Gorontalo of Tidore

This was further complicated by the tense relation to Tidore's traditional rival, the Sultanate of Ternate, and by the intense rivalry between the European powers of Spain and the Netherlands.

[1] Mole Majimu (r. 1599–1627) and his son and successor Ngarolamo (r. 1627–1634) held on to the old alliance with the Spanish, while Ternate was closely dependent on the Dutch East India Company or VOC.

[3] By 1616 the Ternate court received a prince from the rival lineage, Kaicili Gorontalo, "related to the Kings of Ternate and Tidore on his father's and mother's side, and therefore very well-regarded by both nations, so that the prince of Tidore could be preferred according to the right of succession, since the right succession of the kingdom was deprived the father of this Kaicili due to his young age, and the crown went to the present king".

[5] After his accession to the throne Ngarolamo quickly lost support from part of the Tidorese elite, as well as from the Spanish who by this time kept military posts in Tidore and southern Ternate.

[7] As a result of the new Tidore-Ternate concord, the Tidorese in the clove-producing island Makian became so rash that they stole the slaves and servants of the VOC and the locals with impunity.

Hernández and his entourage were duly brought to the baileu or reception hall, and Gorontalo appeared with a small retinue of 8-10 men.

The discussions started in a friendly tone, when one of the reformados (re-allocated soldiers in Spanish service) suddenly pierced the Sultan with a long poignard.