The Kingdom of Bentan (Bintan) was a Malay kingdom that once stood in the area now known as

Bintan Bintan Regency (originally the Riau Islands Regency; ) is an administrative area in the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia. Bintan Regency includes all of Bintan Island (except for the city of Tanjung Pinang which is separately administered ...

Riau Islands The Riau Islands () is a provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia consisting of a group of islands located in the western part of the country. It was established in 2002 after being separated from the neighboring Riau Province. The capit ...

, Indonesia. The Bentan Kingdom was once one of the strongest powers in the

Riau Archipelago The Riau Archipelago is a ''geographic'' term (as opposed to administrative region) for the core group of islands within the Riau Islands Province in Indonesia, and located south of Singapore and east of Riau on Sumatra. Before the province of Ri ...

, with historical ties to the

Srivijaya Empire Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hindu-Buddhist thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important centre for the expansion of Buddh ...

and significant influence in regional trade. Bentan also became known for its pepper cultivation and its role in maritime commerce, drawing traders from various parts of the world. The Venetian adventurer named

Marco Polo Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known a ...

(1254-1324), who had stopped there on his voyage from China in 1292, called it Pentan.

History

The Bentan Kingdom is estimated to have been established in the 11th century AD. Several sources state that the founder of this kingdom was King Azhar Aya, who was later replaced by King Iskandar Syah. The location of this kingdom is estimated to be in the area now called Bukit Batu, Teluk Bintan.

Relations with Srivijaya

The Bentan Kingdom was closely related to the

. After the decline of Srivijaya, the area now known as the Riau Islands, including Bintan, became a new center of power that continued the maritime and trade traditions in the region.

Historical Relics

Although there are not many physical remains left, the history of the Bentan Kingdom lives on in oral tradition and some written sources. One of the historical relics believed to be related to this kingdom is the Tomb of Bukit Batu located in Teluk Bintan. This tomb is considered the resting place of important figures from the Bentan Kingdom and is part of the historical heritage that is still preserved by the local community.

References

{{Precolonial states in Indonesia Srivijaya Hindu Buddhist states in Indonesia Malay kingdoms id:Kerajaan Bentan