Ternate - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

TERNATE 87 TOPOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL DESCRIPTIONS
Earlier writers have recorded little information about these islands, as far as I
know, aside from the short reports by Tiele and Valentijn.
Tiele reports (Part II, p. 26) that the Banggai archipelago was visted by Urdanete in
1532 and that the Rajah resided on the island of Banggaya, but also ruled over the island of
Peleng and several other islands.
Valentijn goes into more details and says (Ib, p. 80):
“This island Banggaiy was most probably, with the other islands in its
neighborhood, conquered by King Babu in the year 1580. It was lost again during the
revolt of Saidi but reconquered by Mr. de Vlaming in the year 1655, as we will see below:
“I find that in the year 1680, after the 25 th of March, one Kalkebulang was instituted
as king of the island of Bangaiy by the ensign Haak on behalf of the E. Company and in the
name of the king of Ternate (under our supreme authority). This new king takes the place
of the dethroned King Jangkal.”
In the same volume, p. 314, he goes on to say that, “in 1655 those from Bangaiy had
already again become good Makassarese, although, according to the tidings of the
Ternatese Gugugu, [p. 125] Duwani, and the seafarer Colofino (who remained behind with
the king’s fleet in October) they had brought those peoples again under the Ternatese
crown. Mandarsyah’s governor, Duwani, who could not follow his king because of heavy
winds and strong currents, visited Bangaiy, where he destroyed everything and chased
everyone away. He then decided to look for his sovereign, wherever he might be, but
because of sickness and bad weather he lost many men, and deciding not to go beyond Xula,
he was forced to remain there.”
And on p. 348: “In the month of April (1681) Mr. Padbrugge found the islands
Bangaiy and Gape completely uninhabited. The inhabitants, at their own request, because
of the nuisance caused by Rajah Palacca, had moved with thirty Buginese vessels from
there to Mondone, after their King Cabudo had been beheaded by the Ternatese captains
Baccari and Colabo.”
More is known with regard to the direct contact between a few rulers and European
authorities. The Banggai group was brought under the Company by the treaties of January
26, 1689, and November 9, 1741. This was during the reigns of the rajah Kaicil Kubukubulang
and the rajah “Calsum Subaltern” [sic] respectively; while in the year 1773,
during the rule of Kaicil Bandaria, the contract was renewed. He went secretly to Batavia
in 1782, whence the Indies Government sent him back to Ternate (which he reached in
1784) with the order to have him reinstated. This was carried out with the swearing-in of a
new contract on March 5, 1796. The latter contract was supplemented on April 5, 1808,
and remained in force during the rules of his successors as well, until after the flight of
Rajah Agama in 1847. On October 24, 1852, a contract was concluded with the new rajah,
Kaicil Tatutong. This contract was approved by government order No. 6 dated October 2,
1853.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES DIGITAL EDITION