Battle of Muar River

Battle of Muar River
Part of Malay-Portuguese conflicts
Date April 1523 Location Muar River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Result Malayan victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire	Sultanate of Bintan Pahang Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Jorge de Albuquerque	Unnamed Laksamana
Strength
Unknown	80 vessels
Casualties and losses
65 men killed 3 ships lost	Unknown

The Battle of Muar River took place in 1523 between the allied Malaccan-Pahang navy and the Portuguese navy. The battle ended in favor of the Malayans, as they defeated the Portuguese in the Muar River.

In 1521, having defeated a Portuguese attempt to capture and destroy the Sultan of Malacca Mahmud Shah's base, attacks on Portuguese shipping increased from that time onwards,^[1] which laid a heavy burden on Portuguese operations. In April 1523, the Malaccans, allied with the Pahang Sultanate^[2] launched a raid against the Portuguese and occupied Malacca with a large navy of 80 vessels led by the Laksamana.^[3]

Once the Malayans established themselves in the Muar River,^[4] a lone Portuguese vessel sailing from Malacca spotted the large Malayan navy about 10 leagues away and quickly returned to Malacca to inform its captain Jorge de Albuquerque; who decided to face them in the sea and send ships there, however, the Portuguese encountered a heavy storm which forced them head to the Muar River.

The storm was powerful enough that it forced three Portuguese ships – separated from the rest – to go far into the river where they met the Malayan camp, where they were surrounded and attacked with all 65 Portuguese on board being killed.^[4][5] The rest of the Portuguese navy withdrew to Malacca, and the Malayans, satisfied with their victory returned to Bintan.^[5]

• Attack on Bintan (1521)
• Battle of Pago
• Siege of Bintan