View source for Samudera Pasai Sultanate

{{Short description|Muslim sultanate in Indonesia}}
{{about|the Malay historical kingdom|the town in Burma|Pasai, Burma|the settlement in Brunei|Kampong Pasai|the city in the Philippines|Pasay}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Samudera Pasai Sultanate
| common_name            = Samudera Pasai
| native_name            = {{Script/Arabic|كسلطانن سامودرا ڤاساي}}
| religion               = [[Sunni Islam]]
| p1                     = Peureulak Sultanate
| s1                     = Aceh Sultanate
| s2                     =
| year_start             = 1267
| year_end               = 1524
| date_start             =
| date_end               =
| event_start            = Foundation
| event6                 = [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] invasion
| date_event6            = 1521
| event_end              = [[Acehnese conquest of Pasai|Conquered]] by the [[Aceh Sultanate]]
| image_flag             =
| image_coat             =
| symbol_type            =
| image_map              = North Sumatra in the Year 1329.png
| image_map_caption      = Map of Pasai, at today's [[Lhokseumawe]] of Sumatra, Aceh province.
| capital                = Pasai
| common_languages       = [[Old Malay]]
| government_type        = Monarchy
| title_leader           = Sultan
| leader1                = [[Malik ul Salih]] <small>''(founder)''</small>
| year_leader1           = 1267–1297
| leader2                = Zainal Abidin IV <small>''(last)''</small>
| year_leader2           = 1514–1517
| currency               = [[Dirham]] coins
| today                  = [[Indonesia]]
}}

{{History of Indonesia}}

The '''Samudera Pasai Sultanate''' ({{Langx|ms| {{Script/Arabic|كسلطانن سامودرا ڤاساي}}}}), also known as '''Samudera''' or '''Pasai''' or '''Samudera Darussalam''' or '''Pacem''', was a Muslim kingdom on the north coast of [[Sumatra]] from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

Little evidence has been left to allow for historical study of the kingdom.<ref>Ricklefs, M.C. 1991. ''A History of Modern Indonesia since c. 1300''. 2nd ed., Stanford: Stanford University Press, p. 15.  {{ISBN|0-333-57690-X}}</ref> The kingdom was believed to have been founded by Merah Silu, who later converted to Islam and adopted the name [[Malik ul Salih]], in the year 1267 CE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://republika.co.id/berita/en/travelling-2/17/03/24/ona4he414-samudra-pasai-worthy-to-be-world-historical-site|title=Samudra Pasai worthy to be world historical site|date=2017-03-24|website=Republika Online|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> After the 1521 Portuguese invasion, the garrison evacuated Pasai in 1524 and the first Sultan of Aceh, [[Ali Mughayat Syah]], [[Acehnese conquest of Pasai|annexed the territory]].

== Etymology ==
Based on the fourteenth century chronicle [[Hikayat Raja-raja Pasai]], 'Samudera' can be inferred to have come from the word "Semudera" ({{IPA|[səmudəra]}}), which meant 'a very large ant'.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Mead|first=J. P.|date=1914-01-01|title=A Romanized Version of the Hikayat Raja-Raja Pasai|jstor=41561000|journal=Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|issue=66|pages=9}}</ref> The name was given by Merah Silu when he discovered an ant as large as a cat while hunting at a 'high ground'.<ref name=":0" /> Eventually, the place was cleared for the establishment of a new state and 'Semudera' was adopted as its name.<ref name=":0" />

'Samudera' is also thought to be derived from the [[Sanskrit]] word Samudra, which means "ocean."

Literature also indicates the origin of the name 'Pasai' which came from ''Si-Pasai'', the hunting dog of [[Malik ul Salih|Sultan Malik al Salleh]], who was Merah Silu after his conversion to Islam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Mead|first=J. P.|date=1914-01-01|title=A Romanized Version of the Hikayat Raja-Raja Pasai|jstor=41561000|journal=Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|issue=66|page=17}}</ref> The legend narrates that Malik, while hunting with the dog, encountered a deer which was not afraid of the dog's barking but instead barked back. He was bewildered by this and thought that this might be a good sign for the place to be established as a new state for his son, Malik Al Tahir.<ref name=":1" /> The dog died soon after the kingdom was founded, and Malik chose to bury him there, naming the kingdom Pasai after him.<ref name=":1" />

