A Mission of Two Ambassadors from Bantam

DN. Halwany

Historical Background

Banten, a Moslem state since the 16^th century, came into early contacts with European traders starting with the visit of the Portuguese in 1546 and De Houtman in 1596. In 1619 it lost its harbors Jayakarta to the Dutch who renamed it Batavia. Banten’s sultans who were interested in politics as well as in trade were for decades the most serious rivals of the Dutch. Sultan Ageng (1616 – 1683) a genius in the field of trade caused many losses to the Dutch East India Company not only here but also abroad.

The English in Banten succeeded in convincing the Sultan those cooperation’s with the English East India Company was the only way to liquidate Dutch competition. Sultan Ageng had appointed his son, Sultan Hadji as his fellow-ruler. The latter that at first followed his father’s views later on turned himself against him taking the side of the Dutch. It grew into a clash between father and son which resulted in the victory of sultan Hadji and the imprisonment of Sultan Ageng in the Castle of Batavia, in 1683. The English were expelled from Banten April 12, 1682.

In 1681, Sultan Hadji, still on geed terms with his father sent a diplomatic mission to London to King Charles the II ; they went by English ship ”London” which was loaded with pepper, sandal wood, ginger, Cloves and private goods worth 6 7000 reels. The present several diamonds, a golden peacock set with precious stones, together (according to rumors) 12000 reels.

This mission returned a year and a half later when political conditions had changed. Immediately upon the arrival of this mission they were hurriedly sent by the Sultan to Batavia to report to the Governor General. The English ship camphor, which had not been allowed to anchor in Banten harbor, comes also to Batavia. The ambassadors tried to release the presents for the English captain did not think it necessary to hand over the King’s presents new that conditions had changed so much. Only with the help of the Batavia Government were the goods released. The captain wished to give to the Company “the terribly ugly dogs “a present from King Charles II to the Sultan, but Kyai Aria Wijaya took them home to Banten in his ship.

Besides these animals were unloaded: Crates with guns, mirrors, knives, saddles etc. 40 crates with hardliners, mirrors locks etc, 77 small vats “distilled waters” and I vat with hand lateens further a few pots. Pans and bedding of the Sultan were handed over to the company. The diary in London was confiscated. The diary in English, obviously written by one of the interpreters in London was taken to the Castle of Batavia and translated into 17^th Century Dutch. Mrs. Fruin Mees, a Dutch historian found it among the Daghregisters of 1983 in the state Archive. She published it under the title “ Een Bantemsch Gezantshap naar Engeland” in 1682 (Tijdschrift Bataviaasch Geneetshap 1924).

We have made an attempt to translate it again into present day English. As Mrs. Fruin Mess remarked: “the uninterested clerk of the Castle omitted many thinks as for example the plays they watched at the Duke’s Theater”. In spite of this, the diary makes still interesting reading. We they lost only one slave (Which was an achievement at the time, considering the losses suffered by many crews on account of diseases and scurry). We will fallow their stay in London and see how they were entertained. Their own cooks prepared their meals even when they were invited, like at Windsor Castle. One cook died after too much drinking of spirits. The tripe they made to the tower of London, Westminster Abbey, to the House of Lord and the House of Commons are still made by foreign state guests of today.