Pontianak

Pontianak is the capital of the province Indonesia of Western Kalimantan in the island of Borneo.

The city is the seat of a archbishop's palace. Pontianak is also the name of a Kabupaten (department) of the province. Its chief town is Mempawah. Its surface is of 18 171,20 km ² and its population of approximately 500.000 inhabitants.

History

In 1771 an Arab adventurer, Syarif Abdul Rahman Al Kadri, attracted by rumors on the existence of diamond mines in the area, bases Pontianak on the site of an old maritime counter. It is combined with the VOC ( Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or “Dutch Compagnie of the Eastern Indies”), which recognizes it like sultan of Pontianak in 1779.

Little time after the foundation of the sultanate, in 1775, of the Chinese founds a kongsi (economic association) to exploit gold in the interior.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the west of Borneo is marked by the competition between English and Dutchman. The Dutchmen sign treaties with the various States of the coast, of which the sultanate of Pontianak. This Dutch interest for the area runs up against the resistance of the Chinese kongsi which control the gold mines of the interior.

The expansion of Pontianak, with the support of the Dutchmen, is marked by the catch of Sambas in north with the Bugis and the destruction of Sukadana in the south. Pontianak is in competition with the pirate State of Sambas for the control of the inhabitants of the upstream of the rivers and the Chinese companies ( kongsi ) which work the diamond and gold mines. Then the Dutchmen withdraw themselves from Pontianak.

The principality of Mempawah was vassal of Pontianak.

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