Keumalahayati

Keumalahayati or Malahayati (fl. 16th century), was an admiral in the navy of the Aceh Sultanate, which ruled the modern area of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia.^[1] Her troops were drawn from Aceh's widows and the army named the "Inong Balee", after the Inong Balee Fortress near the city of Banda Aceh. Some historians^[who?] rate Keumalahayati as an equal of Semiramis and Catherine the Great while references to her can be found in some Chinese and Western literature.^{[citation needed]}

History

Following the fall of Malacca to Portuguese invaders, Aceh became a stronger faction and ensured that merchant shipping routes in the Malacca Strait remainened exclusively for Asian traders. The kingdom's leader, Sultan Alauddin II Mansur I Syah (r. 1577-1589) strengthened his military power by building a powerful naval army to which he decided to appoint Malahayati, a widowed Aceh warrior, as his First Admiral. Although a woman, Aceh soldiers and the other generals had always respected Malahayati. She had also proved herself a legendary commander during several battles with the Portuguese and Dutch.

In 1599, Dutch expedition commander, Cornelis de Houtman arrived at the port of Aceh. At first, the Sultan accepted him peacefully until de Houtman insulted him. The Dutchman, who had already clashed with the Banten Sultanate in north west Java before his arrival in Aceh, decided to attack. Malahayati led her Inong Balee Army in response to the Dutch challenge and after several violent battles, finally killed de Houtman on September 11, 1599.

Her reputation as the guardian of the Aceh Sultanate led Britain to choose a peaceful, diplomatic method by which to enter the Malacca Strait. A letter from Queen Elizabeth I, brought by James Lancaster to the Sultan, opened the British route to Java and they were soon afterwards able to build merchant offices in Banten. Elizabeth I rewarded Lancaster with a knighthood for his successful diplomacy in Aceh and Banten

Today, Malahayati has become a well-known name for universities, hospitals and roads in several Sumatran cities.

References

1. ^ "Admiral Keumalahayati". http://melayuonline.com/eng/personage/dig/330/admiral-keumalahayati. Retrieved May 30, 2011.