1500

1505

Local powers on Java around 1500 included:

Demak which was the chief power in Java in the early 1500s. Nearby Jepara participated in many naval expeditions.

Surabaya. Some powers that later came under Surabaya include Gresik, home of Sunan Giri, and Pasuruan.

Banten, which was a Hindu power under Pajajaran until the arrival of Sunan Gunungjati.

1509

The goal of the Portuguese was to take control of trade. Later trade empires would include Gowa, Banten, and the Dutch VOC or East India Company. The original goal of all of them was money before political power, but they did not always stick to their original goal.

1511

April Portuguese Admiral Albuquerque sets sail from Goa to Melaka.

August Albuquerque's forces take Melaka. Portuguese destroy a "Javanese" fleet; ship sinks with treasure on way back to Goa.

December Albuquerque sends three ships under da Breu from Melaka to explore eastwards.

1512

Da Breu expedition travels to Madura, Bali, Lombok, Aru and Banda. Two ships wrecked at Banda; da Breu returns to Melaka; Francisco Serrão repairs ship and continues to Ambon, Ternate, and Tidore. Serrão offers support to Ternate in a dispute with Tidore--his men build a Portuguese post at Ternate.

1513

A force from Jepara and Palembang attacks the Portuguese in Melaka, but is repulsed.

Portuguese send an envoy to King of Pajajaran. Portuguese are allowed to build a fort at Sunda Kelapa (now Jakarta).

Portuguese make contact with King Udara, son of Girindrawardhana and ruler over the remnant of Majapahit.

Udara attacks Demak with the help of the King of Klungkung on Bali. Majapahit forces are driven back, but Sunan Ngudung falls in battle. Many more supporters of Majapahit flee to Bali.

Powers on Sumatra included:

Aceh, the first major Islamic power in what is now Indonesia.

Palembang where sultans still ruled long after the fall of Srivijaya.

1514

1515

First Portuguese visit Timor.

1518

Sultan Mahmud of Melaka takes power at Johore.

Raden Patah passes away; Yunus becomes Sultan of Demak.

The Sultanate of Johore was attacked by the Portuguese all through the 1520s.

1520

Balinese attack on Lombok.

1521

Yunus leads fleet from Demak and Cirebon against the Portuguese in Melaka. Yunus is killed in battle. Trenggono becomes Sultan of Demak.

Portuguese take Pasai in Sumatra; Gunungjati leaves Pasai for Mecca.

Last ship of Magellan expedition around the world sails between Lembata and Pantar islands in Nusa Tenggara.

Sultan Trenggono is remembered as a ruler who did much to spread Islam throughout East and Central Java.

1522

Banten, still Hindu, asks for Portuguese help against Muslim Demak.

Survivors of Magellan's expedition around the world visit Timor.

Portuguese build fort at Hitu on Ambon.

Only 18 men survived Magellan's expedition, but they returned to Spain with about a ton of cloves, enough to make them wealthy for life.

1523

1524

Gunungjati and son Hasanuddin do both covert and overt missionary work in West Java to weaken the kingdom of Pajajaran and its alliance with the Portuguese. Local ruler of Banten, formerly dependent on Pajajaran, converts to Islam and joins Demak's side.

1526

1527

Demak conquers Kediri, Hindu remnant of Majapahit state; Sultans of Demak claims to be successors to Majapahit claims; Sunan Kudus takes part.

Demark takes Tuban.

Demak takes Sunda Kelapa; renames it Jayakerta. (Credit is given to a "Fatahillah"--or after the Portuguese mispronounciation, "Falatehan"-- but this might be a name given to Sunan Gunungjati.) Pajajaran Kingdom is pushed away from the sea.

Kingdom of Palakaran on Madura, based at Arosbaya (now Bangkalan), converts to Islam under Kyai Pratanu.

Expeditions from Spain and Mexico try to drive the Portuguese from Maluku.

Among the notable figures of this period are the Wali Songo or Nine Walis.

See also Notes on Islam in Modern Indonesia.

1529

Demak conquers Madiun.

Kings of Spain and Portugal agree that Maluku should belong to Portugal, and the Philippines should belong to Spain.

Spain and Portugal had divided the entire world between themselves in 1494. They continued to argue for years over the exact position of the dividing circle. A 1524 conference sponsored by the Pope did not settle matters.

1530

Surabaya and Pasuruan submit to Demak. Demak takes Balambangan, the last Hindu state in easternmost Java.

Gowa begins expanding from Makassar.

New Sultanate founded in Riau.

