Pati Unus facts for kids

Pati Unus, also known as Pangeran Sabrang Lor, was an important leader in the history of Indonesia. He was the second Sultan of Demak, a powerful kingdom on the island of Java. Pati Unus ruled from 1518 to 1521. His real name was Raden Abdul Qadir. He was the son of Raden Patah, who founded the Demak Sultanate.

Pati Unus is famous for leading attacks against the Portuguese in Malacca. This was a very important port city. In 1513, a writer named Tomé Pires said that Pati Unus was about 25 years old. He had already led one attack on Malacca by then. Pati Unus died in 1521 during his second big attack on Malacca. After he died, his brother-in-law, Trenggana, became the next Sultan of Demak.

Who Was Pati Unus?

Pati Unus was a brave prince from the Demak Sultanate. He was also known as Pangeran Sabrang Lor. This name means 'Prince who crossed to the North'. He got this name because he sailed across the Java Sea to fight the Portuguese in Malacca. Malacca was located north of Java.

Some historical writings, like the Suma Oriental by Tomé Pires, mention Pate Onus or Pate Unus. These writings describe him as a key figure in the Demak Sultanate. He was a strong leader who wanted to protect the region from foreign control.

Fighting in Malacca

Pati Unus led two major attacks on Malacca. He wanted to take the city back from the Portuguese. These battles were very important for the history of Java and the surrounding islands.

First Attack on Malacca

In 1512, the city of Samudra Pasai fell to the Portuguese. This made Pati Unus realize that he needed to act fast. He was the commander of the Islamic fleet from Java. So, at the end of 1512, he sent a small group of ships to attack the Portuguese fort in Malacca.

In January 1513, Pati Unus's fleet arrived in Malacca. He had about 100 ships and 5,000 soldiers from Java. Many of his ships were large Javanese junks. Some of these ships weighed up to 600 tons. They carried many soldiers and powerful cannons made in Java.

Even though Pati Unus's forces were defeated in this first attack, he sailed home. He even buried his large warship as a symbol of his fight. This brave act helped him become the Sultan of Demak. A Portuguese captain, Fernão Pires de Andrade, wrote about Pati Unus's main ship. He said it was the biggest ship anyone in the area had ever seen. It was so strong that cannonballs could not break through its sides below the waterline.

Second Attack on Malacca

By 1521, Pati Unus had prepared an even bigger fleet. He had 375 ships ready for battle. Even though he had only been sultan for three years, Pati Unus decided to lead this expedition himself. He brought two of his sons with him. The huge fleet sailed from the port of Demak.

When Pati Unus's ship was getting ready to land on the beach, it was hit by a cannonball. Pati Unus was killed in the attack. The Javanese forces had many losses. They decided to retreat under the command of Raden Hidayat. He was the second-in-command after Pati Unus died.

The remaining ships returned to Java. Fadhlullah Khan was then chosen as the new commander of the fleet. The second attack on Malacca failed partly because the different sultanates in Indonesia did not work together perfectly.

Pati Unus's first and third sons also died in the battle. However, his second son, Raden Abdullah, survived. He returned to Java with the remaining fleet. Some soldiers from the Malacca Sultanate also moved to Java. They were Malaccan Malays. Later, their families helped Raden Abdullah's descendants spread Islam in the land of Pasundan.