Battle of Muar River
Part of Malay-Portuguese conflicts
Date April 1523 Location Muar River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Result Malayan victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire	Sultanate of Malacca Pahang Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Jorge de Albuquerque	Unnamed Laksamana
Strength
Unknown	80 vessels
Casualties and losses
65 men killed 3 ships lost	Unknown

The Battle of Muar River took place in 1523 between the allied Malaccan-Pahang navy and the Portuguese navy. The battle ended in favor of the Malayans, as they defeated the Portuguese in the Muar River.

Battle

In 1521, having defeated a Portuguese attempt to capture and destroy the Malaccan sultan, Sultan Mahmud Shah's base, attacks on Portuguese shipping increased from that time onwards,^[1] which laid a heavy burden on Portuguese operations. In April 1523, the Malaccans, allied with the Pahang Sultanate^[2] launched a raid against the Portuguese and occupied Malacca with a large navy of 80 vessels led by the Laksamana.^[3]

Once the Malayans established themselves in the Muar River,^[4] a lone Portuguese vessel that was sailing from Malacca spotted the large Malayan navy about 10 leagues away, quickly returned to Malacca to inform its captain Jorge de Albuquerque; he then decided to face them off in the sea and send ships there, however, the Portuguese encountered a heavy storm which forced them head to the Muar river.

The storm was powerful enough that it forced three Portuguese ships, separated from the rest, to go far into the river where they met the Malayan camp, whereupon they were surrounded and were all killed on board, resulting in the death of 65 Portuguese.^[4][5] The rest of the Portuguese navy withdrew back to Malacca, and the Malayans, having already satisfied with their victory returned back to Bintan.^[5]