Battle of Palembang (1407)
| Battle of Palembang | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Ming treasure voyages | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Ming China | Pirate fleet at Palembang | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Admiral Zheng He | Chen Zuyi | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown |
5,000 pirates killed Ten ships destroyed Seven ships captured | ||||||
The Battle of Palembang was a naval battle fought between Ming China's treasure fleet commanded by Admiral Zheng He and the pirate fleet led by Chen Zuyi at Palembang, Sumatra, in modern-day Indonesia. It happened in 1407. The battle resulted in the defeat of Chen Zuyi, who was captured and sent to China for execution.
Background
Chen Zuyi was a pirate leader who had seized Palembang on Sumatra.[1][2] He dominated the maritime route of the Malaccan Strait.[1] The chronicler Ma Huan wrote that Shi Jinqing informed Admiral Zheng He about Chen Zuyi's depredations.[3] The Haiquo Quangji by Shen Moushang states that Shi Jinqing secretly reported Chen Zuyi's plans to attack Zheng He to him.[4]
Course
In 1407, while returning homewards from their voyage, Ming China's treasure fleet led by Admiral Zheng He engaged the pirate fleet led by Chen Zuyi in battle at Palembang.[1][2][4][5] The Chinese fleet defeated Chen's pirate fleet in this encounter.[1][4] During the confrontation, 5,000 pirates were killed, ten pirate ships were destroyed, and seven pirate ships were captured.[4][6]
The Mingshi records that Zheng was initially sent to Palembang to negotiate the pacification of Chen and others,[7] but it also states that Chen and the others plotted to attack Ming China's forces.[7][6] The Taizong Shilu records that Chen tried to evade and withdraw from active engagement with Ming China's treasure fleet.[2] Dreyer (2007) characterizes the much-later account of Chen in the Mingshi as a disparaging attempt to portray him as an evil pirate and thereby contrast him from the Chinese merchants of Palembang who submitted.[6]
Ming China's treasure fleet took three prisoners, including Chen, back to the Chinese capital Nanjing for decapitation.[4]
Aftermath
On 2 October 1407, Chen Zuyi and his lieutenants were executed.[8] On 29 October 1407, the Yongle Emperor of Ming China issued an order to reward the officers and other crew members who went to battle against Chen's pirate fleet at Palembang.[9]
Ming China's imperial court appointed Shi Jinqing as the Pacification Superintendent of Old Port, which established an ally at Palembang and secured access to this important port.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Chan (1998), 233.
- ^ a b c Dreyer (2007), 55.
- ^ Dreyer (2007), 57.
- ^ a b c d e Ray (1987), 69 & 74–75.
- ^ Duyvendak (1939), 358–360.
- ^ a b c Dreyer (2007), 55–56.
- ^ a b c Sen (2016), 613.
- ^ Dreyer (2007), 59.
- ^ Dreyer (2007), 58 & 62.
Bibliography
- Chan, Hok-lam (1998). "The Chien-wen, Yung-lo, Hung-hsi, and Hsüan-te reigns, 1399–1435". The Cambridge History of China, Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 1. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521243322.
- Dreyer, Edward L. (2007). Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405–1433. New York, NY: Pearson Longman. ISBN 9780321084439.
- Duyvendak, J. J. L. (1939). "The True Dates of the Chinese Maritime Expeditions in the Early Fifteenth Century". T'oung Pao. 34 (5): 341–413. doi:10.1163/156853238X00171. JSTOR 4527170.
- Ray, Haraprasad (1987). "An Analysis of the Chinese Maritime Voyages into the Indian Ocean during Early Ming Dynasty and their Raison d'Etre". China Report. 23 (1): 65–87. doi:10.1177/000944558702300107. S2CID 154116680.
- Sen, Tansen (2016). "The Impact of Zheng He's Expeditions on Indian Ocean Interactions". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 79 (3): 609–636. doi:10.1017/S0041977X16001038.