Kota Johor Lama (Old Johor Fort), Johor, Malaysia

The Kota Johor Lama was part of a string of defensive fortifications built by the Johor Empire along the Johor river.

Faced with enemies such as the Portuguese and Acheh, the Johor Sultanate built eight forts along the whole length of the Johor river, from Sayong Pinang to Johor Lama and Kota Batu at the river's estuary, more than 50 km downstream.

After the fall of Melaka 1511, the Melaka Sultanate shattered into remnant centers, at Muar, Pagoh, Bentan and at Kampar in Sumatra. When Sultan Mahmud died in Kampar in 1528, his successor Sultan Alauddin set up his administrative centre at Pekan Tua, about 11km upriver from modern Kota Tinggi in Johor and established his first fort known as Kota Kara further downstream on the Johor river.

The Portuguese under Estavao da Gama, with 400 soldiers and 2 large galleons, invaded Johor in June of 1535. From the river, Kota Kara was attacked and bombarded while Portuguese troops, landing a few days later, shelled the fort from a neighbouring hill. These initial attacks were repulsed by the defenders. The Malays, thinking to push the Portuguese out, sallied out of their fortified ramparts to attack the retreating Portuguese. However, what started as a victory, turned into a rout when the Portuguese pushed the Malays back and captured the empty fort, burning it to the ground.

Sultan Alauddin, forced to flee Pekan Tua, set up another fort further upriver at Sayong Pinang, rebuilding Kota Kara when the Portuguese had left.

However, Estavao da Gama returned and attacked again with another forced comprising Malay mercenaries and about 400 Portuguese soldiers. Sultan Alauddin was forced to relocated yet again, this time moving his capital to Johor Lama, nearer the river estuary. He built a fort at Kota Batu to guard the river approach to the new capital.

In 1539, Acheh attacked Johor's vassal, Aru, with a fleet of 160 vessels. Mustering a fleet in defence, Johor together with allies from Siak and Perak invaded and recaptured Aru the next year at the battle of Sungai Paneh.

In revenge, in 1564 Acheh attacked Kota Batu and Johor Lama. The fort and town were completely destroyed with its hundreds of cannon and artillery pieces seized together with the Sultan. The Johor Sultan was brought in chains back to Acheh, where he died. The Sultan's son, was installed by the Achinese as Sultan Muzaffah Shah and he rebuilt Kota Batu and built his capital Seluyut, 15km upstream near Kota Tinggi.

Sultan Muzaffah Shah died in 1571 and was succeeded by Sultan Ali Jalla Abdul Jalil Shah II who rebuilt Johor Lama and enlarged Kota Batu, equipping it with hundreds of cannon. Johor Lama quickly became a thriving centre of trade, posing a threat to the Portuguese at Melaka. In 1576, a Portuguese fleet again attacked the fort but were beaten back. They returned 2 years later, in 1578 but were again forced to retreat, unable to beat the fort's defenses.

In 1582, the Achinese who were Johor's overlords, decided that their subject Sultan had grown too powerful and they attacked Kota Batu and Johor Lama. This time however, the Achinese were beaten back, when the Portuguese, playing bothsides, sent ships in its defence.

In 1586 the Sultan repaid the Portuguese with an attack on Melaka with a fleet of 100 vessels. Besieged, the Portuguese counterattacked with a sortie by 100 Portuguese and 600 Malay mercenaries equipped with firearams and routed a besieging 2000-strong Minangkabau force. The Johor fleet led personally by the Sultan, sailed into the harbour and launched a final assault and landed on one-side of the city, while another forced attacked from the the other. However, neither were able to breach Melaka's formidable defensive walls.

Retreating, Johor was pursued by Antonio de Noronha with a fleet of galleons right up to the walls of Kota Batu. Bombarding Kota Batu, the Portuguese landed a force of about 300 men and assaulted it. However, the heavily defended fort easily repulsed the Portuguese forcing them to return to Melaka.

Determined to rid themselves of their rivals, the Portuguese dispatched a much larger fleet from Goa later that year and again beseiged Kota Batu and Johor Lama. On August 15th, 1586 the fort's walls were finally breached. Exacting revenge, the Portuguese ships raided the entire length of the Johor River, destroying and capturing thousands of cannons and artillery pieces. Sultan Ali retreated upstream and built yet another fort at Batu Sawar but this too was quickly attacked by the Portuguese and captured.

This proved to be the effective end to the Johor Empire. Eventhough Sultan Ali rebuilt the fort at Batu Sawar and his son Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II constructed his own fort across the river from Batu Sawar called Kota Seberang, Johor never recovered and its forts were left neglected in ruins.