Jailolo is the bay on the Halmahera shore facing Ternate across ten miles of water, and the pantry of the clove islands: sago from the Halmahera swamps, timber for boats and the labour to cut it all come from here, and whoever controls this coast can starve the cones (board).
In the sixteenth century Jailolo is one of the four Maluku kingships (the Portuguese and Spanish reports, as we recall); on this board it is a coast of villages and sago groves, with no king for 1200.
Who he is
- Title
- Village chiefs of the Halmahera shore opposite Ternate (no king yet)
- Since
- not pinned
- Born
- not known
- Family
- not known
- Confidence
- low
No source names a chief of this place for 1200. Every title in this record (datu, to manurung, kolano, momole, orang kaya) comes from traditions or reports written down centuries after 1200. No source names any chief of this place for 1 January 1200.
What it holds
- The Halmahera shore opposite Ternate
- The sago swamps
- Timber for boats and labour for the cutting
Allies and rivals
The clove islands, who need its food.
How things stand that morning
Not described for 1200.
Wealth
Sago, timber and labour; no figures.
Military
Not known; boats, spears and shields in the later record. No numbers.
Threats
- Raiders from the next coast
- Volcanic eruption, earthquake or storm
- A change in the trade that comes by sea
Places of note
- Jailolo: Bay on the Halmahera shore.
- Sofifi: Shore opposite Tidore (position approximate).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The campaign board and later reports only. The campaign board marks it 'likely'.
"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.
On the map: Near land of the villages, drawn as seeded blocks.
Sources and studies
- Wikipedia, 'Sultanate of Ternate' (read in this pass): the momole of the four villages, the 1257 start of the king list, all dates up to 1500 traditional
- The OMNIA board (September 2026) note for this place: a lead only, not a source
- Background knowledge of Southeast Asian history (Wolters; Hall; Bellwood; Scott; Junker; Reid), recalled and not re-read in this pass
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.