In the 14th century, the Italian traveller [[Odoric of Pordenone]] used the name Sumoltra for Samudra, and subsequent European writers also used similar forms of the name to refer to the Sumatra island itself.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8lYJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA86 |title=Cathay and the Way Thither: Being a Collection of Medieval Notices of China, Issue 36 |year=1866 |editor= Sir Henry Yule |pages=86–87 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yx5MAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA10|title=History of Sumatra, containing an account of the government (etc.) |author= William Marsden |pages=4–10 |date=1811 }}</ref>

==History==
The earliest inscription found during this period is the tombstone of Ibnu Mahmud in Leubok Tuwe, Meurah Mulia, [[North Aceh]]. The tombstone dated from [[Dhul Hijjah]] 622 Hijri or 1226 CE. The inscription mentioned that Ibn Mahmud was a [[shahid]].<ref>[https://kebudayaan.kemdikbud.go.id/dpk/kompleks-makam-kuno-leubok-tuwe-makam-syuhada-awal-samudra-pasai/ Kompleks Makam Kuno Leubok Tuwe Makam Syuhada Awal Samudra Pasai]</ref> 

[[Arab]] and [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s had traded in Indonesia and [[China]] for many centuries. A Muslim tombstone in eastern [[Java (island)|Java]] bears a date corresponding to 1082. But substantial evidence of [[Islam]] in Indonesia begins only in northern [[Sumatra]] at the end of the 13th century. Two small Muslim trading kingdoms existed by that time at Pasai and [[Peureulak]] or Perlak. A 1297 royal tomb at Samudra is inscribed entirely in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. By the 15th century several harbour kingdoms developed, all ruled by local Muslim princes, from the north coast of Java and elsewhere to as far east as [[Ternate]] and [[Tidore]] in [[Maluku Islands|Maluku]]. [[Marco Polo]] spent five months here, he had Ferlec, Basma, and Samara (Samudera) mentioned in his travel story. Another famous traveller [[Ibn Battuta]] on his way to [[China]] stayed 15 days at Samudera.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kemlu.go.id/istanbul/en|title=Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia Istanbul Turley|website=Kementerian Luar Negeri Repulik Indonesia|language=id|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

[[File:Makam Sultan Malik As-Shalih (Malikussaleh).jpg|thumb|left|300px|Malik al-Salih tombstone]]

The establishment of the first Muslim centres in Indonesia was probably a result of commercial circumstances. By the 13th century the collapse of [[Srivijaya]]n power, drew foreign traders to harbours on the northern Sumatran shores of the [[Bay of Bengal]], safe from the pirate lairs at the southern end of the [[Strait of Malacca]]. Northern Sumatra had a hinterland rich in [[gold]] and forest produce, and [[Black pepper|pepper]] was being cultivated at the beginning of the 15th century. It was accessible to all the merchants of the archipelago who wanted to meet ships from the [[Indian Ocean]].

[[File:Cakra Donya (cropped).JPG|thumbnail|left|200px|Cakra Donya bell was a gift<ref name="Vaisutis2007">{{cite book|author=Justine Vaisutis|title=Indonesia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eoMYUd6FsSkC&pg=PA419|date= 2007|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74104-435-5|pages=419–}}</ref> from [[Zheng He]] during [[Treasure voyages|his voyage]] to Pasai.]]

In the year 1345, [[Ibn Battuta]], a [[Morocco|Moroccan]] traveller visited Samudra Pasai where he notes in his travel log that the ruler of Samudera Pasai was a pious Muslim, who performed his religious duties in utmost zeal. The [[madh'hab]] he observed was Imam [[Al-Shafi'i]]. At that time Samudera Pasai was the end of [[Divisions of the world in Islam#Dar al-Islam|Dar al-Islam]] for no territory east of this was ruled by a Muslim ruler. He praised the kindness and hospitality demonstrated by the sultan of Samudera Pasai. Here he stayed for about two weeks in the wooden walled town as a guest of the sultan, and then the sultan provided him with supplies and sent him on his way on one of sultan's own [[Junk (ship)|junks]] to China.<ref name="Berkeley">{{cite web
 |url         = http://ibnbattuta.berkeley.edu/9china.html
 |title       = Ibn Battuta's Trip: Chapter 9 Through the Straits of Malacca to China 1345 – 1346
 |work        = The Travels of Ibn Battuta A Virtual Tour with the 14th Century Traveler
 |publisher   = Berkeley.edu
 |access-date  = 14 June 2013
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130317035650/http://ibnbattuta.berkeley.edu/9china.html
 |archive-date = 17 March 2013
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

