The 1568 Acehnese siege of Malacca was a major pan-Islamic military effort to dislodge the Portuguese from Southeast Asia, involving Ottoman support.
Key Facts
- Attacking force size
- 15,000 troops
- Defending force size
- 1,500 men, ~200 Portuguese
- Siege duration
- Three days
- Scaling ladders deployed
- 200 ladders used against city walls
- Portuguese control of Malacca since
- 1511
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A pan-Islamic alliance, including the Sultanate of Aceh and Ottoman-supplied cannoneers, sought to expel the Portuguese from Malacca and the coasts of India. Ottoman assistance was limited by simultaneous campaigns in Cyprus and an uprising in Aden, constraining the alliance's full strength.
In 1568, Sultan Alauddin of Aceh led a large fleet of galley-type ships and 15,000 troops, including Ottoman mercenaries, against Portuguese-held Malacca. Defenders under Dom Leonis Pereira, aided by Johor, repelled the Acehnese assault—including a heavy cannon barrage and 200 scaling ladders—before sallying out to destroy Acehnese earthworks.
Unable to capture the city after three days, Alauddin withdrew and burned some of his own ships due to heavy losses. Further Acehnese attacks on Malacca continued in subsequent years, particularly in 1570, and the cumulative pressure contributed to the gradual weakening of Portuguese dominance in the region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Sultan Alauddin.
Side B
1 belligerent
Dom Leonis Pereira.