They formed an alliance during the sixteenth century in response to the rise of Gowa and Tallo to the south and rivalling the Telumpoccoe alliance—consisting three Bugis kingdoms of Bone, Wajo, and Soppeng—to the east.
The later invasion of South Sulawesi by the Dutch East India Company and its imposition of monopoly ended the region's status as a trade centre.
[2][3] Since the thirteenth century, people of South Sulawesi began to form chiefdoms supported by intensive farming, including in Ajatappareng.
Ports on the western coast of South Sulawesi, including Siang, Talloq, Somba Opu, and Suppa were among the beneficiaries.
[2][8] According to oral tradition, the confederation was started by Lapancaitana, the seventh datu or leader of Suppa, who at the time also ruled Sawitto and Rappang.
[13][14] Lontara sources state that Suppa and Sawitto conquered or at least invaded Leworeng, Lemo-Lemo, Bulu Kapa, Bonto-Bonto, Bantaeng, Segeri, Passokreng, Baroko, Toraja, Mamuju, Kaili, Kali dan Toli-Toli.
[13][14] Ajatappareng's sphere of influence extended to the easterly part of Central Sulawesi and it bordered the kingdom of Luwu in Kaili and Toli-Toli.
Historian Leonard Andaya opines that this probably indicates that Malay traders were resettled into Gowa and granted trading rights there, citing a separate passage in the chronicle.
The other two members of the confederation, Siddenreng and Rappang, did not support their allies against Gowa, despite their longstanding alliance and the extensive intermarriage between their ruling families.