Kingdom of Gowa

Gowa (which one should not confuse with the town of Goa in India) was most powerful of the States of the east Indonesia N. Its capital was located at the south of current the Makassar, capital of the province of Sulawesi of the South.

According to the oral tradition of Makassar, Goa formed formerly only one kingdom with another principality, Tallo'. In XVe century, the king would have divided his kingdom between his two sons. The first chart that the Portuguese made of Célèbes, in 1533 or 1534, does not mention the name of Goa but only that of " Toloc" , i.e. Tallo'. In 1544, a Portuguese tradesman of Malacca, Antonio de Paiva, mentions the name of " Goa".

The kingdoms of Gowa and Tallo' have a tradition of chronicles since the end of XVe century. According to it, it is the king Matanré (1510-47) which undertakes to extend the territory of Gowa-Tallo' about 1530 by conquering close principalities.

Gowa controls in particular the trade of the gold produced in the north of Célèbes, in particular with Gorontalo, that the kingdom sells with the sultanate Ternate. In 1533, tradesmen

When the Portuguese arrive in the area about 1540, Gowa is already a commercial power. They try to christianize the south of Célèbes, without success.

King de Gowa converts with Islam in 1605. Principalities of the country close Bugis, whose Kingdom of Bone, refuse to follow it. Campaigns of Gowa between 1608 and 1611 end up imposing Islam in the bugis worldwide and makassar. The VOC ( Vereenigde Oostindische Company or Dutch Company of the Eastern Indies) establishes a station with Gowa in 1609. The Alauddin sultan, not very eager to accept a monopoly of the Dutchmen, milked with Asian and European merchants. A fight begins between the two powers, stopped by treaties in 1637,1655 and 1660. The Hasanuddin sultan sends embassies to Mataram in Java, without result.

In 1660, prince Arung Palakka de Bone, become vassal of Gowa, rebels. The revolt is repressed, but the rebels find refuge at the VOC with Batavia. In 1666, the VOC launches a fleet against Gowa, with on board the troops bugis and moluquoises. The Hasanuddin sultan ends up going in 1669. Bone and the other principalities bugis are freed from the suzerainty of Gowa. The VOC expels other Europeans of Gowa.

Today, Gowa is the name of a Kabupaten (department) of the province of Sulawesi of the South.

Source

Pelras, Christian, Manusia Bugis , Jakarta, 2006

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