Ternate

The volcanic island of Ternate rises off the west coast of Halmahera, one of the few places where cloves originally grew. Its rulers turned the spice trade into the foundation of a powerful sultanate, drawing merchants from across Asia. Ternate's long rivalry with neighboring Tidore shaped alliances throughout the Moluccas, while its influence reached far beyond the small island itself.

The Portuguese obtained permission to build a fort in 1522, but their attempts to dominate trade and intervene in local affairs brought conflict. After Sultan Hairun was killed in 1570, his son Babullah led resistance that expelled the Portuguese from their fort in 1575. Under Babullah and his successor Said, Ternate's authority extended from parts of Sulawesi and Mindanao to eastern Seram. A Spanish expedition from Manila seized the island in 1606 and carried Sultan Said and nobles into exile; Ternate's rulers then sought Dutch support against Spain. The Company became an increasingly powerful ally, demanding control over the trade that had once sustained the sultanate's independence.

The later city of Sofifi also lies here.