This thesis examines the effects of the so-called Nayaka kings on Kandyan kingship in the first decade of the Nayaka period of the Kandyan kingdom (1729-1750). The thesis concludes that the decade...Show moreThis thesis examines the effects of the so-called Nayaka kings on Kandyan kingship in the first decade of the Nayaka period of the Kandyan kingdom (1729-1750). The thesis concludes that the decade before the Nayaka kings rose to power shows remarkable continuity with the first decade after the Nayaka kings ascended the Kandyan throne, and it is therefore difficult to state that the Nayaka ascension can be seen as a clear break with the former dynasty. The ceremonies at the court do not show any sign of an increased divinization, both Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (1739-1747) and Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782) even had a bigger emphasis on becoming/being an ideal Buddhist ruler, a Cakravarti.Show less
This thesis investigates the authority and the power of kingship under the Cirebon kings under the context of the alliance between the trifurcated sultanate of Cirebon with the Dutch East India...Show moreThis thesis investigates the authority and the power of kingship under the Cirebon kings under the context of the alliance between the trifurcated sultanate of Cirebon with the Dutch East India Company (or the VOC). Authority and power are two pillars of kingship that operated in different but intertwining realms. The former deals with the legitimacy that is either top-down descending on the king from a transcendent source and/or ascending from the bottom up by his “subjects.” By corroborating Cirebonese manuscripts and VOC archives, this study indicates that an ideal Cirebon sultan upheld spiritual commitments more than material achievements. When VOC’s interest to meddle in local politics grew, the company attempted to subjugate Cirebon through a series of treaties that detached the sultans from powers. However, the Cirebon sultans and the VOC had a different notion of power. Detachment from the material world allowed the Cirebon sultans to commit to spiritual endeavors. As shown by Cirebon’s founding father, Sunan Gunung Jati, an ideal king positioned Islam as the fulcrum of his universe. Thus, VOC’s entrenchment over Cirebon helped Sultan Sepuh I, Sultan Anom I, and Panembahan Kacirebonan to be ideal rulers. An idea which the company barely showed any interest in. This study accessed both Cirebonese chronicles and annals and documents produced by the VOC stored in The Hague and Jakarta. By delving into the sources, the present study presents a case study of the interaction between a local entity with the VOC as a colonial force that annuls the simplistic view of the anti-colonial history.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
2018-09-22T00:00:00Z
In this thesis, I analyze the Akītu festival for the purpose of understanding the socio-political landscape of the Neo- and Late-Babylonian periods in Babylon (626 BCE - 100 BCE). The history of...Show moreIn this thesis, I analyze the Akītu festival for the purpose of understanding the socio-political landscape of the Neo- and Late-Babylonian periods in Babylon (626 BCE - 100 BCE). The history of the Akītu festival, known as the Mesopotamian New Year’s festival, spans several millennia, but was especially known in its 1st millennium form in Babylon. This analysis focuses on the relationship between kings, gods, and high priests of Babylon and their actions in an historical and social space with relation to this festival. The interaction between cult and state in this shared space is used to compare how each empire utilized the festival and gods in order to exert and subvert power over the other within both an historic context and a wider socio-political history. I show that the Akītu festival was a constantly developing festival that was as dependent on the ruling king as it was a defining factor of kingship in Babylon.Show less
The famous archaeological site of Bamiyan in present day Afghanistan, besides portraying grand achievements of culture and religion, was also the foci for trans migration around the Hindu Kush...Show moreThe famous archaeological site of Bamiyan in present day Afghanistan, besides portraying grand achievements of culture and religion, was also the foci for trans migration around the Hindu Kush region. Between the 5th and 8th centuries, Bamiyan and other adjacent archaeological sites in Central Asia, were connected by a highly developed network of trade. The visual culture of Bamiyan, aside from the two Great Buddhas, suggests there was a necessity to represent ideology and power of the social elite in symbolic ways. At Bamiyan, frescos depict many figures with different type headdresses or crowns. The depiction of these crowns is also found in other archaeological sites and on coins distributed throughout present day Central Asia and China. The details of a headdress or crown suggest characteristics of the social or political identities of the individual or group depicted. The similar type crowns found on figures in other geographical contexts may indicate a degree of interaction between Bamiyan and other religious and trade centers.Show less
