Makassar a thriving cosmopolitan entre-port where Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Siamese, Javanese, and Malays came to trade their manufactured metal goods and fine textiles for precious pearls, gold, copper, camphor and, of course, the invaluable spices - nutmeg, cloves and mace which were brought from the interior and from the neighbouring Spice Islands, the present day Moluccas. By the 16th century, Makassar had become Sulawesi's major port and centre of the powerful Gowa and Tallo sultanates which between them had a series of 11 fortresses and strongholds and a fortified sea wall which extended along the coast.
In their search for spices, the Portuguese arrived in Indonesia in 1511, after their conquest of the Islamic Empire of Malacca. They were followed by the Spaniards. Both began to propagate Christianity and were most successful in Minahasa/North Sulawesi and Maluku. However, it wasn't until the arrival of the Dutch in 1600s that Christianity became the predominant religion of North Sulawesi. During 1666-69 Dutch conquered the natives in Makasar War.
In 1960, under Sukarno, Sulawesi was divided into the North and South provinces. Four years later, two more provinces were created as Central Sulawesi was separated from North Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi was separated from South Sulawesi. In 2000 new province Gorontalo born (used to be part of North Sulawesi and one of oldest city in Sulawesi) followed by West Sulawesi (in 2004). Thus, as of today Sulawesi islands contains of 6 provinces.
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