Syarif Osman and Kingdom of Marudu
©2011 by Dr. Bianca Maria Gerlich
Kingdom of Marudu
Marudu under Syarif Osman became a "kerajaan" which means "kingdom". In"ke-raja-an" the word "raja" for king / ruler can befound. Osman managed something that no one succeeded before and after him in the field: He united Marudu as a kingdom. Before and after Syarif Osman, the territory was divided into spheres of influence of the Sultanates of Brunei and Sulu. Under Syarif Osman it was autonomous. He was accepted as an independent ruler by Brunei, Sulu and other local community groups. Moreover, he was accepted as valued friend andrelative of members of the families of the Sultanates, and he was also acknowledged by the Europeans the spot. Thus he was recognized both by the governor of Manila called Claveria (for Spain) and the governor of Singapore called Butterworth (for Great Britain). The latter even called him "Raja of Marudu" and invited him to Singapore.
Marudu had three spheres of influence, the closer they were to the center of the Marudu River, the stronger they were subject to Osman. On the map to the left the darkest red area is the one where Syarif Osman practiced most power. The brighter, the less powerful was his influence.
1) The Bay of Marudu was Syarif Osman's core area. In 1851, six years afterthe disastrous battle of Marudu, Syarif Osman's son Hassan gave to the British Spenser St. John a list that shows how many families on which rivers had been tributary to Syarif Osman. From this, St.John calculated that 3660 families (that means almost 60 000 people) were subject to Syyarif Osman. The places on the list include all the places on the west side and many on the eastern side, be added by the offshore islands (Banggi, Balambangan). Even later the leaders of the bay, no matter whether they are feeling now drawn to Brunei or Sulu, said that once they were all under a very powerful leader. The center was at the Marudu River,located almost exactly in the middle of the south of the bay. Traditionally, there were four rivers, which were considered most important for the trade of Marudu: the Marudu, theTandik, the Bongon, and the Bengkoka. Syarif Osman opened up also alot of new settlements and built forts. Marudu was regarded as an economic center.
2) The second, medium red area is adjacent to the darker part. Here, too, the river-heads were under Syarif Osman. Rivers were considered as districts. The roads of the country were for the most part the rivers. It is reported in the literature, that Osman Syarif made a punitive expedition against the population of the island of Balabac, since they had not paid the required tribute. The same is reported for Ambong. The locations Tempasuk and Pandasan like wise came under Marudu, but these two were rather alliance partner. The heads of Tempasuk called themselves "sultans" and felt at least independent of the other two sultanates. It is known that Syarif Osman sent his fleet to Tempasuk. Oral traditions mention kinship relations. Tempasuk took revenge on the British because of Marudu's destruction and was then destroyed by the British Navy. There was a cooperative relationship in which Syarif Osman was the stronger partner. But probably both places were tributary, because Osman has sent his whole fleet there as well as to other tributary locations.
3) The bright red areais that of the alliance partnerships. Leaders of that areas had gone into alliance partnerships with Syarif Osman who was the more powerful partner in that relationsship, as in the case of Tempasuk. Thus, his alliance with Sandokong of Melapi on Kinabatanagan is known, who probably had brought his bird's nests to the market of Marudu. Bird's nests wereamong as the most expensive and sought-after commodities sold to the Chinese.In oral history, Osman and Sandokong are remembered as friends and comrades in arms.
After the battle of Marudu the British realized many influential local personalities among the dead, by means of their clothing and weapons They all had belonged to Syarif Osman's Syarif allies, had been his followers.
Marudu bordered to the south to the territory of Brunei. Kimanis, a heritage whichbelonged to the Pengiran Usop of Brunei, was the boundary. It is also reported that Osman has tried to erect at rading post on the island of Labuan. In any case, the island was inhabited before the British settled there. Perhaps this was one reason why Brooke wanted Syarif Osman out of the way. - In the east, Marudu bordered on Sulu here it may have come to overlapping areas of control. In Southeast Asia, it was common that not territories, but people have always been dominated, which means that a river district that lies in the red light area on the map which belong to the Marudu sphere of influence, could also be under the dominance of Sulu. The core area of Marudu with the off-shore islands represented a kind of bridge between the two sultanates. To the west lies the South China Sea, to the east the Sulu Sea.
