The Kingdom Of Bolaang Mongondow

Previously known as Kingdom of Bola'ang, was a state that ruled over majority of area of the present-day Bola'ang-Mongondow regencies in the North Celebes province of Indonesia, excluding Bola'ang Mongondow Utara regency, which was a territory that was ruled by smaller kingdoms of Bintauna and Kaidipang.

The kingdom was founded in 1670 AD by a Mongondow prince Datu Loloda Mokoagow (died 1695). He was the son of the paramount chief of Mongondow, Tadohe (1600–1670), seated in Kotobangon in the heartland of Mongondow plateau, while the prince established himself at the port settlement of Bola'ang and went to conquer many of the northern shores and inland settlements of present-day Minahasa regencies of northern Celebes peninsula. When he succeeded his father in 1670, he titled himself datu (king) instead of the traditional Mongondow title of punu (paramount chief). This marked the beginning of Kingdom of Bola'ang.

At its peak, the kingdom covered Bola'ang (present-day Bola'ang village), Mongondow plateau (present-day Kotamobagu city and its vicinity), Kotabunan (present-day Kotabunan of Bola'ang Mongondow Timur regency), Mandolang port (present-day Belang of Minahasa Tenggara regency), the banks of Ranoyapo river including Tumpa'an, Tareran, Tanawangko, and Tateli (present-day Minahasa Selatan regency),[1] Umuda (present-day Amurang city), Manarow (present-day Manado-Tua island), and Wenang (present-day Manado city).

However, on September 21, 1694, a contractual agreement to establish new territorial borders was signed between the Kingdom of Bola'ang and the newly unified federation of Minahasan tribes, backed by the Dutch.[2] The borders were established along Poigar river as the northern border and along Buyat river as its southerly counterpart. The border thus divided the westside territory for Bola'ang and the eastside territory for Minahasan people, which made the kingdom of Bola'ang lose all of its territories and subjects on the east side of the borders. Thus, it left only Mongondow plateau and the adjacent Kotabunan as the territory of the Bola'ang, hence the name Kingdom of Bola'ang-Mongondow was used thereafter.

Social class system

Paloko-Kinalang

The most basic class system of Mongondow society formed at the time of chief Damopoli'i (1480). It consist of two classes, bounded by the most sacred vows (odi-odi):[4]

Rulers (Kinalang)

Class of chiefs and their relatives. They had the right of absolute obedience from the commoners, while they are required to improve all aspects of the commoners' welfare.

Commoners (Paloko)

The commoners were required to give absolute obedience to the ruling class (even required to mourn for their death for days), while they had the right that their welfare be improved.

Six class system

The social class system was reformulated by chief Tadohe at the beginning of his reign.

Elites

First Class: Mododatu (king's closest relatives, the males might be chosen as heir to the throne)

Second Class: Kohongian (king's relatives, but the males might not be chosen as heir to the throne)

Commoners

Third Class: Simpal (bureaucrats, administrators)

Fourth Class: Nonow (common people, workers and farmers)

Slaves

Fifth Class: Tahig (guards, errands)

Sixth Class: Yobuat (lowest slaves)

Administration hierarchies

Since Punuˀ Tadohe (1600)

Punu' - Sadaha - Kimalaha/Sangadi/Bobato

The first king, only change the term Punuˀ to Datu, while the rest are the same.

Since Datu Yakobus Manuel Manoppo (1833)

Datu > Jogugu  > 3 Presiden Raja  Kapita Laut > Kimalaha/Sangadi/Bobato

Since Datu Kornelis Manoppo II (1901)

As Dutch Landschaps:

Datu > Jogugu > Presiden Raja & Kapita Laut > Panggulu-Mayor Kadato > Sangadi-Porobis