Kinship, Islam, and Raiding in Maguindanao, c. 1760–1780the raja [of Manganitu] is very helpful.”^118 In return, the Maguindanaos
gifted Salomon with such prestige goods as a parasol, a metal morion
and chain armor.^119
This alliance was the reason why Manganitu was spared from raiding
attacks throughout its height in the eighteenth century.^120 The raja was
confident of the alliance that while other Sangirese chiefdoms either
transferred their main settlement inland^121 or built coastal fortifications
to counter any attack,^122 the plan to build any defensive structure (ben-
teng) in Manganitu was thrice refused by the raja himself.^123
The notion of family ties was convenient to the Maguindanaos not
only in cementing new alliances but also in claiming supposed historic
rights over far-flung territories. Such is the case of Maguindanao’s claim
to parts of Talaud through familial descent. In 1770, the Maguindanao
was reported to have distributed flags, parasols and canes to the various
Talaud chiefs to assert its overlordship and perhaps to create indebted-
ness.^124 Sultan Pahar ud-Din of Maguindanao told the aforementioned
Forrest who visited him in 1775 that Maguindanao had a claim to Talaud
primarily through the marriage of his grandfather Sultan Barahaman
(r. 1678–1699) with the Sangirese princess Bassing of Tabukan. The
Company received reports that the Maguindanao had installed its own
“king” in the Talaud settlement that fell traditionally under Tabukan’s
authority confirming that the Maguindanaos were keen in asserting
- NA, VOC 8141, Ternate 3, Copia dagregister gehouden door den onderkoopman
Hemmekam gedurende zijne commissie naar de Sangirsche eilanden (ontvangen
anno 1780), see testimony of Jacob Lazoek, goegoegoe of Manganitu, fol. 93. - NA, VOC 8141, Ternate 3, Copia dagregister gehouden door den onderkoopman
Hemmekam gedurende zijne commissie naar de Sangirsche eilanden (ontvangen
anno 1780), see examination of Sidano, a Manganitu-born kapitein, fol. 81. - ANRI, Ternate inv 55, Letter of D. Schierstein, Manado, 11 March 1788.
- NA, VOC 8136, Ternate 1, Copie missive van den gouverneur en raad tot
Ternaten aan haar hoog Eds. geschreven gedateerd 31 Juli 1768 (ontvangen anno
1768), fol. 10. - NA, VOC 8037, Letter from Ternate to Batavia, May 1770, fol. 31.
- NA, VOC 8141, Ternate 3, Copia dagregister gehouden door den onderkoopman
Hemmekam gedurende zijne commissie naar de Sangirsche eilanden (ontvangen
anno 1780), see testimony of Jacob Lazoek, goegoegoe of Manganitu, fol. 93.. - NA, VOC 8137, Letter from Ternate to Batavia, May 1770, fol. 29