The [[Hongwu Emperor]] of China's [[Ming dynasty]] listed Samudera in his admonition the ''[[Huang-Ming Zuxun]]'' as one of 14 countries which the Ming should not launch a military campaign against.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Farmer |first1=Edward L. |title=Zhu Yuanzhang and Early Ming Legislation: The Reordering of Chinese Society Following the Era of Mongol Rule |year=1995 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-10391-7 |page=120 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCIjZ7l6TX8C |language=en}}</ref> By the end of the 14th century, Samudra-Pasai had become a wealthy commercial centre, giving way in the early 15th century to the better protected harbour of [[Malacca]] on the south-west coast of the [[Malay Peninsula]]. [[Majapahit]] attacked and looted the place in the middle of the 14th century.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Borschberg|first=Peter|date=2003|title=Review of O Domínio do Norte Samatra. A história dos sultanatos de Samudera-Pacém e de Achém e das suas relações com os Portugueses (1500–1580) the Dominion of North Sumatra. A History of the Sultanates of Samudera-Pasai and Aceh and Their Relations with the Portuguese (1500–1580)|journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Studies|volume=34|issue=2|pages=361–363|doi=10.1017/S0022463403210304|jstor=20072512|issn=0022-4634}}</ref>

Pasai's economic and political power depended almost entirely on foreigners. Muslim traders and teachers probably participated in its administration from the beginning and were bound to introduce religious practices that made them feel at home. The first Muslim beachheads in Indonesia, especially Pasai, were to a considerable extent genuine Muslim creations that commanded the loyalty of the local population and encouraged scholarly activities. Similar new harbour kingdoms formed on the northern coast of Java. [[Tomé Pires]], author of the ''Suma Oriental'', writing not long after 1511, stresses the obscure ethnic origins of the founders of [[Cheribon|Cirebon]], [[Demak, Indonesia|Demak]], [[Jepara|Japara]], and [[Gresik]]. These Javanese coastal states served commerce with India and China and especially with Malacca, an importer of Javanese [[rice]]. The rulers of Malacca, despite their prestigious Srivijayan origin, accepted Islam precisely to attract Muslim and Javanese traders to their port.

The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] occupied Pasai in 1521, 10 years after their conquest of Malacca. Through the Portuguese, the place become known in [[Europe]] as '''Pacem'''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=fjFiAAAAMAAJ Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 33, Parts 1–4]. Quote: "The Portuguese knew Pasai as Pacem."</ref> The Portuguese garrison evacuated Pasai in 1524 and the first [[Aceh Sultanate|Sultan of Aceh]], [[Ali Mughayat Syah]], [[Acehnese conquest of Pasai|annexed the territory]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bassett |first=D. K. |date=September 1963 |title=European Influence in South-East Asia, c. 1500–1630 |journal=Journal of Southeast Asian History |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=134–165 |doi=10.1017/S0217781100002866 }}</ref>

