Editing Natuna Regency (section)

== History ==
===I-Tsing’s Notes===
The discovery of the Natuna Islands by I-Tsing (or [[Yijing (monk)|Yijing]]) has been disputed by some historians, who point to errors in interpreting his historical records. Although I-Tsing, a Buddhist monk from the Tang Dynasty, recorded his extensive travels through Southeast Asia and India, there is no strong evidence in his records that explicitly mentions the Natuna Islands. Many historians argue that I-Tsing only referred to the ''South Sea'' region in general, specifically [[Srivijaya]] (now [[Sumatra]]), as a center of Buddhist learning.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Chan |first1=Ven. Dr. Zhen |last2=Chun |first2=Ooi Han |title=I-Tsing's Legacy at the South Sea - A Combined Narrative and Humanistic Geography – Phenomenological Analysis (1) |url=https://ejournal.um.edu.my/index.php/joss/article/download/39953/15048/98143 |access-date=10 November 2024 |website=e-Journal UM}}</ref><ref>I-Tsing, ''A Record of the Buddhist Religion : As Practised in India and the Malay Archipelago (A.D. 671-695)'', Translated by J. Takakusu, Clarendon press 1896. Reprint. New Delhi, AES, 2005, ISBN 81-206-1622-7.</ref>

Most claims that I-Tsing discovered or mentioned Natuna come from misinterpretations of maps and documents related to the voyages of Chinese sailors such as [[Zheng He]] who came several centuries later. In his notes, I-Tsing emphasized his journey to India and his life in Srivijaya rather than exploring the sailing routes to specific islands.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-04 |title=Notes from Central Taiwan: Natunas past, present and future - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2024/11/04/2003826336 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref>

Therefore, some critics suggest that the interpretation linking I-Tsing with the discovery of the Natuna Islands may be a historical misunderstanding. They point out that the shipping routes and records linking Natuna are more related to Persian ships and other sailors who had passed through the region long before I-Tsing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chun |first=Ooi Han |date=2019 |title=I-Tsing at the South Sea – The Buddhist Learning Journey |url=https://digital_collect.lib.buu.ac.th/dcms/files/58810157.pdf |access-date=10 November 2024 |website=Digital Collect BUU |publisher=Burapha University}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Guy |first=John |title=Rare and Strange Goods: International Trade in Ninth-Century Asia |url=https://asia.si.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/shipwrecked-02-guy.pdf |access-date=10 November 2024 |website=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>

===Became a Malay Sultanate Area===
The most notable history of Natuna Islands followed upon the decision of [[Alauddin Riayat Shah III of Johor]] and [[Raja Hijau|Green Queen]] of [[Pattani Kingdom]] to claim Natuna Islands as part of their condominium.<ref name="removing-anambas-from-natuna"/><ref>{{cite book | url = http://dx.doi.org/10.1355/9789814786331-005 | title = The Natunas | chapter = a Snapshot of the Natunas | first1 = Leo | last1 = Suryadinata | first2 = Mustafa | last2 = Izzuddin | access-date = 2021-07-20 | pages = 8 | date = 2017-07-11 | publisher = [[ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute|ISEAS]] | doi = 10.1355/9789814786331-005 | isbn = 9789814786331 | place = Queenstown, [[Singapore|SG]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = A History of Johore (1365—1895 A.D.) | volume = 10 | issue = 3 | journal = [[Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society]] | publisher = [[Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society]] | url = https://www.jstor.org/stable/41560456 | date = December 1932 | pages = 45 | access-date = 2021-07-20 | last1 = Winstedt |first1 = R.O.| jstor = 41560456 }}</ref> However, before the Sultan of Johor and the Pattani Monarch declared Natuna Islands as their condominium in 1597, its previous King, [[Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor|Alauddin Riayat II]], created Datuk Kayas'/[[Duke]]s' titles as follows:
# '''Datok Amar Lela''' for ruler of [[Jemaja Island]]
# '''Datok Kaya Dewa Perkasa''' for ruler of Siantan Island
# '''Datuk Kaya Indra Pahlawan''' for ruler of [[Natuna Besar|Serindit Island]], <small>(later known as Great Natuna Island)</small>
# '''Datuk Kaya Timbalan Siamah''' for ruler of Tambelan Islands.<ref name = "chinese-notes">{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2UUnEAAAQBAJ&q=natuna+1597&pg=PP1 | pages = 7–10 | access-date = 2021-07-20 | date = 2021-04-05 | publisher = Andi | place = [[Yogyakarta]], [[Special Region of Yogyakarta|D.I.Y.]] | title = Natuna: Selayang Pandang Wisata Bahari, Budaya, dan Kuliner | last1 = Mursitama | first1= Tirta Nugraha | last2 = Yi | first2 = Ying | last3 = Abbas | first3 = Bahtiar Saleh| isbn = 9786230103322 }}</ref>

