Jejak Ekonomi Melayu pada Perdagangan Maritim Kesultanan Palembang Darussalam Abad ke-17 hingga ke-19

Abstract

Palembang, as the seat of power for the Darussalam Sultanate, held a strategic role in the maritime trade routes connecting the East and the West. The Musi River served as the economic lifeline that linked the interior regions of Sumatra with the archipelagic and international waters. The economic values of the Malay community were reflected not only in trade practices but also in port management, commercial systems, and diplomatic relations driven by trade interests. Established in the 17th century, the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate became one of the major hubs in the maritime trade network of Southeast Asia. As an Islamic kingdom influenced by Malay culture, it developed an economic system based on interregional trade, riverine and maritime navigation, as well as the management of local resources. This article aims to examine the economic dynamics of the Palembang Sultanate through a historical approach, focusing on the contributions of the Malay community in developing maritime trade from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The findings reveal that the Malay economic legacy within the maritime trade structure of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate during the 17th to 19th centuries demonstrates an integration of Islamic values, local culture, and economic strategies that were adaptive to regional dynamics. The trade system developed was not solely driven by material gain but also emphasized principles of justice, deliberation, and social sustainability. Key commodities such as pepper, dammar resin, and rattan symbolized the strength of local production connected to international networks, while the ports along the Musi River functioned as commercial nodes efficiently managed by the sultanate’s authorities