A Notes About the Nagur Kingdom

By: Purba Masrul Dasuha, S.Pd


Nagur is a glorious ancient kingdom as an early forerunner to the birth of civilization east Batak tribe later called Simelungun. Nagur has started its civilization since the sixth century BC, as written in the annals Sui Dynasty (570-620 BC), who recounts that two sides trade transactions, between Nagur and Sui Dynasty in Bah Bolon river. It is the oldest source notes of this kingdom history. Nagur kingdom dominated of East Sumatra, begin from coastal of west Aceh stretching to the east which border with Malacca Strait, in the northern region border of Jayu and Lake Toba in the south. Another source about Nagur also obtained testimony from foreign explorers ever visit to the Nagur, such as information from Persian explorer, Buzuruq bin Syahriar on IX century noted the existence of a kingdom named Nakus; Additional information also comes from Marco Polo (1271-1295), a nomads from Venice (Italy) in 1292 BC which had visited a number of islands in the coast of Sumatra, on of them is Dagroian which is a Nagur, that is located in Pidie (Aceh) now. Marco Polo tells Dagroian people habit were cannibals that dissolves with genocide practice. The society really primitive and pagan.

Another note is also derived from Chinese explorers, namely the report of Admiral Zheng He through his interpreter, Ma Huan which contained in his book - Ying-yei Sheng-lan in 1416 and Fei Xin in his book Xing-cha Sheng-lan in 1436 they are moslem, they said that there was a kingdom named Nakuerh, an empire so vast inland region and contiguous with the Samudera Pasai and Aru kingdom. In the report, they describe that the Nakuerh king his face tattooed, the area is not so wide and only inhabited by about a thousand families. The location of this kingdom are on the west coast not far from Lamuri (Aceh). Furthermore, the Portuguese historian Ferdinand Mendez Pinto in 1539 said there is a port called Surotilau, which are off the coast of the Aru kingdom. Pinto also tells the story of a fierce battle between Aceh in the leadership of Raja Ali or Sultan Alauddin Al - Qahhar Riayat Shah (1537-1569) with King Batak (named Tuan Anggi Sri Timorraja).

This battle lasted for 2 innings, the first war with a toughness rely poisonous arrows , Nagur troops successfully repulsed and pursued it until the mountain which is named Cagerrendan (Cagar Ardan ), for 23 days Batak troops surrounded the rest of the Aceh troops who are still survive. Short story both parties agreed on a peace treaty. But a half months later, Aceh violate the agreement and intend to retaliate. The existence of reinforcements from 300 Turkish people make the Acehnese  getting excited against Raja Batak. Aceh party anticipate their strategy how to attack is not widespread and known to the King Batak. So they invented a pretext that the Aceh king will visit Pasai, but it turns out not to Pasai but attacked two villages of Batak named Jacur and Lingua. In the attack, Aceh had killed 3 sons of Raja Batak and 700 commander who is at once the best soldiers are glorified in the Batak kingdom (Nagur). The other source about Nagur also be obtained from the record of Ibn Battuta (1304-1369), a wanderer from Morocco who in 1345 visited Pasai and Nagur, and tell that Nagur been attacked by King Tamil Rajendra Choladewa from South India in 1023-1024, which resulted in Nagur lose many areas of the colony.

Other foreign wanderers like Tome Pires (1513-1515) also said that there was a Batak kingdom possible it is Nagur. In the pustaha Parpadanan Na Bolag, Nagur described as a rich and prosperous kingdom, with Pamatang (mother country) has a strong fortress, fenced iron, gate called Layarlayar made ​​of Tumbaga holing and  lock made ​​of silver. Pustaha Parmongmong Bandar Syahkuda stated  that the King's Nagur Palace is in Tolbak Pargambirian. The glory of the kingdom only lasted until the end of the thirteenth century , when the area was being targeted by the authorities around him whom Samudera Pasai, the expansion of political influence of Singosari kingdom  through Pamalayu expedition were also extends to this kingdom. In the later period of existence Nagur increasingly squeezed and threatened due to various wars for the sake of the war occurred increasingly weakened integrity of this kingdom.