▁ 1 5 1 2 . ▁The ▁trade ▁in ▁sp ices ▁and ▁forest ▁products ▁made ▁it ▁vital ▁for ▁the ▁early ▁colon izers ▁to ▁secure ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁Mal u ku ▁Islands ▁( M olu cc as ) ▁and ▁control ▁the ▁enorm ously ▁luc r ative ▁commerce . ▁A ▁fort ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁T ern ate ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 2 – 1 5 2 3 ▁with ▁the ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁Sultan , ▁who ▁hoped ▁for ▁military ▁assistance ▁to ▁expand ▁his ▁own ▁power . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁T ern ate ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁s ultan ates ▁of ▁North ▁Mal u ku , ▁the ▁other ▁being ▁T id ore , ▁Bac an ▁and ▁J ail olo . ▁However , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁capt ains ▁soon ▁began ▁to ▁domin ate ▁the ▁royal ▁court ▁while ▁the ▁g arrison ▁ev oked ▁general ▁dis content ▁though ▁their ▁behaviour . ▁An ▁incident ▁in ▁ 1 5 3 5 , ▁where ▁T ern at ans ▁attacked ▁a ▁Christian ized ▁village ▁in ▁Hal ma h era ▁in ▁def iance ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese , ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁depos ing ▁of ▁the ▁young ▁Sultan ▁Tab ar iji . ▁The ▁Europe ans ▁now ▁picked ▁up ▁a ▁twelve - year s ▁old ▁half - bro ther ▁of ▁Tab ar iji ▁called ▁H air un ▁J amil u , ▁and ▁raised ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁throne . ▁The ▁self - w illed ▁actions ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁captain ▁increased ▁the ▁fear ▁and ▁res ent ment ▁among ▁the ▁people . ▁ ▁H air un