] 160 warships[3][4] | 17,000 men[5] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown |
3,200 killed[4] 15 Ottoman governors killed | ||||||||
The siege of Aru was a military campaign carried out by the Johor Sultanate in April and May 1540, aimed at retaking the Aru Kingdom from the Aceh Sultanate.[6] The campaign involved a coalition of Johor forces, Aru rebels, and Portuguese troops from Malacca.[7][8] The siege formed part of the larger Johor–Aceh conflict and culminated in the temporary restoration of Aru under Johor's influence.[9]
Background
[edit]In 1539, the Aceh Sultanate, under Sultan Alauddin al-Kahar, annexed the Aru Kingdom, a polity located on the eastern coast of Sumatra.[10] The Queen of Aru, who was of Melakan descent, appealed to Johor for assistance. In response, Johor assembled a naval expedition under Admiral Hang Nadim.
Campaign
[edit]Battle of Panentican River
[edit]The campaign began with the Battle of Panetikan River, where Acehnese forces commanded by naval commander Hereddin Mohamet fortified positions along the river.[11] The Johor-led coalition assembled approximately 160 warships carrying about 12,000 troops.
Initial assaults failed to breach the Acehnese defences. After a sustained seven-day bombardment using 400 cannons, Hereddin Mohamet flagship was struck by cannon fire, causing it to catch fire and resulting in his death. The loss of their commander and the heavy damage forced the Acehnese to retreat from their river fortifications.[12]
Siege of Kota Rentang
[edit]Following their victory at Panetikan River, the coalition advanced on Kota Rentang, the capital of Aru.[13] In mid-May 1540, 13 Portuguese warships and 600 Johor troops from Malacca reinforced the siege. A heavy naval bombardment of the city's coastline forced the Acehnese administration to withdraw after six days.[14]
The allied forces then launched a large-scale assault supported by an additional 200 vessels.[15] This offensive caused thousands of Acehnese casualties, including the execution of 15 Ottoman officials allied with Aceh. The capture of Kota Rentang restored Aru temporarily under Johor's suzerainty. However, Aceh regained control of the region the following year, ending Johor's occupation.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of Aru: A Forgotten Legacy in Indonesian History". Mild Reports. August 2024. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Wink, André (2025). Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World, Vol. IV. Brill. p. 206.
- ^ "Berkala Arkeologi Sangkhakala Vol. 24 No. 1 (2021)". Berkala Arkeologi Sangkhakala. 24 (1). 2021.
- ^ a b Sejarah Johor & Buyong bin Adil (Haji.), p. 23.
- ^ Hadi, Amirul (2010). Aceh: sejarah, budaya, dan tradisi (in Indonesian). Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia. p. 49. ISBN 9789794617731.
- ^ "Maritime Conflicts in 16th Century Sumatra". Southeast Asian Studies Journal. 33. 2010.
- ^ Luckman, Sinar (1991). Sejarah Deli dan Serdang.
- ^ Buyong bin Adil (Haji.) 1980, p. 23.
- ^ Raffles, Sir Stamford (1817). The History of Java.
- ^ Hadi, Amirul (2005). Malay Maritime History. Universiti Malaya Press.
- ^ Hadi, Amirul (2005). Malay Maritime History. Universiti Malaya Press.
- ^ "Inilah Riwayat Putri Hijau Ratu Aru dari Sumatera Timur". TheEditor.id. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Firmansyah, Sutan Raja Hendi; Rohan, Laila (2024). "History Heroism Commander Gocah in the Kingdom of Aru". HISTORIA: Jurnal Program Studi Pendidikan Sejarah. 12 (2). doi:10.24127/hj.v12i2.10268. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Leyden, John (1821). History of Sumatra.
- ^ Firmansyah, Sutan Raja Hendi; Rohan, Laila (2024). "History Heroism Commander Gocah in the Kingdom of Aru". HISTORIA: Jurnal Program Studi Pendidikan Sejarah. 12 (2). doi:10.24127/hj.v12i2.10268. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Andaya, Leonard Y. (1971). The Kingdom of Johor, 1641–1728.