Navigating Sovereignty: British Maritime Diplomacy and Indigenous Endeavours for Autonomy in Southeast Asia, 1600–1800

This article explores British maritime diplomacy and the pursuit of indigenous autonomy in Southeast Asia between 1600 and 1800. Through archival research from the British East India Company, VOC records, and Malay-Bugis chronicles, the study reinterprets the negotiation of power, sovereignty, and trade networks across Johor, Aceh, Makassar, and Banten. Combining historiographical and decolonial approaches, it reveals how Southeast Asian maritime actors shaped the geopolitics of the early modern world. The research contributes to global maritime history, colonial diplomacy, and the connected histories of the Malay Archipelago.