Gassib Kingdom

Riau region is flowed by many rivers, such as Indragiri, Kampar, Rokan, and Gangsal. These rivers have historical values, as many kingdoms established along them, and used their name.  

The Gassib Kingdom had been established since the 14^th to the 15^th century. The capital of this Kingdom was located in the edge of the Gassib‘s tributary. Now, this site is located in the upstream of Kuala Mandau River.  

1. The History

As other old kingdoms in Riau region, the Gassib Kingdom had not left any historical traces. However, in general, the historical periods of the Gassib Kingdom could be divided into two periods: before and after the arrival of Islam. Islamic influences came into the kingdom after it had been defeated by Malacca.

Since Portuguese had conquered Malacca, the existence of the Gassib Kingdom begun declining. Therefore, since that time, its supreme authority became folklore and legend stories. Many inhabitants, for example, had ever seen many equipments of the Gassib Kingdom floating on the river.         

2. The Kings of the Kingdom

The comprehensive data of the Gasibb‘s kings has not been reached yet, especially in the data of the Hindu-Buddhist period. However, based on the information which can be reached, one of the Gassib rulers was Raja Badagai who ruled the kingdom around the 15^th century.

3. The Kingdom Period

The scarcity of data led to the minimum information about the kings who had ruled the kingdom. Some descendants of the kings who had ruled the Gassib Kingdom were not identified. But, based on some information, the period of the Gassib Kingdom had been divided into two periods. The first period was under the control of the kings who embraced Hindu-Buddhism. The second period was under the control of the kings who had converted to Islam. And the most absurd information was on the kings who embraced Hindu-Buddhism.

One of the Siak Gassib kings who embraced Hindu-Buddhism was Raja Badagai. According to Chinese writing, in 1433 C.E. Raja Badagai together with Indragiri and Siantan kings had ever asked protection to China. If the information is true, it could be assumed that, the Chinese protection was caused by Malaccan invasion which had converted to Islam. It was known that Islam had different teachings from the Gassib‘s (indigenous) beliefs. Another assumption could be said that, Majapahit Kingdom, the protector of the Gassib Kingdom became gradually weak. As a result, they (Majapahit) could not be the patron of the kingdom ever since.

The Malaccan invasion was a cause for the Gassib Kingdom in searching of Chinese protection. Its story was written on Malay history that Sultan Mansyur Syah, who ruled the Ma­lacca Kingdom from 1444 to 1477 C.E., conquered Hindu-Buddhist Kingdom where located in Gassib and he also captured King Permaisura. Since that time, the Gassib Kingdom was under the control of Malacca/Johor and the kings who had converted to Islam.

After the Gassib Kingdom had been defeated by Malacca, Sultan Mansyur Syah appointed a son of  Siak Gassib king (Maharaja Permaisura), Megat Kudu, as the ruler of the Gassib Kingdom under the control of Malacca. Thus, he (Megat Kudu) was appointed as son in law of the Malacca King. Megat Kudu then gained honorable title ‘Sultan Ibrahim‘.  This fact indicated that Megat Kudu had embraced Islam in agreement with the aspiration of Malacca Kingdom.

At the time of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Syah I had been appointed as the ruler of Malacca (1477-1488 C.E.), Raja Abdullah then appointed as a king of the Gassib Kingdom to replace his father, Sultan Ibrahim.

4. The Kingdom Territory

The Siak Gasib Kingdom‘s territory was along the Siak River beginning from the upstream in Bukit Seligi Tapung and Bukit Langa (Tapung Kanan) to the border of Minangkabau, West Sumatra. This site can be proved from the oral folklore which has been inherited by generations in Tapung Kanan. It was said that people of the district has been controlled by the Siak Gassib Kingdom.

The location of Gassib is nearby Kuala coast. It was unreasonable, when a capital of the Kingdom, for example, located in close to the unsaved place of the neighbor‘ authority. So, it can be assumed that Kuala Siak was the part of the Gassib Kingdom‘s territory. Moreover, if Kuala Siak had not been conquered by Malacca, they would choose its capital in the interior district of the Kingdom.

5. The Kingdom Structure

The scarcity of data led to the minimum information about the Kingdom structure. However, this Kingdom was located in the Malay civilizing territory, and after having conquered by Malacca, it could be assumed that the structure of the Kingdom was like other Malay Kingdoms, with a king as the supreme ruler.

6. The Socio-Cultural Life

In the process of data collecting.

(TN/trj/11/9-07)

References :

• Tim Universitas Riau. 1976. Sejarah Riau. Pekanbaru: Pemda Tk.I Propinsi Riau.
• Profil Provinsi Republik Indonesia: Riau. 1992. Jakarta: Yayasan Bakti Wawasan Nusantara

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Comment of "gassib kingdom"

18 Jul 2011. febriadi kok gak bisa di copy???????????

12 Dec 2012. Datuk Perpatih Rupanya encek nuri lagi mengigau, tidak ado hubungan grahi dengan gassib do ncek....jaman kerajaan sudah ado abjad BRITISH kah? kih3x....GASIB=Grahi...KARUT,.. yang jelas GRAHI adalah jajahan Dharmasraya (minangkabau) sebagaimana tertulis dari prasasti grahi tahun 1183, ini fakta bukan tambo, mahasepati telanai adalah bawahan raja dharmasraya srimat trailokyaraja maulibushana warmadewa; Prasasti Grahi:bahwa pada tahun Saka 1105 (1183), atas perintah Kamraten An Maharadja Srimat Trailokya raja Maulibhusanawarmadewa, hari ketiga bulan naik bulan Jyestha, hari Rabu, mahasenapati Gelanai yang memerintah Grahi menyuruh mraten Sri Nano membuat arca Budha. Beratnya 1 bhara 2 tula, dan nilai emasnya 10 tamlin.

07 Feb 2013. karnapi m saleh ana suka materi ini dan kepingin download, bgmn caranya

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