Kingdom of Larantuka

Kingdom of Larantuka
Reino de Larantuca
Ilimandiri Larantuka
Kerajaan Larantuka
1515–1904
Location of Flores and surrounding islands in Indonesia
Location of Flores and surrounding islands in Indonesia
StatusTributary state of the Portuguese Empire
CapitalLarantuka
Common languagesOfficial language: Portuguese
Other languages: Larantuka Malay
Li'o
Religion
Catholicism
GovernmentMonarchy
History 
• Portuguese arrival
1515
• Conversion to Catholicism
1650
• Purchase by Dutch East Indies
1859
• Disestablished
1 July 1904
Succeeded by
Dutch East Indies
Today part ofIndonesia

The kingdom of Larantuka was a historical monarchy in present-day East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It was one of the few, if not the only, indigenous Catholic polities in the territory of modern Indonesia. Acting as a tributary state of the Portuguese Crown, the Raja (King) of Larantuka controlled holdings on the islands of Flores, Solor, Adonara and Lembata. It was later purchased by Dutch East Indies from the Portuguese, prior to its annexation in 1904.[1]

Despite losing its effective sovereignty after the annexation, the kingdom's royal family persisted as traditional figureheads prior to the final abolition of the royal structure by republican authorities in 1962.[2]: 175 

  1. ^ Barnes, R. H. (Spring 2008). "Raja Lorenzo II: A Catholic Kingdom in the Dutch East Indies" (PDF). IIAS Newsletter. 47. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference hansh was invoked but never defined (see the help page).