In 1292, Marco Polo, on his voyage from China to Persia visited Sumatra and reported that on the northern part of Sumatra there were as many as six trading ports including Ferlec, Samudera and Lambri. Islam is reported to have reached Aceh between the seventh and eighth centuries AD and the first Islamic kingdom, Perlak was established in 804 AD. Then followed Samudera Pasai in 1042, Tamiah in 1184, Aceh in 1205 and Darussalam in 1511. In this year the Portuguese captured Malacca and many Asian and Arabic traders sought to avoid the Malacca Strait and called instead on Aceh's port, bringing wealth and prosperity. Aceh's dominance in trade and politics in northern parts of Sumatra began, reaching a climax between 1610 and 1640. With the death of Sultan Iskandar Thani in 1641, Aceh's decline began. The British and Dutch both started to vie for influence. In 1824 the London Treaty was signed, giving the Dutch control over all British possessions in Sumatra in return for a Dutch surrender of their establishments in India and an abrogation of all claims on Singapore.

Summary of Aceh important dates in its history (1520- early 1600)

Rise of Aceh clearly demonstrates impact of Islam and trade in contestation with Europeans. Portuguese efforts to intervene in Pasai and Pidie, and takeover of Melaka across the straits, drove elements interested in Islam, commerce, or local patriotism to unite in support of Aceh's Sultan Ali Mughayat Syah.

1520s

Sultan worked to unite the north Sumatran coast into a new and explicitly anti-Portuguese kingdom; ideological identity and authority of Aceh competed directly with Portuguese Melaka as center of Islamic spice route. (Similarly, Banten in western Java emerged as an Islamic kingdom in competition with the Hindu port of Sunda Kelapa, ruled by a Portuguese ally.)

1534–38

Ottoman expansion (first to Egypt, Syria, and the Hejaz in 1516–17, then to Iraq in 1534–35) provided new military defense of Muslim spice-trading route in the Indian Ocean. First Ottoman fleet to combat the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean was launched by the governor of Egypt in 1537–38; this failed.

1560s

Establishment of direct commercial and diplomatic relations between Ottomans and Aceh; this led to concept of pan-Islamic counter-crusade against the Portuguese in Southeast Asia (e.g., 1566 petition for assistance, sent from sultan of Aceh to Ottoman sultan).

1560–1580s

High point for Islamic military success in Southeast Asia.

Early 1600s

Evidence that Shari'a courts in use in Aceh, to apply Islamic law in enforcing precepts relating to prayer, fasting, and religious orthodoxy and to deal with civil matters of debt, marriage, divorce, and inheritance as well as criminal matters of theft, drunkenness, and so on. Introduction of the kadi (law officer, an important figure in urban governance) dates from the 1580s. A number of Islamic leaders, from various parts of the archipelago, centered in Aceh during the 17th century, writing voluminously on religious topics both in Arabic and Malay. The last great mystic was ‘Abd al-Ra'uf of Singkel, born around 1615. After studying in the Middle East, he returned to Aceh, served the sultan as secretary, and wrote widely on law and religion. His fame as a religious reformer spread widely, before and after his death sometime following 1693. (See The Malayan Archipelago, 1798–1908)
 

Summary of Aceh important dates in its history (1816-1942)

Also referred to as Atjeh, Achin. An Islamic sultanate located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, at times controlling land on both sides of the Malacca Straits. Its strategic location gave it political importance

In 1816/1824 the Dutch and British agreed on delimitation of their mutual spheres of influence in the Malay Archipelago; Aceh was allocated to neither of them. In the Sumatra Treatise of 1871, Britain conceded Aceh to the Netherlands, in return for Dutch concessions regarding Sarawak/North Borneo and on the Gold Coast. 

1831 - U.S. ships, the Potomac Fleet, under the order of US President Andrew Jackson and without the approval of the US Congress, shell coastal villages in Aceh in an action against "piracy" (Acehnese pepper trade dispute with businesses tied to Governor of Massachussetts). In 1832 (Quallah Battoo) and in 1838/1839 US troops landed in Aceh (Quallah Battoo, Muckie) to protect US interests. Quallah Battoo (Kuala Bate) is located between the town of Meulaboh and Tapak Tuan, near the area where the US Marines landed to help Aceh Tsunami's victims.
 
1852 - Aceh sends an emissary to Napoleon III of France.

1854 - Aceh establishes authority over Langkat, Deli and Serdang on east coast of Sumatra ("pepper ports"). 

1858 - Dutch take Siak in north Sumatra by treaty, and move troops in to prevent British adventurers from gaining a foothold there. The boundary of Siak is defined to include Langkat and Deli, infringing on Acehnese territory.