;Natuna Under the Influence of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate
The Natuna Islands, located in the South China Sea, had close ties with the [[Riau-Lingga Sultanate]], especially after the collapse of the [[Johor Sultanate]] in the early 17th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Johor kingdom |script-title= |url=https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=36c71e6b-bfee-43ba-bc5c-086c15cd0df4 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=www.nlb.gov.sg}}</ref> The Riau-Lingga Sultanate, established in 1718 after the Johor Sultanate collapsed due to Portuguese attacks and internal conflicts, controlled a vast territory, including the islands around the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea, including the Natuna Islands.<ref>The Rise and Fall of the Sultanates in the Malay Archipelago" – ''Asian Historical Review'', 2015.</ref>

The Riau-Lingga Sultanate played an important role in managing the waters and trade routes in the region. The Natuna Islands were one of the areas controlled by the Riau-Lingga Sultanate, which was centered on [[Lingga Regency|Lingga]] and later in [[Riau]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2023-05-04 |title=NATUNA PADA MASA KESULTANAN LINGGA-RIAU |url=https://disbud.kepriprov.go.id/natuna-pada-masa-kesultanan-lingga-riau/ |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> The influence of this kingdom was clearly visible in the political and economic management of the region, including in regulating shipping routes between the Malay Peninsula and the coastal areas of Sumatra and Borneo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Redaksi |title=Lintasan Sejarah Kabupaten Natuna |url=https://natunakab.go.id/lintasan-sejarah-kabupaten-natuna/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=PEMKAB NATUNA |language=id}}</ref> During the Riau-Lingga Sultanate, the official administrative name for the Natuna Islands was Natuna Region or ''Pulau Natuna'' (in Malay it is called ''Pulau Natuna'' or ''Daerah Natuna'' ). During the heyday of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate, the influence of Malay culture was very pronounced in the Natuna Islands. The Natuna people, who were mostly of Malay ethnicity, had close ties with this kingdom in the social, cultural, and economic fields.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sunandar |first1=Heri |last2=Tamrin |first2=Husni |date=2015 |title=Aspek Sosio Politis Naskah Dan Arkeologis |url=https://ejournal.uin-suska.ac.id/index.php/al-fikra/article/viewFile/4003/2488 |access-date=10 November 2024 |website=E-Journal UIN Suska}}</ref> In terms of economy, Natuna became a strategic place for the trade of spices, fish, and other seafood. In addition, the Riau-Lingga Sultanate also protected its territories from external threats, such as colonization by European powers, especially the Netherlands.<ref>Riau-Lingga: History and Cultural Legacy" – ''Journal of Southeast Asian Studies'', 2019.</ref>

After the end of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate and the Dutch colonial influence in the region, the Natuna Islands remained an important part of Indonesia's maritime history. To this day, the historical and cultural heritage of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate is still very much felt in Natuna.<ref>"Mengenal Rumah Kuno dan Bersejarah di Natuna". ''RRI''. Retrieved 10 November 2024</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://kebudayaan.kemdikbud.go.id/bpnbkepri/natuna-potret-masyarakat-dan-budayanya-2/ |title=Natuna: Potret Masyarakat dan Budayanya |website=Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi |date=13 December 2018 |access-date=10 November 2024}}</ref>

Throughout most of its history since the reigns of [[Sultanate of Riau-Lingga]], the Natuna Islands were part of the Archipelago of Seven Islands/''Pulau-pulau Tudjuh/Tujuh'' which were consisted of the Anambas Islands (currently a separated regency in the province), the [[Badas Islands]] (part of Island District of Tambelan in [[Bintan Regency]]), Great Natuna/Bunguran Islands, Sejang, Serasan Islands, Subi Islands, and [[Tambelan Archipelago]] (part of Bintan Regency).<ref>{{cite web | url = https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/pollux/pollux.nss.nima.mil/NAV_PUBS/SD/pub163/163sec01.pdf | date = 2005 | title = Sector 1: Borneo—Northwest Coast and Kepulauan Tudjuh | access-date = 2021-07-20 | publisher = [[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]] | website = [[United States Government Publishing Office]]}}</ref> Although government of Kawedanan of Tudjuh Archipelago was dissolved in 1964, its island districts/''kecamatan'' who formed Tudjuh Archipelago still existed until its dissolution in 1999, the sunrise of devolution era government in Indonesia.

