Pasai Sultanate

The Sultanate of Pasai is also known as Samudera Darussalam, or Samudera Pasai, an Islamic kingdom located on the northern coast of Sumatera, approximately around Lhokseumawe and North Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia.

There is not so much archaeological evidence of this kingdom to be used as a subject of historical study. But some historians begin to trace the existence of this kingdom from the Hikayat of the Pasai Kings, and this is attributed to some of the king's tombs and the invention of gold and silver coins with the name of the king.

This kingdom was founded by Marah Silu, who has the title of Sultan Malik as-Saleh, around 1267. The existence of this kingdom is also listed in the book Rihlah ila l-Masyriq (Wander to the East) by Abu Abdullah ibn Batuthah (1304-1368), a Moroccan traveler came to this country in 1345. The Pasai Sultanate finally collapsed after the Portuguese attack in 1521.

Initial Formation
According to Hikayat Raja Pasai, the story of Pasai's establishment by Marah Silu, after he replaced a king named Sultan Malik al-Nasser. Angry Silu was previously located in an area called Semerlanga then after the title of Sultan Malik as-Saleh title, he died in the year 696 H or 1297 AD In Hikayat Pasai Raja and Sulalatus Salatin the name Pasai and Samudera has been separated refers to two distinct areas, but in Chinese records the names are not distinguished at all. While Marco Polo in his trip recorded some list of kingdoms on the east coast of Sumatra Island at that time, from south to north there are names Ferlec (Perlak), Basma and Samara (Samudera). Sultan Malik as-Saleh government then followed by his son Sultan Muhammad Malik az-Zahir from his marriage to the daughter of the Perlak King. During the reign of Sultan Muhammad Malik az-Zahir, gold coin as currency has been introduced in Pasai, along with the development of Pasai became one of the trade area as well as the development of da'wah of Islam. Then around 1326 he died and was succeeded by his son Sultan Mahmud Malik az-Zahir and ruled until 1345. During his reign, he was visited by Ibn Batuthah, then told that the sultan in the land of Samatrah (Samudera) greeted him with great hospitality,and the inhabitants of the Shafi'i School. Furthermore, during the reign of Sultan Ahmad Malik az-Zahir, the son of Sultan Mahmud Malik az-Zahir, came the attack from Majapahit between 1345 and 1350, and caused the Pasai Sultan was forced to flee from the capital of the kingdom. "So the command of the Nata will all prisoners of Pasai , order him to sit in this Javanese land, where his heart is, that is why so many sacred in the land of Java when Pasai was defeated by Majapahit ".- The description of Pasai's conquest by Majapahit, a quote from Hikayat Raja Pasai. The Pasai Sultanate re-emerged under the leadership of Sultan Zain al-Abidin Malik az-Zahir in 1383, and reigned until 1405. In the Chinese chronicles he was also known as Tsai-nu-li-a-pi-ting-ki, by King Nakur. Furthermore, the Sultanate of Pasai Sultanate followed by his wife Sultanah Nahrasiyah.Armada Cheng Ho who led about 208 vessels visited Pasai successively in the years 1405, 1408 and 1412. Based on Cheng Ho's travel reports recorded by his aides like Ma Huan and Fei Xin. Geographically the Pasai Sultanate has been described as having borders with high mountains to the south and east, and if it continues to the east bordering the Aru Kingdom, to the north by the sea, to the west by two kingdoms, Nakur and Lide. Meanwhile, if continue to the west encounter with the kingdom of Lambri (Lamuri) mentioned at that time is 3 days and 3 nights from Pasai. During the visit Cheng Ho also presented a gift from the Chinese Emperor, Donya's Cakra Bell. Around 1434 Sultan Pasai sent his brother known as Ha-li-zhi-han but died in Beijing. Emperor Xuande of the Ming Dynasty sent Wang Jinhong to Pasai to deliver the news.

Government

BEEL CAKRA DONYA
The central government of Pasai Sultanate lies between Krueng Jambo Aye (Sungai Jambu Air) and Krueng Pase (Pasai River), North Aceh. According to ibn Batuthah who spent about two weeks in Pasai, the kingdom does not have a stone fortress, but has lined its city with wood, a few kilometers from the harbor. In the core area of ​​this kingdom there are mosques, and markets and traversed by a fresh river that empties into the sea. Ma Huan added, although the estuary is large but the waves are tempestuous and easily lead to the ship overturned. Thus the naming of Lhokseumawe which can mean the bay of which the water is swirling may be related to this. In the government structure there is the term minister, syahbandar and kadi. While the sultans of both men and women were named by Tun, as did some of the royalty. The Pasai Sultanate has several subordinate kingdoms, and its rulers also have sultans.

During the reign of Sultan Muhammad Malik az-Zahir, the Perlak Kingdom had become part of Pasai's sovereignty, then he also placed one of his sons namely Sultan Mansur in the Ocean. But in the time of Sultan Ahmad Malik az-Zahir, the Samudera region has become a unity with the name of Pasai Ocean that remains centered in Pasai. In the reign of Sultan Zain al-Abidin Malik az-Zahir, Lide (Kingdom of Pedir) is mentioned to be the subordinate kingdom of Pasai. Meanwhile Pasai also mentioned having a bad relationship with Nakur, the peak of this kingdom attacked Pasai and resulted in the Pasai Sultan killed.

Economy
Pasai is a commercial city, relying on pepper as its flagship commodity, in Ma Huan note mentioned 100 kati pepper sold with silver price 1 tahil. In the trade of Pasai Sultanate issued a gold coin as a tool of transactions in the community, this currency is called Deureuham (dirham) made 70% pure gold weighing 0.60 grams, 10 mm diameter, 17 karat.Sementara quality Pasai people generally have been planting rice in the fields, which are harvested 2 times a year, and have dairy cows to produce cheese. While the houses have an average height of 2.5 meters which is partitioned into several booths, with floors made of coconut wood or pinang wood arranged with rattan, and on top of it lay rattan mats or pandanus.

Religion and culture
Islam is a religion adopted by the Pasai community, although the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism also colored this society. From the notes Ma Huan and Tomé Pires, have compared and mentioned that the social culture of the Pasai community is similar to Malacca, such as language, as well as tradition at birth ceremonies, marriage and death. The possibility of this similarity facilitates acceptance of Islam in Malacca and this intimate relationship is cemented by the marriage of Pasai's daughter and the king of Malacca as told in Sulalatus Salatin.

End of Government
Toward the end of the Sultanate of Pasai, there were several disputes in Pasai that resulted in civil war. Sulalatus Salatin told of Sultan Pasai asking for help to Sultan Melaka to dampen the rebellion. But the Pasai Sultanate itself finally collapsed after being conquered by Portugal in 1521 which had previously conquered Melaka in 1511, and then in 1524 Pasai region has become part of the sovereignty of the Sultanate of Aceh.