# Johor–Jambi wars

Johor–Jambi wars were a series of conflicts between the Jambi Sultanate and the Johor Sultanate after the Fall of Portuguese Malacca and the decline of Aceh Sultanate, marked by the expansion of the influence of Johor Sultanate which endangered the position of the Jambi Sultanate. The war ended in the Jambi recapture of Kuala Tungkal and Indragiri, and the destruction of many Johor and Jambi cities.

## Background

With the fall of Portuguese Malacca in 1641 and the decline of Aceh due to the growing power of the Dutch, Johor started to re-establish itself as a power along the Strait of Malacca during the reign of Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah III (1623–1677). Its influence extended to Pahang, Sungei Ujong, Malacca, Klang and the Riau Archipelago. During the Triangular war, Jambi emerged as a regional economic and political power in Sumatra. Initially there was an attempt of an alliance between Johor and Jambi with a promised marriage between the Johor heir Raja Muda and daughter of the Pengeran of Jambi. However, the Raja Muda instead married the daughter of the Laksamana Abdul Jamil who, concerned about the dilution of power from such an alliance, offered his own daughter for marriage instead.
The alliance thus broke down, and a 13-year war then ensued between Johor and the Jambi beginning in 1666. Johor and Jambi both claimed Kuala Tungkal, which damaged relations between the two countries. Kuala Tungkal was a vital port to gain control of the trade of gold, spices, and rhino horn. Bugis explorers played a crucial role in this conflict.

## First Johor–Jambi war (1666–1667)

The conflict broke out in 1666, the Johorean forces with the help of the Palembang Sultanate and Bugis explorers attacked the Jambi Sultanate. On 1667 the Johorean fleet attacked and destroyed fishing hunts and the Dutch embassy in Jambi. Also in 1667 the Johor fleet attacked civilians settlements on Batang Hari River, many of the farmlands and civilians' homes were burned to the ground. Johor forces were able to capture Kuala Tungkal from Jambi before it was recaptured by Jambi in 1673.
After the war Sultan Abdul Mahyi Sri Inglongo was angered when he heard that Jambi lost Kuala Tungkal and mamy of their territories were plundered by the Johor fleet. The Dutch offered their cooperation and an alliance with Jambi Sultanate, and the Sultan accepted it.
The Sultan who did not accept his losses sent a letters to Johor but the letter stamp and name were placed above letterhead (in Malay culture, when a letter stamp was placed above the letterhead it meant that the state which received the letter was a conquered state).
Through this action, many of the Johoreans and Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah were enraged and assumed that the letters were insulting Johor, and that Sultan Inglongo viewed Jambi as more powerful than and superior to Johor. Sultan Abdul Inglongo's actions also strengthened the negative sentiments of Johor towards Jambi and increased tensions.

### Raid on Kuala Tungkal and Indragiri (1670)

The Jambi forces launched a raid on Kuala Tungkal and Indragiri in August 1670. The raid resulted in the capture of 917 slaves. Johor responded to this raid by burning the kampongs in Jambi and defeating the Jambi forces at the mouth of the Batang Hari river on March 1671.

## Second Johor–Jambi war (1673)

Johor took the initiative to offer peace agreement to Jambi with the help of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) but it was not accepted. The war broke out again in 1673, with the Jambi Sultanate preparing for the war by receiving support from the VOC, Palembang Sultanate, and Bugis explorers. Jambi forces launched offensives into Kuala Tungkal, Batu Sawar, and Johor Lama.
On 1673 the Jambi fleet attacked Johor Lama, managing to occupy it and capturing 95 cannons, 140 warships, 1268 Johor soldiers, and 4 tonnes of Johorean gold. This also marked the bankruptcy of Johor. The Jambi fleet sacked Batu Sawar, an important city of Johor. The attack resulted in the exile of many of the political figures of Johor, later captured by Jambi. Jambi forces managed to capture Kuala Tungkal. The capture of Kuala Tungkal was a decisive victory for Jambi, expelling the Johoreans, who suffered heavy losses. Jambi also launched a destructive attack on Rokan River and Bengkalis, and captured Indragiri from Johorean hands.

## Third Johor–Jambi war (1677–1679)

After a humiliating loss in 1673, the Johor Sultanate rose again and prepared for the war with the help and supply of the Palembang Sultanate and Bugis explorers. The Jambi Sultanate was supported by the VOC. The war went on for 2 years as Johor attacked Jambi in territories including Kuala Tungkal. The Johor attacks resulted in heavy losses for Jambi, which paid 3,000 rijksdalder, 3 treasures, and 2 cannons. After the war, Jambi lost Kuala Tungkal and its position as the main port of spices in Sumatra and was bankrupt.

## Fourth Johor–Jambi war (1680–1681)

Jambi Sultanate prepared for retaliation with the support of the VOC, while the Johor Sultanate underestimated Jambi which lost in the third war. Johor was receiving some support and weapon supplies from the Palembang Sultanate and Bugis explorers. These forces besieged the Jambi Sultanate. But Jambi unexpectedly countered the Johor-Palembang-Bugis attacks and recaptured Kuala Tungkal and Indragiri. The counteroffensive resulted in humiliating losses for Johor and Jambi retains its position as the main port of spices in Sumatra.

## Aftermath

In the aftermath of the war, Jambi succeed recapturing Kuala Tungkal and Indragiri, while the Dutch able to strengthening its position within Jambi and the subsequent exile of Sultan Abdul Mahyi Sri Inglogo causing the downfall of the sultanate. On May 1681 Johor gave support to Jambi with a hundred ship and 2,000 soldiers to attack the Bugis and Palembang Sultanate. The unexpected cooperation caused Palembang to start a conference with the Dutch as a mediator. After the war the economic situation in Kuala Tungkal was dire and trading activities in Eastern Sumatera were halted, with many cities destroyed. With these conditions, the VOC made new treaties which prevented Jambi from trading with the East India Company (EIC), slowly making Jambi dependant on the Dutch. Meanwhile, Johor was still trading on Kuala Tungkal.