1536

Major Portuguese attack on Johore.

Antonio da Galvão becomes governor of Portuguese post at Ternate; founds Portuguese post at Ambon.

1537

Acehnese attack on Melaka fails. Salahuddin of Aceh is replaced by Alaudin Riayat Syah I.

1539

Aceh attacks the Bataks to their south.

1540

Portuguese in contact with Gowa.

1545

Gowa builds fort at Ujung Pandang.

1546

Trenggono of Demak dies and is succeeded by Prawata. His son-in-law Joko Tingkir expands power from Pajang (near present Sukoharjo).

St. Francis Xavier travels to Morotai, Ambon, and Ternate.

Catholicism (Katolik), one of Indonesia's five religions.

Around this time Portuguese missionaries began to spread the Catholic religion in Indonesia, especially in the east. Today Catholicism is one of Indonesia's recognized religions.

1547

1550

1551

Johore attacks Portuguese Melaka with help from Jepara.

Force from Ternate takes control of Sultanate of Jailolo on Halmahera with Portuguese help.

1552

Hasanuddin breaks away from Demak and founds Sultanate of Banten, then takes Lampung for the new Sultanate.

Aceh sends embassy to the Ottoman sultan in Istanbul.

1558

Leiliato leads a force from Ternate to attack the Portuguese at Hitu.

Ki Ageng Pemanahan receives Mataram district from Joko Tinggir, ruling at Pajang.

1559

Portuguese missionaries land at Timor.

Khairun becomes Sultan of Ternate.

Sultan Khairun was friendly to St. Francis Xavier, and known to be a reasonable man, but the Portuguese threw him in prison and tried to poison him when he would not yield lands to them.

1561

1565

1568

1570

Aceh attacks Johore again, but fails.

Portuguese murder Sultan Khairun of Ternate. Babullah becomes Sultan (until 1583).

Maulana Yusup becomes Sultan of Banten.

1571

1574

Jepara leads unsuccessful attack on Melaka.

1575

Sultan Babullah expels Portuguese from Ternate. Portuguese build fort on Tidore instead.

Portuguese build fort at the present site of the city of Ambon.

1577

Ki Ageng Pemanahan founds Kota Gede (near today's Yogya).

1579

Banten takes the remaining part of Pajajaran, converts it to Islam.

November Sir Francis Drake of England, after raiding Spanish ships and ports in America, arrives at Ternate. Sultan Babullah, who also hated the Spanish, pledges friendship to England.

1580

Maulana Muhammad becomes Sultan of Banten.

Portugal falls under Spanish crown; Portuguese colonial enterprises are disregarded.

Drake visits Sulawesi and Java, on the way back to England.

1581

1584

1585

1587

Portuguese attack Johore.

Sir Thomas Cavendish of England visits Java.

1588

Senopati in a traditional portrait.

From Senopati one can easily trace the lineage of today's Sultan of Yogya and Susuhunan of Surakarta. Traditionally, the line is traced back all the way to the kings of Majapahit.

After this point, the power in central Java was definitely in the Mataram district, around today's Yogyakarta and Surakarta, rather than around Demak.

1590

1591

Senopati takes Madiun, then Kediri.

Sir James Lancaster of England reaches Aceh and Penang, but his mission is a failure.

1595

April 2 Dutch expedition under De Houtman leaves for Indies.

Suriansyah founds Sultanate of Banjar on Kalimantan (later Banjarmasin).

The Netherlands had been under Spanish rule, and Dutch sailors had been on Portuguese and Spanish voyages around the world. By the 1590s, the Dutch were ready to make money for themselves.

1596

June De Houtman expedition reaches Banten. Sultan of Banten, along with the Portuguese stationed in Banten, shell the Dutch ships. Expedition continues along north coast of Java.

Abul Mufakir becomes Sultan of Banten.

1597

Some members of De Houtman expedition settle on Bali, refuse to leave.

Remnants of De Houtman expedition (89 of an original 248 sailors) return to Holland with spices.

Senopati attacks Banten, but is driven back.

1598

22 Dutch expeditions set out for the east; States-General suggests that competing companies should merge. De Houtman's second expedition includes John Davis, an English spy. Van Noort sets off to sail around the southern tip of America to the Indies.

Senopati attacks western territories of Surabaya.

In spite of its problems and dangers, the De Houtman voyage was so profitable that dozens of new voyages were planned to follow its path.

1599

Dutch expedition under Van Neck reaches Maluku.

De Houtman is killed in conflict with Sultan of Aceh.