In summary one can say that Syarif Osman ruled over most of the territory of present-day Sabah, including some in the islands to the north (for example Palawan), which now belong to the Philippines.
Syarif Osman of Marudu
Syarif (= Sharif) Osman ruled until 1845 Marudu, which can be regarded asan early state formation in the meaning of Malay thalassocracy. His particularcontribution was to unite the entire Bay of Marudu and the territoriesin the neighborhood under his rule, what happened either before or after him. Also Sankokong (= Sandokan) of Melapi was one of his allies. So Marudu was Syarif Osman's principality,its flag was the tiger's head on a red background. His legitimacy was based on his title, his marriage alliances, his economic concept and his charisma. Marudu under Syarif Osman was independent of either Brunei and Sulu, and that is the reason of its downfall.
James Brooke, a British adventurer, who had established himself (as usurpator) in the early 1840s in Sarawak in the South of Borneo, tolerated no rivals. He first turned off heads from adjacent river of Sarawak, he influenced successfully - supported by the British Navy - the Sultan of Brunei, which he later even put to flight and allowed him to return in his capital only on his terms. Since Syarif Osman represented an incalculable risk and Marudu was a strengthening economicand political power, Brooke focused all his energy from October 1844 to August 1845 in order to defame Syarif Osman as a pirate, so the Navy had an excuse to destroy Marudu.
Marudu was therefore destroyed under the command of Vice-Admiral Thomas Cochrane on 19th August 1845. It was a terrible day for the peaceful inhabitants who did notreally know why that's been inflicted on them. They had lost confidence to Europeans for a long time.
It is unclear, but likely that Syarif Osman died of his wounds after the battle. On subsequent visits of the British in the Bay of Marudu, they noted that there reigned practically anarchy and even regretted that was no more such energetic ruler like Syarif Osman, who could secure trade between the British and Marudu. Osman's sons and grandsons continued to rule never the less in the Bay of Marudu, but they could no longer maintain the union of the various districts.
In the British colonial history Syarif Osman is known as a pirate, which goes back to James Brooke alone, who has worked systematically to represent Syarif Osman as a pirate when communicating with the British officers and authorities, because otherwise he would not have been able to fight against the independent princes in Borneo. On closer examination, Brooke's alleged evidence of piracy were totally baseless.
Of course, the picture Syarif Osman in recent history has changed. Syarif Osman is also currently in the Malaysian confrontation with their own history viewed as someone who has fought bravely, but in vainagainst the overwhelming British. In Marudu there area lot of legends about him. Nevertheless, there are still statements about Marudu as pirate'snest or Syarif Osman as pirate leader, such in travel literature or from people who seem to have considered only literature from the colonial era. Marudu as an independent polity is respected in the history of Sabah barely. Of course, this also resulted from the too-rapid downfall. Brooke and later British,who were there knew, however, recognized the importance of Marudu under Syarif Osman.
Pedigree of Syarif Osman
Reconstruction of the pedigree of Syarif Osman of Marudu based on written sources of the19th Century (created by Bianca Gerlich, see dissertation or book, "Marudu 1845"). The family of Syarif Osman lived from about 1830 to1886 in Marudu Bay. His son, Yassin was seen as the main leader on the spot. According to oral training traditions, there are a lot more relatives.
Translation of the German words in the pedigree: von = of; weitere = more; dreiweitere Ehefrauen = three more wives; Fluß = river.
Marudu under Syarif Osman
The red area was under Marudu.
The darker the red, the stronger was the influence of Syarif Osman.