==List of rulers==
These are the list of rulers who ruled the Samudera Pasai Sultanate:<ref>{{cite book|author=Taqiyuddin Muhammad|title=Daulah Shalihiyyah Di Sumatera|year=2011|publisher=CISAH|pages=115–186}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Kerajaan2 Indonesia|url=https://datasets.iisg.amsterdam/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=hdl:10622/V3XJIR|date=2023-02-01|accessdate=2025-06-05|language=en|first=Hans|last=Hägerdal|page=54}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Period !! Name of Sultan or Gelar !! Notes and important historical events
|-
| 1267–1297 || [[Malikussaleh|Sultan Malikussaleh]] (Meurah Silu) || Founder of Samudra Pasai kingdom
|-
| 1297–1326 || {{ill|Sultan Muhammad Malikuzzahir|id|Muhammad Malikuzzahir dari Samudera Pasai}} || Introduced gold coins
|-
| 1326–1340 || {{ill|Sultan Ahmad Malikuzzahir|id|Mahmud Malik az-Zahir}} || Visited by [[Ibnu Batutah]]
|-
| 1340–1355 || Malik Salahuddin || Attacked the [[Karang Baru]] Kingdom, Tamiang
|-
| 1360–1369 || Malikuzzahir ||
|-
| 1360/69–1380/89 || {{ill|Nur Ilah of Samudera Pasai|id|Nur Ilah dari Samudera Pasai|lt=Malikah Wabisa}} (Nur Ilah) || [[Minye Tujoh inscription]]
|-
| 1394–1400 || Sultan Zainal Abidin I || Attacked by [[Majapahit]]
|-
| 1406–1428 || {{Ill|Sultanah Nahrasiyah|id|Sultanah Nahrasiyah}} || Glory period of Samudra Pasai
|-
| 1428–1438 || {{ill|Sultan Zainal Abidin II|id|Sultan Zainal Abidin II}} ||
|-
| 1438–1462 || Sultan Shalahuddin ||
|-
| 1462–1464 || Sultan Ahmad II ||
|-
| 1464–1466 || Sultan Abu Zaid Ahmad III ||
|-
| 1466–1466 || Sultan Ahmad IV ||
|-
| 1466–1468 || Sultan Mahmud ||
|-
| 1468–1474 || Sultan Zainal Abidin III || Toppled by his brother
|-
| 1474–1495 || Sultan Muhammad Syah II ||
|-
| 1495–1495 || Sultan Al-Kamil ||
|-
| 1495–1506 || Sultan Adlullah ||
|-
| 1506–1507 || Sultan Muhammad Syah III || Has two tombs
|-
| 1507–1509 || Sultan Abdullah ||
|-
| 1509–1514 || Sultan Ahmad V || [[Capture of Malacca (1511)]]
|-
| 1514–1517 || {{ill|Sultan Zainal Abidin IV|id|Sultan Zainal Abidin IV}} ||
|}

== Family tree ==

{{Chart top|width=100%|collapsed=no|Family tree of Samudera Pasai Monarchs<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sultan Al-Malik Ash-Shalih, wafat dalam bulan Ramandhan tahun 696 Hijriah, dimakamkan di pusat pemerintahan Kota Sumatra |url=https://www.mapesaaceh.com/2019/05/sultan-al-malik-ash-shalih-wafat-dalam.html |access-date=2023-06-15 |language=id}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-31 |title=Makam Sultan Pasai, Kesultanan Islam Terbesar di Asia Tenggara, Dibiarkan Hancur Berkeping |url=https://www.indozone.id/news/9DsAy6Y/makam-sultan-pasai-kesultanan-islam-terbesar-di-asia-tenggara-dibiarkan-hancur-berkeping |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=indozone.id |language=id-ID}}</ref>}}

