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The fortress of Tolucco,   the Maranao rulers to remain firm in   dwellings for scholars, thinkers and   remembered. The tradition of kings
 77
 which was a Portuguese   their opposition against the Spanish.    authors of religious texts. Ibn Battuta’s   being surrounded by scholars would
 stronghold during the   He was also a defender of and fighter   report about Samudra Pasai and Tome   continue, although later on religious
 attack against Ternate.   for Islam. A contemporary Spanish   Pires’ testimony about the ruler-traders   life had become bureaucratized. This
 It was built by Fransisco   report says that Sultan Qudarat was   who were surrounded by mullahs are   was a reasonable thing, said the Tajus
 Serão in 1540.  highly respected by his people who paid   evidence that this was common in   Salatin (quoting the Sifat as-Salatin
 him homage as if he were Muhammad   Islamic kingdoms. Not only Iskandar   as its source), “let the king always be
 Source: Directorate of
 History and Cultural   himself. The reason was that he was a   Thani and his empress who later   longing for companions who are people
 Values, Ministry of   Moro who was very brave, intelligent,   became his successor, Sultanah Tajul   of knowledge and who are adamant
                            83
 Education and Culture   and highly capable, in addition to faithful   Alam Safiatudin, saw how also scholars   to do religious work”.  Because it was
 of the Republic of   to “his cursed religion”, and also the one   competed for a place in the palace in   in this way a just situation could be
 78
 Indonesia, 2013.  who was always followed by success.    order to advance their religious beliefs.   achieved and finally cosmic unity could
 So, it is not surprising that the king was   Even Sultan Agung experienced this.   be realized.
 very concerned about any successful   Sultan Agung was very much upset by   However, the historical dynamics related
 attempts of the Spanish that attracted   the criticisms launched by scholars from   to this natural necessity resulted in
 Muslims to Catholicism. But, it seems,   Tembayat, but how close he was with   structural diversity and even in different
 also because of his Islamic politics,   his advisers. According to Dutch reports,   political traditions in each kingdom. This
 Manguindanao policies were aimed at   the scholar who was most familiar with   only became evident when the formation
 attracting foreigners to settle, to marry   Sultan Agung was “Kalifagypan” (maybe   of this ideal had entered the historical
 local girls and to convert to Islam. “Many   his correct name was Haji Fachrudin).   arena --in fields that combined ideal
 slaves who have fled stay here”, said   He, the report said, was a man of   desire with structural necessity. At that
 a Dutch report, “and many Chinese   manners.  Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa   point a choice had to be made. At that
 80
 had converted to Islam and been given   was reportedly also to have often   moment a constellation of power had to
 wives by the Sultan (Sultan Baharaman,   been surrounded by a congregation of   be determined and its ideological basis
 the successor of Qudarat), because   scholars. Foreign reports mention many   had to be formulated. In other words, the
 everyone who comes here is received   scholars who came from the Middle East,   process of the formation of the political
 81
 with open arms”. 79  through Surat, to Bantan.  Of course,   and power tradition had sbegan. We can
 the loyality of Sheikh Yusuf of Gowa’s
 Most of these exemplary kings were also   loyalty when he joined Sultan Ageng in   thus also say that a structural difference
 thinkers and the protectors of religious   his fight against the VOC  was always   came up between one centers of power
 82
 knowledge and merciful providers of   with the other centers.
 77.  Majul, 139.  80.  de Graaf, 1986: 106-7,120.  83.  Khalid’s edition, 1966: 75.
 78.  Quoted in Mastura, 1984: 32-33.  81.  Schrieke, 1956 II: 241-242.
 79.  Laarhoven, 1987.  82.  Tjandrasasmita, 1967.



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