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Sumatra Aceh Sultanate
Sultan Alauddin Mansur
1 Gold Kupang
Item number: A156
Year: AD 1579-1585
Material: Gold
Size: 12.0 x 12.0 mm
Weight: 0.59 g
Provenance: Spink 2023
This object is a gold coin minted and issued during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Mansur Shah, the eighth Sultan of the Sultanate of AcehDarussalam in Sumatra, Indonesia, from AD 1579 to AD 1585. It carries the weight of 1 Kupang.
The obverse of this coin features three lines of Arabic inscription which read “علاوالدین ابن احمد ”, translating to “Alauddin, the son of Ahmad”. The outer circle of the coin is adorned with decorative beads. On the reverse side, there are two lines of Arabic inscription reading “السلطان العادل”, meaning “The Just Sultan.” The outer rim of this side is similarly embellished with small beads.
Kupang: The “Kupang” was an ancient unit of measurement for gold, approximately equivalent to 0.6 grams. The use of this weight unit can be traced back to the 11th centuries in port areas along the Southeast Asian coast, indicating its connection to international trade.It was commonly employed during the Portuguese and Dutch colonial periods for transactions involving spices and other valuable commodities. With the Dutch colonial period and the influence of European trade on local currencies, this unit gradually became supplanted by Western currencies.
Sultan Alauddin Mansur Shah was the eighth Sultan of the Sultanate of Aceh, ruling from AD 1579 to AD 1585. Faced with pressures from Western powers, notably Portugal and Spain, seeking to expand their influence, he employed various measures to safeguard national sovereignty.
During Alauddin Mansur’s reign, diplomatic relations were established with the Ottoman Empire, facilitating trade, technological exchange, and military collaboration. Additionally, he launched offensives against the Portuguese in Malacca to safeguard Aceh Sultanate’s territorial integrity. Concurrently, as a devout Muslim ruler, Mansur promoted Islamic teachings, instituting policies such as requiring his chiefs to grow beards and adhere to traditional attire.
Overall, during Mansur’s reign, he effectively safeguarded the sovereignty of the Aceh Sultanate through diplomatic and military means, while also reinforcing the promotion of Islamic culture.
The Sultanate of Aceh was an Islamic powerhouse that ruled over the Aceh region of Sumatra, Indonesia, from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Its capital was Kutaraja (present-day Banda Aceh). Situated at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, the kingdom was one of the most influential sultanates in Southeast Asia. It was renowned for its strategic location along major trade routes and its influence in spreading Islam throughout the region.
The Sultanate of Aceh reached its zenith in the 16th and 17th centuries, becoming a significant maritime and commercial power that controlled the trade routes between the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca.
One of the most notable reputations of the Sultanate of Aceh was its steadfast resistance against European expansion. Aceh successfully repelled attempts by Portugal and the Netherlands to conquer the region, gaining renown for its formidable military prowess.
The decline of the Sultanate of Aceh began in the late 17th centuries, attributed to factors such as internal conflicts, external pressure from the Dutch East India Company, and competition with other regional powers. In AD 1873, the Netherlands initiated the Aceh War with the aim of conquering Aceh and establishing colonial rule in the region. The war lasted for several decades, culminating in Aceh’s conquest by the Dutch in AD 1903.
Leyten, J. (2004). A Catalogue of the Gold Coins of Samudra Pasai and Acheh; their origin, name, and weight, in a historical context.
Michael Mitchiner (1977): Oriental Coins and their Values: The World of Islam. London, Hawkins Publications.
Khan, Sher Banu A. L. (2017). Sovereign Women in a Muslim Kingdom – The Sultanahs of Aceh, 1641−1699. Cornell University. p. 28
Robert S. Wicks (1986): Monetary Developments in Java between the Ninth and Sixteenth Centuries: A Numismatic Perspective. Indonesia, No. 42, p44-59.
Khairul Nizam bin Zainal Badri (2022). Malay or Acehnese Sovereignty during the Reign of Sultan Alauddin Mansur Shah (1577 – 1585): Western Imperialist Bastion in the East. Jurnal Penelitian Sejarah dan Budaya.
