Sunda Kelapa

Sunda Kelapa lies at the mouth of the Ciliwung River on Java's northern coast. The principal port of the Sunda kingdom, it served the inland capital of Pakuan Pajajaran and prospered through the export of pepper. Ships arriving from across the archipelago and beyond found a market for the produce of western Java here. The name means “Coconut of Sunda”.

In 1522 the Portuguese concluded an agreement with the Sunda ruler, who offered access to the pepper trade in return for help against the growing power of Demak. Five years later Fatahillah captured the harbour, which became known as Jayakarta and passed into Banten's sphere. In 1619 Jan Pieterszoon Coen seized the town for the Dutch East India Company and founded Batavia on the site.