•the island world -proliferation of trading centres-growing world demand for the region's products.
•the expanding market for fine spices encouraged Javanese, Malay and Chinese traders to deal directly with sources of supply in the eastern islands.
•The rise of new ports was further stimulated by the arrival of Europeans in search of spices and by the Portuguese defeat of Melaka in 1511 which saw the flight of Muslim trade to other centres.
•Pattani, on the east coast of the Malay peninsula, was a strategic meeting point for Malay and Chinese vessels
•The loosening of ties between overlord and vassal was equally apparent on Java's north coast, where a number of harbourswere well placed to benefit from participation in the spice trade and the diversion of Muslims from Melaka.