kingdom · Maritime Southeast Asia

Tallo Kingdom

1450 CE – 1906 CE (approx.) · capital Tallo

The Makassar kingdom joined with Gowa in a twin state, whose rulers served as chancellors and led South Sulawesi's conversion to Islam.

Origins

Tallo was founded in the 15th century, according to the Makassar chronicles, by a prince of Gowa who left after a succession dispute and settled near the mouth of the Tallo River, north of today's Makassar city. In the early 16th century the two kingdoms swore an alliance and came to act as one state, described in the saying 'one people, two kings'.

Rule and society

The ruler of Tallo usually served as chancellor of Gowa. Karaeng Matoaya was the first Makassar ruler to accept Islam, in 1605, and guided the expansion of the joint state. His son Karaeng Pattingalloang, famous for his learning, collected European books, maps and a globe.

Decline and legacy

Tallo shared the fate of the Gowa Sultanate, losing power after the Treaty of Bongaya of 1667 and the Dutch conquest of South Sulawesi in 1906. Its name survives in a district of Makassar, where the royal tombs of Tallo still stand.

Connections (2)

  • Gowa Sultanate in personal union with Tallo Kingdom1528 CE – 1906 CE
  • Tallo Kingdom in personal union with Gowa Sultanate1528 CE – 1906 CE

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