# Bruneian Navy (1408–1888)

The Bruneian Navy (Malay: Tentera Laut Brunei; Jawi: تنترا لاوت بروني) was the naval component of the military force of the Sultanate of Brunei. It lasted from 1408 to 1888.

## History
### Origin (1408–1485)

Following Brunei's independence from the Majapahit Empire in 1408, the Bruneian Navy was established in 1408 as the maritime counterpart of the Bruneian Army. Initially positioned at Kota Batu, its primary mission was to safeguard the capital from piracy. The new navy likely underwent training and staffing under Bajau officers, leveraging their expertise in handling boats. The Bajau people continued to play a crucial role in the navy throughout the Sultanate's existence.

### Golden Age (1485–1828)

In 1500, the Bruneian Royal Navy engaged in a conflict in Luzon, against Tondo, acting as a landing force. In 1521, Antonio Pigafetta documented that Brunei's navy had a fleet of over one hundred boats, these were involved in an attack with a faction in the south, possibly modern day Kalimantan. The noteworthy advancements occurred within the navy during Sultan Bolkiah's reign. To enhance Brunei's naval capabilities, forty Javanese blacksmiths were paid, potentially paving the way for the introduction of cannon casting. Sultan Bolkiah is credited as the first Bruneian sultan to ever utilise gunpowder, raises the possibility that the Javanese played a role in introducing cannon technology to Brunei.
On 15 April 1578, a Spanish Armada comprising forty galleons appeared off the coast of Brunei, following the Sultan's rejection of a treaty with the Spaniards in 1573. As soon as Francisco de Sande realised the Sultan of Brunei would not accept his demands, de Sande sent his fleet to attack the fifty Brunei's penjajap warships; the fifty Bruneian warships almost encircling de Sande. Though it is assumed that somehow de Sande defeated it and continued his plans of invading Brunei which ended in failure due to disease This however this ended Brunei being a maritime empire.

#### Turmoil (1578–1828)

The strong ties between the sultanates of Brunei and Pahang were noted in Chinese accounts from 1573 to 1619, which related how, when Johor attacked Pahang, a Brunei sultan came to Pahang's aid and assisted in the city's victory. The sultan stated was likely to be Sultan Muhammad Hasan, due to the marriage relations established between the two sultanates' royal houses. When Sultan Abdul Ghafur of Pahang traveled to and stayed in Brunei with his wife, it was another indication of the close ties that exist between these two sultanates. The Pahang's legal code was copied from the Malaccan legal code; Sultan Muhammad Hasan was able to do so because of their strong bond. This line of reasoning, however, is disputed, because 21 out of the 50 clauses in the Brunei's legal code have similarities to the Malaccan Code.
In 1673, after the Bruneian Civil War ended, Sultan Muhyiddin denied the claim of never giving eastern Sabah to the Sulu Sultanate; as he claimed that there was no written evidence of the transfer. This traces the roots of the North Borneo dispute between Malaysia and the Philippines in the present day.
In 1769, they were sent once again to transport warriors to Manila, they were supposed to siege the Sulu and not the Spanish. However it didn't really matter because they won anyways and temporary occupied Manila.
They would mostly fight pirates attacking Brunei and were fully disbanded in 1888.

## Equipment
### Big ships

* Lanong

### Medium ships

* Kumpit

### Trading ships and small ships

* Jong
* Prau
* Penjajap
* Garay

## Uniforms

Brunei never implemented a "uniform system". So it's assumed that most sailors at this time would use their traditional clothes.

## Gallery

* Royal boat of Brunei, armed with swivel guns.
* A sailboat of Borneo, with a tanja sail and a stage over the deck.
* A Bruneian naval flag depicted in "BOATS OF BORNEO" (1906)