The largest island of the eastern approaches, with good water and a coast of sheltered bays, and its neighbours Batam and the small Riau islands.
A power that held Bintan would hold the door between the strait and the South China Sea; on 1 January 1200 none is attested and the boats work for themselves. Their lords are the headmen of the boat communities; nothing is known of them for the age.
Who he is
- Title
- Headmen of the boat communities of Riau
- Since
- not known
- Born
- not known
- Family
- not known
- Confidence
- low
No source names the holder for any date near 1 January 1200.
Overlord
None named.
What it holds
- Anchorages and fresh water of Bintan
- The passage between the strait and the China sea
How things stand that morning
Not recorded. The place works; who speaks for it is not known.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Thin: later lists and the campaign board's inference.
"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.
On the map: Core only.
Sources and studies
- Wikipedia (English): Orang Laut
- OMNIA board note (a lead only, checked against the sources above)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.