Dutch churches begin calls for missionary work in the Indies.

1600

Dutch expeditioners make alliance with Hitu against Portuguese in Ambon.

Makassar converts to Islam.

Van Noort expedition attacks Spanish at Guam.

December 31 Elizabeth I of England charters East India Company.

1601

Senopati succeeded by Krapyak in Mataram.

English set up fort at Banda.

1602

VOC establishes post at Gresik.

Portuguese send naval expedition from Melaka to combat Dutch.

Sir James Lancaster leads East India Company expedition, reaches Aceh, builds trading post at Banten.

Dutch ships win skirmish with Portuguese off Banten.

The Dutch East India Company was given most of the powers of a sovereign state, partly because communication between the Netherlands and Asia was so slow that colonial activities simply could not be directed from Amsterdam.

(Until 1800 in this time-line, Dutch activities are marked with a VOC for East India Company.)

1603

Official VOC trading post founded at Banten.

1604

English East India Company expedition under Sir Henry Middleton visits Ternate, Tidore, Ambon, and Banda.

1605

Portuguese at Ambon surrender to ships under VOC.

King of Gowa converts to Islam, other kings of the area refuse invitation to convert. Gowa attacks neighbors and converts them to Islam.

VOC sends expeditions to Banda, Irian Jaya, northern Australia.

1606

Spanish take Ternate and Tidore.

VOC makes unsuccessful attack on Portuguese Melaka.

1607

Iskandar Muda is Sultan of Aceh.

Aceh under Iskandar Muda and his successor, Iskandar Thani, was a center of Islamic scholarship and debate.

1610

Post of Governor-General is created for VOC in Asia, advised by Raad van Indie (Council of the Indies).

1611

English begin setting up many posts in the Indies, including at Makassar, Jepara, Aceh and Jambi.

Dutch set up post at Jayakerta.

1613

Mataram forces burn down Gresik; Krapyak asks VOC in Maluku for help against Surabaya.

VOC sets up post at Jepara.

VOC sets up first post on Timor.

Krapyak succeeded by Sultan Agung.

1614

Aceh wins naval battle against Portuguese at Bintan.

Agung attacks Surabayan territories.

VOC sends ambassador to Agung.

Bandung founded.

Sultan Agung in a traditional portrait.
Agung was the greatest ruler of Mataram. At one point, all of Java except for Banten and Batavia was under his rule.

1615

First Dutch Reformed church in the east founded at Ambon.

English build warehouse at Jayakerta.

Protestantism (Kristen), one of Indonesia's five religions.

The Dutch introduced the fifth of Indonesia's recognized religions: Protestant Christianity. Beside the missionary work on Java, there were soon many "orang Kristen" around Manado on Sulawesi, in Ambon, and around Kupang on Timor and nearby Roti.

The VOC, however, had very little interest in spreading religion.

1616

1617

Agung defeats Surabaya at Pasuruan, defeats Surabayan expedition to his rear; Pajang rebels, Agung destroys Pajang and moves inhabitants to Mataram.

1618

Agung bans sale of rice to VOC. Agung's governor of Jepara attacks VOC post there; Dutch burn down much of Jepara in retaliation.

1619

January English force Dutch surrender at Jayakerta, but Banten forces take over from English in surprise move. The English and the Pangeran of Jayakerta retreat.

March Dutch rename post at Jayakerta to Batavia (today's Jakarta).

Jan Pieterzoon Coen becomes Governor-General of VOC.

May Coen passes through Jepara, burns down city again, including English post; Coen arrives at Jayakerta, burns down Jayakerta, leaving only Dutch post of Batavia remaining to become VOC headquarters.

Agung takes Tuban from Surabaya, destroying the city.

1620

VOC under Coen almost exterminates population of Banda to prevent smuggling. Survivors settle on small islands near Seram.

Aceh takes Kedah.

Gowa extends influence over Sumbawa.

Rahmatullah becomes Sultan of Banjar on Kalimantan.

In 1615-1616, the Schouten expedition became the first to sail around Cape Horn at the the southern tip of South America, then made the first visit by Europeans to many south Pacific islands. When they arrived in Batavia (Jakarta), Coen had them jailed for violating the V.O.C.'s monopoly, and confiscated their ships.

(Years later, in 1722, the Dutch explorer Roggeveen would run into the same trouble after discovering Easter Island.)

1621

British found trading post at Ambon.

1622

Agung and VOC make overtures to each other.

1623

VOC agents in Ambon arrest, torture and execute English agents on charges of conspiracy.

