Inderapura together with Benkulen, Painan, Padang and Pariaman on the same coast, and Siak, Inderagiri and Jambi on the eastern flank, made up the eight bab or gateways to the kingdom.

[13] With the weakening of Pagaruyung's power during the 15th century, several other coastal Minangkabau regions, such as Inderagiri, Siak, Jambi and Inderapura were left to fend for themselves.

According to legend, Tuanku Darah Putih, the eldest of three sons of Cindua Mato, the legendary founder of Minangkabau endowed with supernatural powers, is said to have established the royal house at Inderapura,[15] also known as Negeri Dua Puluh Kota.

Although his reign lasted only three years before he was ousted from the throne due to an incompetent administrative skills and conflict with Aceh's ulamas, especially in his addiction to cockfighting.

[20] According to Dutch reports, in 1616 Inderapura was described as a prosperous kingdom under the rule of Raja Itam, with around 30,000 people engaged in agriculture and plantations that relied on rice and pepper.

Furthermore, during the time of Raja Besar around 1624, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) succeeded in making an agreement for the collection of agricultural products to be directly loaded onto ships without having to dock at the harbour first, as well as being exempted from port taxes.

The tight control of Aceh's Viceroys (referred to as panglima) in Tiku and Pariaman over pepper sales threatened Inderapura's trade through the northern ports.

The influx of British and Company traders at both Banten and Silebar provided additional impetus for Inderapura to shift its exports southward, away from aceh's grip.

But the difficulties of timing the pepper's arrival there, as well as competition with rival traders, eventually convinced them to try direct collection at Inderapura,[23] even at the risk of getting dangerous diseases.

Furthermore, during the reign of Ratu Tajul Alam, Aceh's influence in Inderapura, particularly along the southern fringe of its empire on the west coast began to be replaced by the Dutch (VOC).

Company policy toward Inderapura under Groenewegen was significantly different from Aceh's in its heyday, and was temporarily conducive to the resurgence of local political groups.

Whereas Aceh attempted to administer its conquered territories directly through royal representatives, the Dutch desired minimal administrative involvement at this stage.

Not until the death in 1676 of Sultan Ahmad Syah, ruler at Pagaruyung, was the rule challenged in Minangkabau proper, when the title of Raja Alam was contested between his son and nephew.

This struggle was apparently settled in 1683 in favor of the matrilineal system,[27] but had been anticipated some two decades earlier by a similar institutional challenge in Inderapura.

Although the inauguration of Muhammad Syah as sultan did not meet opposition from the menteri, the subsequent extension of his authoritarian influence into the Negeri Empat Belas Kota (or Menjuto) provoked a reaction.

He had the undivided support of the fourteen menteri who favored the matrilineal tradition, but the old Muzzaffar Syah, ignoring popular wishes, appointed his son-in-law Sulaiman to the rank of wakil (deputy).

Sultan Mansur Syah was sent to Batavia to sign a treaty in 1663 granting the VOC a monopoly on pepper purchases and the right to work the gold mines.

In the southern part of the region, where the governmental system consisting of villages is under the authority of the peroatin (the chief responsible for settling disputes at the mouth of the river).