The establishment of Islamic rule in the Eastern coast of Sumatra and its role in the maritime Silk Road in the 13th to 17th century
Archaeological findings have shown that various harbours around Sumatra, the Straits of Malacca and the Strait of Sunda, were part of a trade network from the 1st century AD onwards. Commerce expanded significantly in the 10th century AD, a time when the sea around Sumatra was controlled by the rulers of Sriwijaya. From the 14th century onwards, power in the region shifted to the Muslim rulers of Samudera-Pasai and subsequently the Sultanates of Aceh and Banten. Due to its strategically advantageous position and to the creation of major harbours from the 7th to the 16th century, the area around Sumatra became an important centre for maritime trade between East and West.