===Annexation Period by the Dutch East Indies===
In the early 19th century, the [[Dutch East Indies|Dutch]] further expanded their colonial power in the Indonesian archipelago, including the Natuna Islands. In [[Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824|The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824]] between  the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, the two colonial powers divided their territories in Southeast Asia, with the Netherlands controlling the Indonesian archipelago and England controlling the Malay Peninsula. With this agreement, the Netherlands felt they had rights over areas in the Riau Islands, including Natuna.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty (Treaty of London) of 1824 |url=https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=5005d886-9c27-421e-a22d-44fb5965350c |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=www.nlb.gov.sg}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=James Robert Rush|title=Southeast Asia: A Very Short Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SU5WDwAAQBAJ|page=58|year=2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780190248765}}</ref>

However, due to its remote location and inaccessibility, the Dutch initially did not supervise the Natuna Islands directly. It was not until the mid-19th century that the Dutch East Indies began to explore the Natuna Islands further and officially annexed the islands into their colonial territory. The aim was to strengthen control in strategic waters and secure trade routes. The Dutch colonial government then designated Natuna as part of the [[Riau Residency]] under the supervision of the Riau Resident based in [[Tanjungpinang|Tanjung Pinang]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bintankab |title=Sejarah Kabupaten Bintan |url=https://bintankab.go.id/sejarah#:~:text=2.%20Afdelling%20Indragiri%20yang%20berkedudukan,Bunguran%20Barat%20dan%20Bunguran%20Timur. |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=bintankab.go.id |language=id}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sultan van Lingga en Riouw en Onderhorigheden, Abdoel Rachman Maädlam Sjah in Riouw (KITLV 82001) |url=https://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9939051584902711/31UKB_LEU:UBL_V1 |access-date=10 November 2024 |website=Leiden University Catalogue}}</ref>

During the Dutch colonial period, life in the Natuna Islands remained largely agrarian and simple. The Dutch did little infrastructure development in the area, although they often patrolled the border to maintain security.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://repositori.kemdikbud.go.id/25040/1/SEJARAH%20WILAYAH%20PERBATASAN%20KEPULAUAN%20NATUNA%20MUTIARA%20DI%20UJUNG%20UTARA.pdf |title=Sejarah Wilayah Perbatasan Kepulauan Natuna: Mutiara di Ujung Utara |website=Repositori Kemdikbud |access-date=10 November 2024}}</ref>

===Japanese Occupation Period (1942-1945)===
When [[Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies]] during World War II in 1942-1945, the Natuna Islands were also under the control of the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese Empire]]. Japan saw Natuna as a strategic location for their military defense because of its location in the South China Sea. Therefore, Japan built several military bases on these islands as part of their defense plan in the Southeast Asia region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rinovsky |first=Riky |title=Learn a Little History on The Island of Natuna Subi |url=https://www.kompasiana.com/rikyrinovsky/5500363ba333111d7251003a/learn-a-little-history-on-the-island-of-natuna-subi |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.kompasiana.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=MelayuPedia |date=August 23, 2021 |editor-last=Inge |editor-first=Nefri |title=Pulau Subi, Jepang dan Perang Dunia Kedua |url=https://www.melayupedia.com/berita/424/pulau-subi-jepang-dan-perang-dunia-kedua |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=www.melayupedia.com}}</ref>

The Japanese occupation brought many difficulties to the people of Natuna, because in addition to the heavy Japanese military presence, food was also difficult to obtain.<ref>Hendri F. Isnaeni, "Pangan Zaman Perang di Indonesia". ''Historia.id''.(16 Okt 2020).Retrieved 10 November 2024.</ref> After Japan surrendered in 1945, Indonesia proclaimed independence, but Natuna still had to face a complicated transition period as colonial rule ended.

===Becoming Part of Indonesia===
After the [[Proclamation of Indonesian Independence|proclamation of Indonesian independence]] on August 17, 1945, the Natuna Islands became part of the newly independent Republic of Indonesia. Initially, Natuna was part of the [[Central Sumatra|Central Sumatra Province]]. However, due to its strategic position and location on the border of the South China Sea, the Indonesian government then decided to move the Natuna administration to [[Riau|Riau Province]] in 1957.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-15 |title=Undang-undang Darurat Nomor 19 Tahun 1957 |url=https://peraturanpedia.id/undang-undang-darurat-nomor-19-tahun-1957/#:~:text=Download%20UU%20Darurat%20Nomor%2019%20Tahun%201957,Tingkat%20I%20Sumatera%20Barat,%20Jambi%20dan%20Riau. |access-date=2024-11-10 |language=en-US}}</ref>

As Indonesia's territory expanded, in 2002 the Natuna Islands became part of the [[Riau Islands|Riau Islands Province]], after the province was formed as a separate province from Riau Province.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biro Umum Provinsi Kepulauan Riau |url=https://biroumum.kepriprov.go.id/profil.phtml#:~:text=Provinsi%20Kepulauan%20Riau%20terbentuk%20berdasarkan,Kepulauan%20Anambas%20dan%20Kabupaten%20Lingga. |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=biroumum.kepriprov.go.id |language=id}}</ref> The formation of the Riau Islands Province provided greater autonomy for border areas such as Natuna, as well as greater attention to infrastructure, economic and defense development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEJARAH SINGKAT OTONOMI DAERAH - PPID Pemprov Kepri |url=https://ppid.kepriprov.go.id/daftar-informasi/lihat/2297 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=ppid.kepriprov.go.id}}</ref>