Aceh sacks Johore.

Carstenz expedition for VOC explores southern coast of Irian Jaya.

Coen returns to the Netherlands. Carpentier is new Governor-General of the V.O.C.

Sultan Agung takes Madura. Raden Praseno, a grandson of Pratanu, is named Pangeran Cakraningrat I by Agung.

1625

Agung dams Brantas River to cut off water supply from Surabaya, which finally surrenders.

Cirebon is ally of Agung.

Epidemics and ruin of war spread through Java.

Abul Fath becomes Sultan of Banten.

In 1625 the first "hongi" raids took place in Maluku. These were attacks, usually by local allies of the VOC, against anyone who was growing cloves without authorization of the VOC.

1627

1628

Last of English leave Banda.

1629

Iskandar Muda sends navy of Aceh against Portuguese Melaka, but the Aceh navy is destroyed.

Introduction of sugar cultivation in Banten.

1631

1633

War between VOC and Banten.

1634

1635

1636

Agung begins conquest of easternmost Java.

Agung, realizing that he cannot defeat Dutch, makes overtures towards VOC.

Van Diemen becomes Governor-General of VOC.

1637

VOC releases Kakiali, who pledges friendship to VOC but makes anti-Dutch alliance between Hitu, Ternate, and Gowa.

Local Muslims overcome Portuguese fortress at Ende on Flores.

Agung finally takes Balambangan in easternmost Java.

1640

Sultanate of Bima founded on Sumbawa.

Portugal regains independent crown from Spain.

1641

Taj ul-Alam becomes Sultana of Aceh, starts period of female rulers; Johore and Aceh settle differences.

VOC takes Melaka from Portuguese.

Kakiali and Hitu attack VOC on Ambon.

The VOC takeover of Melaka was the real end of Portuguese importance in the region. But after losing Melaka, some Portuguese started trading with Gowa on Sulawesi.

After Taj ul-Alam became ruler of Aceh, the centralized power in Aceh lessened, regional ruler gained more power, and Aceh's tributaries began to show their independence.

1642

VOC gets monopoly on trade with Palembang by treaty.

Hidayatullah becomes Sultan of Banjar on Kalimantan.

Tasman explores coasts of Irian Jaya for VOC on voyage back from New Zealand.

1643

1645

Agung begins building royal tombs at Imogiri, (near today's Yogya).

Mandarsyah becomes Sultan of Ternate with VOC help.

1646

VOC finally takes Hitu.

1647

1648

Cakraningrat II takes power in Madura, under Mataram.

1650

VOC intervenes in uprising against Sultan Mandarsyah of Ternate, sparking civil war.

Amangkurat I orders Cirebon to attack Banten.

Musta'in Billah becomes Sultan of Banjar on Kalimantan.

1651

Sultan Ageng begins rule at Banten (not to be confused with Sultan Agung of Mataram).

VOC takes Kupang on Timor.

1652

VOC takes Sultan Mandarsyah of Ternate to Batavia, makes him sign agreement not to grow cloves, starts military moves against opposing faction in Ternate.

1655

1656

VOC deports population of Hoamoal near Ternate to Ambon.

1657

1658

VOC sets up post at Manado.

War between VOC and Palembang.

1659

VOC forces burn down Palembang, and reestablish the VOC post.

Amangkurat I has several family members murdered, including the mother of the future Amangkurat II.

VOC builds fort in the Aru Islands, but soon abandons it.

1660

VOC attacks Gowa, destroys Portuguese ships in harbor, and forces peace treaty on Sultan Hasanuddin of Gowa.

Arung Palakka of Bone rebels against Gowa.

Buleleng begins drive to become power on Bali; King of Klungkung remains as "Dewa Agung" or chief king.

Amangkurat I closes ports again; VOC leaves Jepara.

1661

Court rebellion against Amangkurat I.

Banten takes diamond-bearing area of Landak on Kalimantan.

1663

VOC allows Arung Palakka and followers to settle at Batavia.

Banten begins direct trade with Manila.

By the end of the 1660s, Banten was trading directly with China, Japan, Thailand, India and Arabia. Sultan Ageng of Banten was a strong opponent of the VOC monopoly who insisted on promoting trade with other European, Arab and Asian traders as he pleased.

1667

VOC and Arung Palakka fight nearly a year to take Gowa, enforce 1660 treaty.

Tidore submits to VOC.

The future Amangkurat II begins seeking VOC help against his father.

English give up claims to Banda in exchange for Manhattan Island in America.

1669