Sovereign Women in a Muslim Kingdom: The Sultanahs of Aceh, 1641–1699, by Sher Banu A.L. Khan (original) (raw)
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Women as Rulers Phenomenonin Southeast Asian Islamic Society: The Queens of Aceh
This paper provides a brief explanation about the Era of the Queens (1641-1699) during which four female rulers were raised in succession to the throne of Aceh Darussalam Sultanate. The era in question has not been a resounding research subject either in the context of Southeast Asian Islamic studies or general Islamic history. The Era of the Queens is worthy of study due to its contributions in terms of anthropological and cultural differences from the perspective of the Muslim world. Within this study, reasons for their placement in the power structure appeared to have influential elements in terms of education, socio-political environs and affiliations. This is a study that focusses on the role of women as ruling figures in an Islamic society which appears to be a very stimulative situation in that era. The queens were successful and played their roles well in order to continue retaining their power relations with other structural bodies within the sultanate. By possessing the required politically applicable opinions, the queens secured their places against the oppositions who persistently challenged them in the quest to wrestle for power. In relation to this context, this process of sustenance of power can be observed by the distributions of rights and incentives to various groups among the oppositions, in exchange for the Sultanah to continuously rule the state. Although women rulership during the second part of the seventeenth century in Aceh is considered by some circles as aberrant , however, it is a fact that these women rulers were in control of the power for nearly sixty years. This is seen as one of the unique practices in the Muslim world. Their accomplishment is the reason why these Acehnese female rulers ought to be regarded as political agencies who were subject to various challenges from the various entities allied with the different political, cultural and religious circles during these queens’ reigns. In addition, this issue of power should be scrutinized based on the concept of reliance on relations between the center and periphery concept of distribution of power. This distribution seems to be under the control and direction of the former. The writer emphasizes the roles of these Acehnese queens in the context of remoulding the political structure in the Sultanate which is claimed to be a global constructive power entity during its heyday. Key Words: Aceh Sultanate, Queens of Aceh.
JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN ISLAM, 2013
The history of Aceh Sultanate in 1641-1699 might be an exception of the Islamic history in general. While the history of Islam is generally male-dominated, Aceh which had strong Islamic credentials was once ruled by four female rulers consecutively during the period of six decades. How did Muslim women become rulers of an Islamic kingdom despite Islamic teaching "prohibiting" them from taking a leadership position? How did people react to this fact? How did the queens rule the kingdom and survive despite opposition? Despite notions of some historians that the queens' periods were the weakening time of the sultanate, the existence of female rulers is a proof of the continuing position of women in the public sphere even in an Islamic state. The presence of influential aristocrats, the division of Aceh into three powerful sagis, and the support of `ulama> ' are main contributing factors to the rise and establishment of female rulers in Aceh. The administrative structure of the sultanate and its Islamic character suggest the development of moderate Islam that made women leadership in Aceh possible. The opposition to female rulers in Aceh which the succession of rulers was hereditary was more politically and economically-motivated than religious.
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