Everything about Aceh Sultanate totally explained
The
Sultanate of Aceh was a
sultanate centered in the modern area of
Aceh Province,
Sumatra,
Indonesia, which was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long period of decline. Its capital was Kutaraja, the present
Banda Aceh. At its peak it was a formidable enemy of the sultanate of
Johor and
Portuguese-controlled
Malacca, both on the
Malayan Peninsula, as all three attempted to control the trade through the
Strait of Malacca and the regional exports of
pepper and
tin with fluctuating success. In addition to its considerable military strength, the court of Aceh became a noted center of
Islamic scholarship and trade.
Foundation and rise
The ruler of Aceh converted to Islam in the mid-15th century. The sultanate was founded by
Ali Mughayat Syah, who began campaigns to extend his control over northern Sumatra in 1520. His conquests included
Deli, Pedir, and
Pasai, and he attacked
Aru. His son
Alauddin al-Kahar extended the domains farther south into Sumatra, but was less successful in his attempts to gain a foothold across the strait, though he made several attacks on both Johor and Malacca, with the support along with men and firearms from
Suleiman the Magnificent's
Ottoman Empire. Aceh forces wasn't destroyed, however, as Aceh was able to conquer
Kedah within the same year and taking many of its citizens to Aceh. The Sultan's son in law,
Iskandar Thani, former prince of Pahang later became his successor. During his reign Aceh focused on internal consolidation and religious unity.
After the reign of Sultan Iskandar Sani, Aceh was ruled by a series of female sultana. Aceh previous policy of taking hostage conquered kingdoms' population made them eager to seek independence, the results are Aceh's power weakened while regional rulers gained effective power. The sultan ultimately became a largely symbolic title. By the 1680s, a Persian visitor could describe a northern Sumatra where "every corner shelters a separate king or governor and all the local rulers maintain themselves independently and don't pay tribute to any higher authority."
Culture and economy
Aceh saw itself as heir to Pasai, the first Muslim state in Southeast Asia, and continuing Muslim missionary work of Malacca after it was conquered by the Roman Catholic
Portuguese. It called itself the "
veranda of
Mecca," and became a center of Islamic scholarship, where the
Qur'an and other Islamic texts were translated into
Malay.
Aceh gained wealth from its export of pepper,
nutmeg,
cloves,
betel nuts, and, once it conquered Pahang in 1617, tin. Low interest rates and the use of gold currency strengthened its economy. It was always somewhat fragile economically, however, because of the difficulty in providing enough surplus food to support the military and commercial adventures of the state. However, as it lost political cohesion in the 17th century, it saw its trading importance yielding to the
Dutch East India Company, who became the dominant military and economic power in the region following the successful siege of Malacca in 1641. Britain, heretofore guarding the independence of Aceh in order to keep it out of Dutch hands, re-evaluated its policy and concluded the
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of Sumatra, which allowed for Dutch control throughout Sumatra in exchange for concessions in the
Gold Coast and equal trading rights in northern Aceh. The treaty was tantamount to a declaration of war on Aceh, and the
Aceh War followed soon after in 1873. As the Dutch prepared for war,
Mahmud Syah (1870-1874) appealed for international help, but no one was willing or able to assist.
In 1874 the sultan abandoned the capital, withdrawing to the hills, while the Dutch announced the annexation of Aceh. The sultan died of
cholera, as did many combatants on both sides, but the Acehnese proclaimed a grandson of Tuanku Ibrahim sultan. The rulers of Acehnese ports nominally submitted to Dutch authority in order to avoid a blockade, but they used their income to support the resistance. However, eventually many of them compromised with the Dutch, and the Dutch were able establish a fairly stable government in Aceh with their cooperation, and get the sultan to surrender in 1903. After his death in 1907, no successor was named, but the resistance continued to fight for some time. Indeed,
Hasan di Tiro, who founded the
Free Aceh Movement, is a descendent of the last sultan.
List of sultans
Further Information
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