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Sumatra Aceh Sultanate
Sultan Alauddin Ahmad
1 Gold Kupang
Item number: A147
Year: AD 1727-1735
Material: Gold
Size: 14.0 x 14.0 mm
Weight: 0.58 g
Provenance: Spink 2023
This object is a gold coin minted and issued during the reign of Sultan Alauddin AhmadShah, the twenty-third Sultan of the Sultanate of AcehDarussalam in Sumatra, Indonesia, from AD 1727 to AD 1735. It carries the weight of 1 Kupang.
The obverse of this coin features Arabic inscription which read “Seri Sultan Alauddin”, translating to “sublime Sultan Alauddin.” The perimeter of the coin is adorned with decorative beads. The reverse side bears an Arabic inscription continuing from the obverse reading “Ahmad Shah Johan Berdaulat”, meaning “Ahmad Shah Johan sovereign.” The outer rim of the coin 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 Ahmad Shah was the twenty-third ruler of the Sultanate of Aceh, reigning from AD 1727 to AD 1735. According to Acehnese chronicles, Aceh experienced relative peace and stability under Alauddin Ahmad’s rule. He facilitated economic growth in Aceh Sultanate through trade relations with England and China, contributing significantly to the overall prosperity of Aceh during this period. Additionally, as a descendant of the Bugis people, Alauddin Ahmad established the Aceh-Bugis dynasty during his reign.
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 aspects 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.
蘇丹阿勞丁·艾哈邁德·沙阿（Alauddin Ahmad Shah）是亞齊蘇丹國的第二十三任蘇丹，統治時間為公元1727至公元1735年。根據亞齊編年史，亞齊在阿勞丁·艾哈邁德的統治下相對和平且穩定，他透過與英國和中國的貿易促進了亞齊蘇丹國的經濟成長，並為該時期亞齊的整體繁榮做出了貢獻。且作為布吉斯人的後裔，阿勞丁·艾哈邁德在位期間建立了亞齊布吉斯王朝。
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.