1869 - Aceh appeals to the Ottoman Empire for protection. In 1869, the Suez Canal opened, which greatly reduced the travel time and effort between Europe and Asia by sea, and gave places such as Aceh much more strategic importance.

1870 - Sultan Mahmud Syah rules Aceh until 1874.

1871 - November Treaty of Sumatra between British and Dutch: Dutch give Gold Coast to British; Dutch may send contract labor from India to Dutch Guinea; Dutch get free hand in Sumatra, British and Dutch both have trade rights in Aceh. Effect of this treaty: there is no more foreign objection to the Dutch taking Aceh.

1873 - January 25 Emissary from Aceh holds talks with the American consul in Singapore, but help was rejected by Washington. The Dutch respond with war. March 26 Dutch bombard Banda Aceh. April 8 Dutch land troops at Banda Aceh. April 25 Acehnese force the Dutch to withdraw.  The Sultan of Aceh sensed the imminent danger and sent a delegation to Singapore, where they contected the consuls of Italy and the US (for a possible protectorate, 1873). The Dutch regarded this as the "Treason of Singapore" and declared war. The first Dutch attempt to conquer Aceh failed in 1873

1874 - Holland attack Sultanate of Aceh and the Kraton (capital, called Koetaradja by the Dutch) was occupied and the Sultanate formally annexed. The Dutch controlled only the area around Koetaradja; most of the territory remained unoccupied, and the Acehnese continued to resist. January 24 Acehnese abandon Banda Aceh and retreat to the hills. Dutch announce that Sultanate of Aceh is ended. Sultan Mahmud Syah of Aceh dies in the jungle; Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Syah heads sultanate in hills until 1907. Teuku Umar of the Acehnese nobility leads the Acehnese forces. The Dutch strategy of occupying the political center had failed; the resistance continued (2nd Acehnese War 1874-1880, 3rd Acehnese War 1884-1886, 4th Acehnese War since 1888). In 1882, the population of Aceh was calculated as 479,419 (Meyers). Advised by scholar Snouck Hugronje, the Dutch army, under Lt. VAN HEUTSZ, adopted a new strategy of brutal repression. In 1903 the Acehnese Sultan POLIM surrendered; only in 1908 were the Dutch able to establish control over the area; guerilla resistance continued. The wars leading to the conquest and pacification of Aceh (1873-1908) have cost an estimated 10,000 Dutch and 100,000 Acehnese fatalities.

1878 - Expedition under Gen. Van der Heijden burns 500 villages in Aceh to the ground. Teungku Cik di Tiro, an Islamic ulama, starts leading the resistance in Aceh.

1884 - Guerilla war heats up in Aceh. Dutch build "Geconcentreerde Linie" in Aceh: a series of 16 forts designed to contain guerillas. Many of the common soldiers Dutch-led troops in the Netherlands Indies forces were not Dutch, but were recruited from Java, Sulawesi, and other parts of Indonesia.

1896 - Dutch go on attack against guerillas in Aceh with special forces (Korps Marechaussee).

1898 - Van Heutsz becomes Dutch Governor of Aceh. His advisor Snouck Hurgronje introduces "Korte Verklaring", a short treaty recognizing Dutch rule, to replace older complicated agreements with local rulers; Dutch pursue alliance with uleebalangs against Islamic leaders. June Van Heutsz sends a successful Dutch expedition against Pidie, Aceh.
1899 - Teuku Umar is killed during a Dutch ambush.

1903 - Sultan of Aceh, Tuanku Daud Syah, surrenders to the Dutch, but keeps secret contact with guerillas

1904 - Van Heutsz, recently military Governor of Aceh, becomes Governor-General (until 1909). An expedition under Capt. Van Daalen to the uplands of Aceh kills over 3000 villagers, including over 1000 women and children.

1905 - Acehnese resistance contacts Japanese consul in Singapore for help.

1907 - Aceh guerillas attack Dutch in Banda Aceh

1910 - Islamic resistance in Aceh is decimated. Uleebalangs, or traditional aristocracy of Aceh take charge. The Uleebalangs would develop a reputation for collaborating with the Dutch; after World War II, many Uleebalangs were massacred.

1942 - Aceh resistance overthrew Dutch rules in Aceh and began helping Indonesian Independence  movement and resistance in Java island.
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Dec 26, 2005 - 9.0 Earthquake and Tsunami destroyed Banda Aceh, Meulaboh and all coastal towns in Aceh, killing over 170,000 people and displaced over 550,000 people.

Related Information:  Aceh Rulers