Pacification of Lanun

the Pacification of Lanun (Malay: ڤاسيفيكاسي ڤارا ڤنچوري‎, romanized: Pasifikasi Lanun;) were anti-piracy operations against Pirates by Bruneian Empire and her allies. the Pacification was initiated in 17th century and intensified in the late 18th century as not only Brunei was one of the major targets of pirates^[1] and also was one of the opponents of the Sulu Sultanate as they fought in the Twenty Years' War. In Sabah it ended in the 1670s and in Sarawak and Brunei It ended in 1862, with the White Rajah of Sarawak defeating the Pirates at Mukah.

Pacification of Lanun
Part of Piracy in the Sulu and Celebes Seas
Naval Action in May 1843
Date Sabah: until 1670s Sarawak and Brunei: until 1862 Location Borneo Result Bruneian victory Pirates pacified
Belligerents
Bruneian Empire Raj of Sarawak (after 1841)  United Kingdom	Sultanate of Sulu Moro Pirates Iranun pirates Banguingui pirates Tausug pirates Sultanate of Sambas (possibly) Kingdom of Marudu (until 1830)
Commanders and leaders
Sultans of Brunei (until the reign of Omar Ali Saifuddien II) James Brooke (after 1836) Henry Keppel	Sultans of Sulu (until the reign of Mohammad Pulalun Kiram) Various (non-centralized leadership) Raja Syarif Osman (claimed; proven false)
Units involved
Bruneian Army Bruneian Navy Sarawakian Army Royal Navy	Moro Pirates
Casualties and losses
Heavy Probably few	Heavy (more than ~100 killed or wounded)

Anti-piracy operations

Sabah

During the Bruneian Civil War of 1660, Abdul Hakkul Mubin among other people, was able to stop piracy activities in the region.^[2] Though some claimed it was until 1845 in the Marudu expedition against the Malaysian hero, Raja Syarif Osman until the late 20th century where it was confirmed that Osman was not a pirate and was unfairly defamed by James Brooke.^[3]

Sarawak and Brunei

the Bruneian navy was unable to stop many of the pirate raids in Sarawak and Brunei. These attacks severely affected the economy of Brunei, leading to its decline. The Banguingui purportedly had a saying: "It is difficult to catch fish, but easy to catch Bruneians".^[4]

From 1843, Brooke actively suppressed piracy on the coasts of western and northern Borneo together with Captain Henry Keppel in HMS Dido. After talks with Serib Sahib, who controlled the Sadong River, Keppel and Brooke's native forces attacked three rivers in the Saribas; the Padi, Paku and Rimbas. After which, Keppel was called away on orders, but returned in August 1844 along with EIC steamer Phlegethon.^[5] By this time Serib Sahib had abandoned the Sadong and retreated to Patusan. Keppel and Brooke's native forces once again overwhelmed all opposition in Patusan and the Undop, but were ambushed by the Sea Dayak on the river Skrang at Karangan Peris, resulting in the death of Datu Patinggi Ali. Shortly after this punitive expedition Brooke heard that Mahkota, the former administrator of the Kuching area, had taken shelter at the Lingga, and managed to capture him and send him back to Brunei.^[6][7]

Aftermath

By the time Brunei crushed most of piracy activities, Brunei's trade routes were taken by the Sulu Sultanate by 1725^[8] and started to decline 20 years later in the 1870s and 1880s due to British interest in Brunei, eventually signing the Treaty of Protection.^[9] Lasting until her official independence in 1984.^[10][11]