When did the Sultanate of Sambaliung exist?

The Sultanate of Sambaliung existed c. 1810–1960. On this map it is drawn 1830–1848.

Southeast Asia · Konbaung, Chakri and the colonial century

Sultanate of Sambaliung

Small Malay sultanate in eastern Borneo (Berau region) · c. 1810–1960

The Sultanate of Sambaliung, earlier called the Kingdom of Tanjung, was created by the partition of the Sultanate of Berau around 1810, when Berau was split into two successor states: Sambaliung and Gunung Tabur. Its first ruler, Sultan Alimuddin — better known as Raja Alam — was a descendant of Baddit Dipattung (Aji Suryanata Kesuma), the first king of Berau, through the Pangeran Tua line.

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Type: Small Malay sultanate in eastern Borneo (Berau region)
Existed: c. 1810–1960
Shown on the map: 1830–1848
Peak area: ~14,000 km² (dataset)
Region: Southeast Asia

Origins & foundation

Political history & notable rulers

The split itself grew out of Berau's rotational succession between the descendants of two half-brothers, Pangeran Tua and Pangeran Dipati, an arrangement that bred chronic disputes and occasional incidents. Eight sultans ruled Sambaliung: Alimuddin (Raja Alam, 1810–1844), Kaharuddin (Raja Bungkoh, 1844–1848), Hadi Jalaluddin (1848–1850), Asyik Syarifuddin (1850–1863), Salehuddin (1863–1869), Adil Jalaluddin (1869–1881), Bayanuddin (1881–1902) and Muhammad Aminuddin (1902–1960). Raja Alam is remembered locally for refusing to submit to the colonial power. In 1837 the sultanate formally became a Dutch protectorate.

Economy, culture & religion

A riverine and coastal Malay polity on the Berau coast of East Kalimantan, with Sunni Islam as the official religion alongside animist practice; its languages were Malay and Berau. It bordered Gunung Tabur to the north, the Sultanate of Bulungan to the west, Kutai Kartanegara to the south and the Sulawesi Sea to the east.

Peak & territorial extent

A minor Borneo coastal state of roughly 14,000 km² within the greater Berau region.

Decline & end

Under Dutch paramountcy from 1837 the sultanate survived as a self-governing protectorate, and after Indonesian independence it continued as a swapraja (self-governing territory) under the Berau Special Region from 1953 until the Indonesian government abolished the sultanates in 1960, incorporating its territory into Berau Regency.

Legacy & modern connections

The Sambaliung palace (keraton) at Tanjung Redeb survives as a heritage site in Berau Regency, East Kalimantan; traditions of Raja Alam are kept alive in local memory, and the sultanate is counted among the historic kingdoms of Kalimantan alongside Berau, Gunung Tabur and Bulungan. (Note: the available source material on this small state is thin, based essentially on the Indonesian Wikipedia article.)

Common questions

What was the Sultanate of Sambaliung?: The Sultanate of Sambaliung, earlier called the Kingdom of Tanjung, was created by the partition of the Sultanate of Berau around 1810, when Berau was split into two successor states: Sambaliung and Gunung Tabur. Its first ruler, Sultan Alimuddin — better known as Raja Alam — was a descendant of Baddit Dipattung (Aji Suryanata Kesuma), the first king of Berau, through the Pangeran Tua line.
When did the Sultanate of Sambaliung exist?: The Sultanate of Sambaliung existed c. 1810–1960. On this map it is drawn 1830–1848.
How large was the Sultanate of Sambaliung at its height?: A minor Borneo coastal state of roughly 14,000 km² within the greater Berau region.
Who ruled the Sultanate of Sambaliung?: The split itself grew out of Berau's rotational succession between the descendants of two half-brothers, Pangeran Tua and Pangeran Dipati, an arrangement that bred chronic disputes and occasional incidents.
How did the Sultanate of Sambaliung end?: Under Dutch paramountcy from 1837 the sultanate survived as a self-governing protectorate, and after Indonesian independence it continued as a swapraja (self-governing territory) under the Berau Special Region from 1953 until the Indonesian government abolished the sultanates in 1960, incorporating its territory into Berau Regency.
What did the economy and culture of the Sultanate of Sambaliung rest on?: A riverine and coastal Malay polity on the Berau coast of East Kalimantan, with Sunni Islam as the official religion alongside animist practice; its languages were Malay and Berau. It bordered Gunung Tabur to the north, the Sultanate of Bulungan to the west, Kutai Kartanegara to the south and the Sulawesi Sea to the east.
Why does the Sultanate of Sambaliung still matter?: The Sambaliung palace (keraton) at Tanjung Redeb survives as a heritage site in Berau Regency, East Kalimantan; traditions of Raja Alam are kept alive in local memory, and the sultanate is counted among the historic kingdoms of Kalimantan alongside Berau, Gunung Tabur and Bulungan. (Note: the available source material on this small state is thin, based essentially on the Indonesian Wikipedia article.)

Sources

Every source below was consulted while writing this entry.

Wikipedia: Kesultanan Sambaliung id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesultanan_Sambaliung

This entry was written from the sources above and last updated 10 September 2026.

This entry was researched and drafted with AI from the sources above, and has not been reviewed by a historian. How entries are made

Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0: reuse it with a credit to The World Through Time and a link to this page. Passages drawing on the Wikipedia articles listed above are also licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 by their contributors.

Border geometry for the map itself comes from Cliopatria v0.12 (Seshat Global History Databank, CC-BY-4.0).

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