©2011 by Dr. Bianca Maria Gerlich
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/266
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/264
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/253
Kingdom of Marudu
Pedigree of Syarif Osman
"Marudu 1845"
Kingdom of Marudu
Marudu under Syarif Osman became a "kerajaan" which means "kingdom". In"ke-raja-an" the word "raja" for king / ruler can befound. Osman managed something that no one succeeded before and after him in the field: He united Marudu as a kingdom. Before and after Syarif Osman, the territory was divided into spheres of influence of the Sultanates of Brunei and Sulu. Under Syarif Osman it was autonomous. He was accepted as an independent ruler by Brunei, Sulu and other local community groups. Moreover, he was accepted as valued friend andrelative of members of the families of the Sultanates, and he was also acknowledged by the Europeans the spot. Thus he was recognized both by the governor of Manila called Claveria (for Spain) and the governor of Singapore called Butterworth (for Great Britain). The latter even called him "Raja of Marudu" and invited him to Singapore.
Marudu had three spheres of influence, the closer they were to the center of the Marudu River, the stronger they were subject to Osman. On the map to the left the darkest red area is the one where Syarif Osman practiced most power. The brighter, the less powerful was his influence.
1) The Bay of Marudu was Syarif Osman's core area. In 1851, six years afterthe disastrous battle of Marudu, Syarif Osman's son Hassan gave to the British Spenser St. John a list that shows how many families on which rivers had been tributary to Syarif Osman. From this, St.John calculated that 3660 families (that means almost 60 000 people) were subject to Syyarif Osman. The places on the list include all the places on the west side and many on the eastern side, be added by the offshore islands (Banggi, Balambangan). Even later the leaders of the bay, no matter whether they are feeling now drawn to Brunei or Sulu, said that once they were all under a very powerful leader. The center was at the Marudu River,located almost exactly in the middle of the south of the bay. Traditionally, there were four rivers, which were considered most important for the trade of Marudu: the Marudu, theTandik, the Bongon, and the Bengkoka. Syarif Osman opened up also alot of new settlements and built forts. Marudu was regarded as an economic center.
2) The second, medium red area is adjacent to the darker part. Here, too, the river-heads were under Syarif Osman. Rivers were considered as districts. The roads of the country were for the most part the rivers. It is reported in the literature, that Osman Syarif made a punitive expedition against the population of the island of Balabac, since they had not paid the required tribute. The same is reported for Ambong. The locations Tempasuk and Pandasan like wise came under Marudu, but these two were rather alliance partner. The heads of Tempasuk called themselves "sultans" and felt at least independent of the other two sultanates. It is known that Syarif Osman sent his fleet to Tempasuk. Oral traditions mention kinship relations. Tempasuk took revenge on the British because of Marudu's destruction and was then destroyed by the British Navy. There was a cooperative relationship in which Syarif Osman was the stronger partner. But probably both places were tributary, because Osman has sent his whole fleet there as well as to other tributary locations.
3) The bright red areais that of the alliance partnerships. Leaders of that areas had gone into alliance partnerships with Syarif Osman who was the more powerful partner in that relationsship, as in the case of Tempasuk. Thus, his alliance with Sandokong of Melapi on Kinabatanagan is known, who probably had brought his bird's nests to the market of Marudu. Bird's nests wereamong as the most expensive and sought-after commodities sold to the Chinese.In oral history, Osman and Sandokong are remembered as friends and comrades in arms.
After the battle of Marudu the British realized many influential local personalities among the dead, by means of their clothing and weapons They all had belonged to Syarif Osman's Syarif allies, had been his followers.
Marudu bordered to the south to the territory of Brunei. Kimanis, a heritage whichbelonged to the Pengiran Usop of Brunei, was the boundary. It is also reported that Osman has tried to erect at rading post on the island of Labuan. In any case, the island was inhabited before the British settled there. Perhaps this was one reason why Brooke wanted Syarif Osman out of the way. - In the east, Marudu bordered on Sulu here it may have come to overlapping areas of control. In Southeast Asia, it was common that not territories, but people have always been dominated, which means that a river district that lies in the red light area on the map which belong to the Marudu sphere of influence, could also be under the dominance of Sulu. The core area of Marudu with the off-shore islands represented a kind of bridge between the two sultanates. To the west lies the South China Sea, to the east the Sulu Sea.