{{Tree chart/start|align=center|style=font-size:90%}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | |001  |
001='''[[Malikussaleh|Al-Malik<br>Al-Salih]]'''<br><sup>(1)</sup><br>{{r.|1267|1297}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | |001  | |002  |y|003  |
001='''Al-Malik<br>Al-Zahir I<br>Muhammad I'''<br><sup>(2)</sup><br>{{r.|1297|1326}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC|
002=♀ Princess|
003=Raja Kadah}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | |)|-|-|-|.| |`|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | |001  | |002  |y|003  |
001='''Ahmad I'''<br><sup>(3)</sup><br>{{r.|1326|1330}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC|
002=♀ Princess|
003=Raja Khan}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | |)|-|-|-|.| |`|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | |001  | |002  | |003  |
001=Ahmad|
002='''Zainal<br>Abidin I'''<br><sup>(5)</sup><br>{{r.|1349|1406}}|boxstyle_002=background-color:#DCDCDC|
003='''Al-Malik<br>Al-Zahir II'''<br><sup>(4)</sup><br>{{r.|1330|1349}}|boxstyle_003=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | |!| | | |!| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | |001  | |002  |
001='''Zainal<br>Abidin II'''<br><sup>(7)</sup><br>{{r.|1428|1438}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC|
002=♀<br>'''Nahrasyiyah'''<br><sup>(6)</sup><br>{{r.|1406|1428}}|boxstyle_002=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |,|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1|001  | |002  | |003  | |004  | |005  | |006  |
001='''Salahuddin'''<br><sup>(8)</sup><br>{{r.|1438|1462}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC|
002=Mansur|
003='''Ahmad II'''<br><sup>(9)</sup><br>{{r.|1462|1464}}|boxstyle_003=background-color:#DCDCDC|
004='''Ahmad III'''<br><sup>(10)</sup><br>{{r.|1464|1466}}|boxstyle_004=background-color:#DCDCDC|
005='''Ahmad IV'''<br><sup>(11)</sup><br>{{r.|1466|1466}}|boxstyle_005=background-color:#DCDCDC|
006='''Mahmud'''<br><sup>(12)</sup><br>{{r.|1466|1468}}|boxstyle_006=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |,|-|-|-|(| | | |!| | | |!| | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1|001  | |002  | |003  | |004  | |005  | |006  | |007  |
001='''Al-Kamil'''<br><sup>(15)</sup><br>{{r.|1495|1495}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC|
002='''Adlullah'''<br><sup>(16)</sup><br>{{r.|1495|1506}}|boxstyle_002=background-color:#DCDCDC|
003='''Zainal<br>Abidin III'''<br><sup>(13)</sup><br>{{r.|1468|1474}}|boxstyle_003=background-color:#DCDCDC|
004='''Muhammad<br>Syah II'''<br><sup>(14)</sup><br>{{r.|1474|1495}}|boxstyle_004=background-color:#DCDCDC|
005='''Muhammad<br>Syah III'''<br><sup>(17)</sup><br>{{r.|1506|1507}}|boxstyle_005=background-color:#DCDCDC|
006='''Abdullah'''<br><sup>(18)</sup><br>{{r.|1507|1509}}|boxstyle_006=background-color:#DCDCDC|
007='''Zainal<br>Abidin IV'''<br><sup>(20)</sup><br>{{r.|1514|1517}}|boxstyle_007=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | |!| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | |001  |
001='''Ahmad V'''<br><sup>(19)</sup><br>{{r.|1509|1514}}|boxstyle_001=background-color:#DCDCDC}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Chart bottom}}

==Historical heritage==
The discovery of the tomb of Sultan Malik as-Saleh (696 H or 1267 AD), was referred to by historians as a sign that Islam had entered the Archipelago around the 13th century. Although there is an opinion that the possibility of Islam has come earlier than that. The story of the Pasai Kings is indeed full of myths and legends but the description of the story has helped in uncovering the dark side of history of the existence of this kingdom. The kingdom's past glory has inspired its people to re-use the name of the founder of this kingdom for the University of Malikussaleh in Lhokseumawe.

==See also==
* [[Malikussaleh]]
* [[List of Sunni Muslim dynasties]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal | last=Hall | first=Kenneth R. | year=1981 | title=Trade and statecraft in the Western Archipelago at the dawn of the European age | journal=Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society | volume=54 | issue=1 | pages=21–47 | jstor=41492897 }}
* {{cite book | last=Hall | first=Kenneth R.| year=2010 | title=A History of Early Southeast Asia: Maritime Trade and Societal Development, 100–1500 | place=Plymouth, UK | publisher=Rowman & Littlefield | isbn=978-0-7425-6761-0 }}
* {{cite journal | last=Hill | first=A.H. | year=1963 | title=The coming of Islam to North Sumatra | journal=Journal of Southeast Asian History | volume=4 | issue=1 | pages=6–21 | doi=10.1017/S0217781100000739 | jstor=20067418 }}

{{coord missing|Indonesia}}

{{Precolonial states in Indonesia}}
{{Islam in Indonesia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samudera Pasai Sultanate}}
[[Category:History of Sumatra]]
[[Category:Precolonial states of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Former sultanates]]
[[Category:History of Islam in Indonesia]]
[[Category:Islamic states in Indonesia]]