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
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
Both in Egypt and Hatti the renewal of kingship through festivals played an important role. This raises the question if there are similarities and/or differences between the two. An earlier...Show moreBoth in Egypt and Hatti the renewal of kingship through festivals played an important role. This raises the question if there are similarities and/or differences between the two. An earlier comparison was drawn by Volkert Haas (Haas 1994) when he briefly compared the Egyptian Heb-Sed and the Hittite Purulliya. A comparison between these renewals of kingship can help us understand this concept in a broader sense, especially, since limited interdisciplinary research has been done concerning this topic. For this study a comparative approach will be taken, which looks for similarities and differences between the Egyptian and Hittite Festival. With the help of data originating from previous work on the Purulliya and the Heb-Sed. This is accompanied by archaeological, textual, and iconographical sources that are related to the festivals. The Egyptian side has a vast richness of sources and material. However, the sources from Hatti are largely textual. This discrepancy of sources poses a problem to this research. Thus, the comparison itself focusses on the underlying aspects of the festivals, rather than detailed aspects of them. Early results of this MA research involve the separate festivals and early stage comparisons between the two. They include a comparison on the core reasons for celebrating both the festivals. This comparison is accompanied by the general rules for celebrating each festival. Using these results, an early conclusion on festivals involving renewal of kingship between Egypt and Hatti is drawn.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
