Early history

Makassar 1920s

Many of the early history of Sulawesi is written in old texts which can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries. When the Portuguese, the first Western visitors, reached Sulawesi in 1511, they found a growing cosmopolitan Makassar entre-port where Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Siamese, Javanese, and Malays came to trade in metal goods and textiles are produced they are good for the precious pearls, gold , copper, camphor and, of course, spices invaluable - nutmeg, cloves and nutmeg brought from inland and from the Spice Islands of Maluku islands neighbors today.

In the 16th century, Makassar Sulawesi has become a major port and center of Gowa and Tallo powerful empire. The arrival of Dutch in the early 17th century led to upheavel in Sulawesi. To make their hegemony over the spice trade they captured the fortress of Makassar in 1667, they rebuilt and renamed Fort Rotterdam. From this base, they managed to destroy the fortress of Sultan of Gowa who are then forced to live on the outskirts of Makassar.

Makassar City back to the point of collection to produce eastern Indonesia-which, rattan, copra, pearl and sandalwood. Although the Dutch controlled the coast, it was not until the early 20th century that they gain power over the interior through a series of treaties with local rulers. While the Dutch missionaries converted many Christian Toraja. Then when an independent Indonesia, Sulawesi became part of it. The biggest city on the island is Makassar (Ujung Pandang) is also the capital of South Sulawesi province. Located at coordinates: 5 ° 8'S 119 ° 25'E in the southwest coast of the southern island of Sulawesi, facing the Makassar Strait.

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