The establishment of Islamic rule in the Eastern coast of Sumatra and its role in the maritime Silk Road in the 13th to 17th century

Archaeological findings have shown that various harbours around Sumatra, the Straits of Malacca and the Strait of Sunda, were part of a trade network from the 1^st century AD onwards. Commerce expanded significantly in the 10^th century AD, a time when the sea around Sumatra was controlled by the rulers of Sriwijaya. From the 14^th century onwards, power in the region shifted to the Muslim rulers of Samudera-Pasai and subsequently the Sultanates of Aceh and Banten. Due to its strategically advantageous position and to the creation of major harbours from the 7^th to the 16^th century, the area around Sumatra became an important centre for maritime trade between East and West.