In summary one can say that Syarif Osman ruled over most of the territory of present-day Sabah, including some in the islands to the north (for example Palawan), which now belong to the Philippines.
Syarif Osman of Marudu
Syarif (= Sharif) Osman ruled until 1845 Marudu, which can be regarded asan early state formation in the meaning of Malay thalassocracy. His particularcontribution was to unite the entire Bay of Marudu and the territoriesin the neighborhood under his rule, what happened either before or after him. Also Sankokong (= Sandokan) of Melapi was one of his allies. So Marudu was Syarif Osman's principality,its flag was the tiger's head on a red background. His legitimacy was based on his title, his marriage alliances, his economic concept and his charisma. Marudu under Syarif Osman was independent of either Brunei and Sulu, and that is the reason of its downfall.
James Brooke, a British adventurer, who had established himself (as usurpator) in the early 1840s in Sarawak in the South of Borneo, tolerated no rivals. He first turned off heads from adjacent river of Sarawak, he influenced successfully - supported by the British Navy - the Sultan of Brunei, which he later even put to flight and allowed him to return in his capital only on his terms. Since Syarif Osman represented an incalculable risk and Marudu was a strengthening economicand political power, Brooke focused all his energy from October 1844 to August 1845 in order to defame Syarif Osman as a pirate, so the Navy had an excuse to destroy Marudu.
Marudu was therefore destroyed under the command of Vice-Admiral Thomas Cochrane on 19th August 1845. It was a terrible day for the peaceful inhabitants who did notreally know why that's been inflicted on them. They had lost confidence to Europeans for a long time.
It is unclear, but likely that Syarif Osman died of his wounds after the battle. On subsequent visits of the British in the Bay of Marudu, they noted that there reigned practically anarchy and even regretted that was no more such energetic ruler like Syarif Osman, who could secure trade between the British and Marudu. Osman's sons and grandsons continued to rule never the less in the Bay of Marudu, but they could no longer maintain the union of the various districts.
In the British colonial history Syarif Osman is known as a pirate, which goes back to James Brooke alone, who has worked systematically to represent Syarif Osman as a pirate when communicating with the British officers and authorities, because otherwise he would not have been able to fight against the independent princes in Borneo. On closer examination, Brooke's alleged evidence of piracy were totally baseless.
Of course, the picture Syarif Osman in recent history has changed. Syarif Osman is also currently in the Malaysian confrontation with their own history viewed as someone who has fought bravely, but in vainagainst the overwhelming British. In Marudu there area lot of legends about him. Nevertheless, there are still statements about Marudu as pirate'snest or Syarif Osman as pirate leader, such in travel literature or from people who seem to have considered only literature from the colonial era. Marudu as an independent polity is respected in the history of Sabah barely. Of course, this also resulted from the too-rapid downfall. Brooke and later British,who were there knew, however, recognized the importance of Marudu under Syarif Osman.
Pedigree of Syarif Osman
Reconstruction of the pedigree of Syarif Osman of Marudu based on written sources of the19th Century (created by Bianca Gerlich, see dissertation or book, "Marudu 1845"). The family of Syarif Osman lived from about 1830 to1886 in Marudu Bay. His son, Yassin was seen as the main leader on the spot. According to oral training traditions, there are a lot more relatives.
Translation of the German words in the pedigree: von = of; weitere = more; dreiweitere Ehefrauen = three more wives; Fluß = river.
Marudu under Syarif Osman
The red area was under Marudu.
The darker the red, the stronger was the influence of Syarif Osman.
©2011 by Dr. Bianca Maria Gerlich
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/266
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/264
http://www.mompracem.de/?q=en/node/253
Kingdom of MaruduPedigree of Syarif Osman"Marudu 1845"
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