The coming of the Portuguese to Malacca in 1511 disrupted the existence of the people of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago, where trade and Islam were the main influences. The Christian European intruders were regarded as both economic competitors and religious enemies. The Muslim kingdoms of the region put up fierce resistance to the Portuguese. The strongest opposition was shown by Aceh. Its response was mainly expression in three aspects; military action, political maneuvering and economic reaction. Jihad (holy war) also played an important spiritual role in the response. This resistance combined with the strategic location of Aceh in the northern tip of Sumatra and the support of other Muslim powers accelerated the rise of Aceh in the sixteenth century.

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