Battle of Muar River | |||||||
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Part of Malay-Portuguese conflicts | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Sultanate of Malacca Pahang Sultanate | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Jorge de Albuquerque | Unnamed Laksamana | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | 80 vessels | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
65 men killed 3 ships lost | Unknown |
The Battle of Muar River took place in 1523 between the allied Malaccan-Pahang navy and the Portuguese navy. The battle ended in favor of the Malayans, as they defeated the Portuguese in the Muar River.
Battle
[edit]In 1521, having defeated a Portuguese attempt to capture and destroy the Sultan of Malacca Mahmud Shah's base, attacks on Portuguese shipping increased from that time onwards,[1] which laid a heavy burden on Portuguese operations. In April 1523, the Malaccans, allied with the Pahang Sultanate[2] launched a raid against the Portuguese and occupied Malacca with a large navy of 80 vessels led by the Laksamana.[3]
Once the Malayans established themselves in the Muar River,[4] a lone Portuguese vessel sailing from Malacca spotted the large Malayan navy about 10 leagues away and quickly returned to Malacca to inform its captain Jorge de Albuquerque; who decided to face them in the sea and send ships there, however, the Portuguese encountered a heavy storm which forced them head to the Muar River.
The storm was powerful enough that it forced three Portuguese ships – separated from the rest – to go far into the river where they met the Malayan camp, where they were surrounded and attacked with all 65 Portuguese on board being killed.[4][5] The rest of the Portuguese navy withdrew to Malacca, and the Malayans, satisfied with their victory returned to Bintan.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Winstedt, Richard Olof, A History of Malaya, p. 76 [1]
- ^ Ahmad Sarji, Abdul Hamid (2011), The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, vol. 16 - The Rulers of Malaysia, Editions Didier Millet
- ^ Danvers, Frederick Charles, The Portuguese In India Vol.1, p. 358 [2]
- ^ a b R. S. Whiteway, Rise of Portuguese Power in India, p. 329[3]
- ^ a b Danvers, Frederick Charles, p. 358