Ottoman Empire reaching out to ocean to help others

After the conquest of Egypt, the Ottomans descended into the Hijaz region, expanding towards the Indian Ocean and establishing contact with the Muslims in the region. The furthest of these contacts was with Aceh on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Even today, Aceh remains a distant geography, yet it embraced the Ottomans. The Aceh Sultanate, which existed between 1496 and 1903, gradually expanded its domain over time, leading to its presence in the Red Sea for both trade and pilgrimage purposes. To escape the oppression of the Portuguese, the people of Aceh appealed to the Ottoman Sultan. In response to this request, the Ottomans provided military assistance to the region. The issue of Aceh was of great importance to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent's son, Sultan Selim II. During his reign, a fleet of around twenty ships, led by Kurdoğlu Hızır Reis, was sent to the archipelago. However, due to a rebellion that broke out in Yemen at that time, this expedition, which was prepared for Aceh, had to be redirected to the rebellious area. As a result, only two ships were sent to support Aceh by the Ottomans. Thanks to the Ottoman aid, the Aceh Sultanate possessed the most powerful artillery and firepower against the Portuguese in the archipelago for two centuries. In 1612, when the Acehnese conquered the major city of Deli, their war tactics were learned from the Ottomans who came to their aid. The construction of Aceh's castle and palace was also influenced by the Ottomans. However, the most prominent symbol of Ottoman influence in Aceh is the flag. The Acehnese never forgot the Ottomans who stood by them in their most difficult times. In fact, this event is even mentioned in the epic of the Acehnese, 'Hikayat Aceh.' During the Crimean War, the Acehnese provided financial aid to the Ottoman Empire. In the late 19th century, they sought help from the Ottomans against the Dutch. Although Sultan Abdulhamid II could not openly accept this offer, he provided support to the region covertly.

Ottoman Empire reaching out to ocean to help others

In the 16th century, after the Acehnese were subjected to cruel attacks by the Portuguese, they sought help from Sultan Süleyman, prompting the Ottomans to send two ships to support the region. This assistance would have a great impact on our Acehnese brothers.