kingdom · Maritime Southeast Asia

Pedir

1400 CE – 1524 CE (approx.) · capital Pedir

A pepper port on the north coast of Sumatra that flourished in the 15th century before falling to Aceh in 1524.

Origins

Pedir, the modern district of Pidie in Aceh, grew as a port on the Strait of Malacca in the 15th century. It is mentioned in Chinese records and by early Portuguese writers. Its rulers were Muslim, following the example of nearby Samudera Pasai.

Rule and society

Tome Pires, writing around 1515, described Pedir as one of the leading pepper exporters of Sumatra, rivalling Pasai, with merchants from Gujarat, Bengal and the Malay ports. It also exported silk and benzoin, and was a stopping place on the route from India to Malacca.

Decline and legacy

In the early 16th century Pedir was drawn into the struggle between the Portuguese and the rising Aceh Sultanate. Sultan Ali Mughayat Syah of Aceh conquered it around 1524, and it became one of Aceh's districts.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Pedir. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pedir
MLA
“Pedir.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pedir. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Pedir.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pedir.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Pedir’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pedir (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