Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/173

 also of the VI Mukims), and Teuku Nanta Seutia, who wrested the VI Mukims from the last mentioned chief.

At the election of a new sultan, which was usually decided by a war between the different parties, the scale was turned not so much by the support of the panglimas as by that of the real wielders of power in their sagis. Thus in process of time the number of guardians of the sultanate increased, and the Achehnese authorities on adat have in noticing this change given the rein to their predilection for round numbers. They speak of the "twelve ulèëbalangs, who appoint and dethrone princes"; and describe them as consisting of four from each sagi. To make up the tale of twelve, they call the head kalis of the three sagis ulèëbalangs, which is quite inaccurate. They of course include in their list the panglima sagi ; thus two are left for each sagi who are regarded as the principal ulèëbalangs, or rather were so accounted at the time when the tradition was placed on record. These chief ulèëbalangs are: for the XXV Mukims, the two Neʾs already several times alluded to; for the XXVI Mukims Teuku Ateuëʾ and Teuku Tungkōb, and for the XXII Mukims, Teuku Baʾét, ulèëbalang of the VII Mukims, and Teuku Waki Chiʾ Gampōng Baroh, chief of the V Mukims.

In reality this list (even if we disregard its subordination of facts to round numbers) at most represents the conditions that existed during a short period. The whole twelve had not in the long run a voice in the affairs of the capital, while some of them had absolutely no share therein. On the other hand there were ulèëbalangs in the sultan's territory and the so-called wakeuëh-districts (as for instance Teuku Kali, the Panglima Meuseugit Raya, the Imeums of Luëng Bata and Chadéʾ etc.) who had much more weight in the scale than many of the members of the board of twelve. Speaking generally however, the guardianship exercised by the three sagis over the sultanate remains a fact, no matter who may at different periods have been accounted the most powerful representatives of each.