Hasanuddin, Indonesian Hero
Hasanuddin of Gowa Sultan Hassanudin was born in Makassar, Gowa Kingdom under the name I Mallombasi Muhammad Bakir Daeng Mattawang Karaeng Bonto Mangepe. He was the 2nd prince of the 15th King of Gowa, Sultan Malikussaid. Upon his conversion to Islam, Hassanudin changed his name to Sultan Hasanuddin Tumenanga Ri Balla Pangkana. After his accession to the throne of Gowa, Hasanuddin was faced with a turbulent situation as the Dutch colonized the East Indies. During this period, the Kingdom of Gowa was the sole large east Indonesian kingdom which not colonized by the Dutch. In 1666, under the leadership of Captain Cornelis Spellman, the Dutch East India Company sought to seize each and every east Indonesian kingdom to monopolized the spice trade, though were unable to colonize Gowa. In order to resist Dutch encroachments, Hasanuddin tried to gather each of the kingdom’s military powers to attack the Dutch East Indies Company collectively. The wars between the Dutch and the States con...