Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/225

 listening to the recital of such poems are not intractable, but are subject to the control of a party more powerful than all the conservative elements of their society taken together.

At the top of the document stands in the middle the latest chab sikureuëng, an engraving of which has been given above.

It consists as we have seen (p. 129 seqq.) of one large circle surrounded by eight smaller ones. The large circle contains the following inscription:

"May Allah give good guidance unto His Majesty Sultan ʿAlauʾddin (pronounced in Ach. Alaédin) Muhamad Daud Shah Juhan (pronounced in Ach. Muhamat Dawōt Shah Juhan) the Blessed, the shadow of Allah in the world 1296" (i. e. 1879, the year of his election us Sultan).

In the smaller circles surrounding this appear the names of the following Sultans.

Sultan Sayyidi al-Mukammal (pron. in Ach. Sidi Meukamay) i. e. Alaédin al Qahhar (Kha) who reigned from 1530 to 1552 or 1557 or thereabouts.

Sultan Meukuta Alam i.e. Iskandar Muda 1607–36.

Sultan Tajul-alam i, e. Sapiatōdīn, the first sultana, 1639 or 1641–1675.

Sultan Ahmat Shah, the first prince of the present dynasty 1723 or 1726–1735.

Sultan Fuhan Shah 1735–60.

Sultan Malmut Shah 1781–1795.

Sultan Jauhar Alam Shah 1802–24.

Sultan Manṣur (Mansō) Shah 1838–70.

The first four of these names recur on most of the nine-fold seals