The Great History of WOMEN ACEH

Acheh - Emancipation since the colonial era is still not known, but history has incised another, it turns out emancipation wind gradually blows toward Earth Nusantara. The greatness of the Malay-Nusantara women has inspired the changing role of women around the world, proving the nickname of the KRI Malahayati warship taken from a female warrior from Aceh as the world's first female admiral. He is also noted in the history of successfully banishing the Portuguese and the Dutch into Aceh, according to a Dutch woman, Marie Van Zuchtelen, in his book "Vrouwlijke Admiral Malahayati" (Malahayati-Sang Admiral Wanita).

The heroine of Keakaiayati or Malahayati has the confidence to be the number one person in leading the military forces of the Acehnese sultanate. Malahayati is familiar with the naval world, because it can not be separated from the discipline of the father who is also an admiral, named Mahmud Shah bin Admiral Muhammad Said Shah. In the blood of Malahyati also flow strong blood of a grandfather who is also the son of Sultan Salahuddin Syah and had led Aceh in 1530-1539.As a sailor and a female warrior, Malahayati had led 2000 widows of widows whose husbands had been killed as heroes in the battlefield (known as Inong Balee troops) to fight against Dutch ships and forts on September 11, 1599 In the battle,

Malahayati succeeded in killing Cornelis de Houtman in a duel on the deck of the ship. Hence, Malahayati earned the first admiral title in the world.Malahayati lived in the time of the Kingdom (Sultanate) Atjeh led by Sultan Alaiddin Ali Riayat Syah IV who ruled between the years 1589-1604 M. Malahayati was originally believed to be the head guard and protocol inside and outside the palace, in pairs with Cut Limpah who served as official Secrets and State Intelligence. 

After completing his education at Meunasah / Pesantren, he continued his education to the Royal Military Academy, "Ma'had Baitul Maqdis", a military academy built with the support of Sultan Selim II of Ottoman Turkey. The Academy is supported by 100 naval lecturers deliberately imported from the Turkish kingdom. Here also he met his fellow cadet who eventually became Admiral, but until now the name of her husband can not be known with certainty. Graduated from the academy, Malahayati was appointed Commander of the Darud-World Protocol Palace of the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam, as well as a husband who was appointed Admiral.

There are not many records of Malahayati's life history, but there are sources of notes from a British shipwright of a British ship, John Davis once revealing the fact that during the military leadership of Admiral Malahayati, the Aceh Sultanate had fleet equipment. 

Malahayati is also depicted as a firm figure and sprightly mengidinir troops in the sea and oversee the various ports under the control of shahbandar, and carefully supervise the ships of type belonging to the Sultanate of Aceh Darussalam. Unfortunately, her husband died at the Malacca Straits when fighting the Portuguese. After her husband's death, Malahayati appealed to Sultan al-Mukammil, the revered king of Aceh from 1596-1604, to form a war fleet. His soldiers are widows of Acehnese warriors who died in the battle in the Malacca Strait, named Laskar Inong Balee with members of 2000 soldiers.Gradually, Malahayati's career began to sprout, at that time the Kingdom of Aceh was indeed improving security due to Portuguese interference. The proposal to form a fleet was granted, Malahayati was appointed Commander of the Inada Balee Fleet or Female Widower Fleet. The troops were based in Lamreh Kraung Raya Bay. Fort Kuto Inong Balee with a height of about three meters built. Complete with a cannon. The remains of the fortress are still visible in Aceh. Not only arrange defense on land. The Inong Balee army has more than one hundred warships. The army, which was originally only a thousand, grew to a maximum of two thousand. The foreign fleet passing through the Strait of Malacca was also frightened.

On June 21, 1599, the Dutch expedition troops who had just fought with the Sultanate of Banten arrived in Aceh. The entourage led by Cornelis and Frederick de Houtman was welcomed. But the foreign fleet even invaded the port of Aceh. His military career climbed after his success "beat up" a Dutch warship led by the infamous General Cornelis de Houtman. Even Cornelis de Houtman was killed by Malahayati in a one-on-one battle on the ship's deck on September 11, 1599, while his brother Frederich de Houtman was captured and imprisoned for about two years. Frederich was the first European to translate Bijbel into Malay. Finally he was awarded the title of Admiral (Admiral). 

The kingdom of Aceh against Laskar Inong Balee led by Malahayati to be the front-wall and the Dutch were successfully overrun. The Netherlands again attacked, on 21 November 1600 under the command of Paul van Caerden, they looted and drowned the spilled ships on the coast of Aceh. In the following year, in June, Malahayati captured the Dutch Admiral Jacob van Neck, who was sailing on the coast of Aceh. After various incidents, the Netherlands sent a diplomatic letter and apologized to the Aceh Sultanate through the envoy Maurits van Oranjesent.Malahayati was also the figure of a great negotiator. In August 1601, Malahayati led Aceh to negotiate with two envoys Maurits van Oranjesent, Admiral Laurens Bicker and Gerard de Roy. They agreed to a ceasefire. 

The Dutch also had to pay 50 thousand guilders as van Caerden's invasion compensation. Malahayati's lunge came to the ears of Queen Elizabeth, the British ruler. So the giant country chose a peaceful way when going through the Strait of Malacca. In June 1602, Queen Elizabeth chose to send James Lancaster to send a letter to the Sultan of Aceh to open a cruise line to Java.Malahayati is said to still lead the Aceh forces against the Portuguese fleet under Alfonso de Castro which invaded Kreung Raya Aceh in June 1606. A number of historical sources mention Malahayati's death in the battle against the Portuguese. After his death in the sea battle Krueng Raya Malahayati Bay is buried on the slopes of Bukit Kota Dalam, a fishing village located 34 kilometers from Banda Aceh, not far from Inong Balee Fortress. The location of the tomb at the top of the hill, is one of the tribute to the figure buried. 

The placement of a tomb on a hilltop may be attributed to the assumption that the high place is sacred. Some grave complexes in other areas on the hill top include: Mausoleum complex of Mataram Kings in Imogiri Yogyakarta, Sunan Giri tomb in Giri Gresik, Sunan Muria in Kudus, and Gunung Jati in Cirebon.Malahayati's name is very legendary because of his spirit and his struggle against and expel the invaders. To commemorate his services as a selfless warrior the name Malahayati immortalized for the name of the road, the hospital, the university on the island of Sumatra, to the warship of the Navy. History has recorded some of the greatest female sailors in the world. Admiral Malahayati must be remembered as one of the heroes among them because his struggle without caring must suffer, even the loss of his beloved husband ( **)

Colm Downes Picture