Sombai

Sombai, more often written Sonbai, was a powerful Atoni realm of western Timor. Its ruler occupied a place of high prestige among the island's domains, and origin traditions related his line to the rulers of Wehali in central Timor. In the seventeenth century Sonbai became involved in the contest between Portuguese interests and the Dutch East India Company.

After an agreement with the Dutch in 1655, Sonbai suffered defeat and part of its people moved toward the company stronghold at Kupang. A later ruler of Greater Sonbai left the Portuguese sphere in 1748–1749 and sought Dutch protection. The Topass leader Gaspar da Costa marched against the defectors, but was defeated and killed near Kupang at Penfui in 1749. The battle brought a number of western Timorese domains into new alliances with the company.