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Sumatra Aceh Sultanate
Sultanah Taj Al-Alam
1 Gold KupangType II
蘇門答臘 亞齊蘇丹國
蘇丹泰姬·阿拉姆
1古邦金幣 (第二版)
Item number: A321
Year: AD 1641-1675
Material: Gold
Size: 11.4 x 11.4 mm
Provenance: Heritage Auctions 2024
This object is a gold coin minted and issued during the reign of Sultan Taj Al-Alam, the fourteenth Sultan of the Sultanate of AcehDarussalam in Sumatra, Indonesia, from AD 1641 to AD 1675. It carries the weight of 1 Kupang.
The obverse of this coin features three lines of Arabic inscription which read “ڤادك سر سلطانه تج العالم”, translating to “Her Highness Sultanah Taj al-Alam.” The perimeter of the coin is adorned with decorative beads. On the reverse side, there are also three lines of Arabic inscription reading “صفية الدین بردولة شاه”, meaning “Safiatuddin’s sovereign rule.” The outer rim of the coin is similarly embellished with small beads.
During the reign of Taj ul-Alam, the coins minted exhibited two distinct versions based on the positioning of the inscription on the obverse side. Typically, the inscription “تج” (‘Taj’) appears in the third line on most coins; however, on this particular coin, it is positioned in the second line, representing the rarer second version.
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.
Taj al-Alam, full name Taj al-Alam Safiatuddin Syah, served as the fourteenth Sultan of the Sultanate of Aceh, ruling from AD 1641 to AD 1675. She held the distinction of being the first female Sultan of Aceh, a position she assumed following the reign of Taj al-Alam until the year AD 1699, marking a succession of four consecutive female rulers in Aceh. This period of female sultanate rule in Aceh’s history represents a unique epoch, illustrating the phenomenon of women wielding power within a patriarchal society.
Taj al-Alam was the wife of Iskandar Thani, the thirteenth Sultan of Aceh. Upon his demise following a brief reign, Taj al-Alam ascended to the throne. During her tenure, the influence of the Sultanate of Aceh in the Malay Peninsula waned, and Taj al-Alam did not wield substantive authority. Consequently, scholars regard this period as the onset of Aceh’s decline.
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.
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