Rulers index

The diplomatic letters were sent to Batavia Castle by hundreds of different kings, sultans, governors and other power holders from across a very broad region which included not only the Indonesian archipelago, but the whole of Asia, and stretching west as far as the Middle East, Africa and Europe. All of these rulers had their successors, and this is also evident when studying these letters. In different ways, this page provides a clear overview of all the rulers found in these letters, including their kingdoms’ locations, the period of their respective reigns, and the amount of letters they sent and received.

The top ten diplomats and monarchs who corresponded with Batavia by diplomatic letter are presented here:

Download the full overview here of the rulers and ordered by their total number of letters

Download the full overview here, ordered geographically and chronologically

Download more background information about the rulers and the chronology of their reign, as presented here in a separate overview by Maarten Manse and Simon Kemper


Browsing and searching for rulers

The names of the rulers engaged in this diplomatic correspondence can be browsed and searched for. This includes both the original correspondents and those receiving the letters. The ruler’s names are standardized according to modern spelling and are arranged alphabetically. Rulers may have different alternative names in the letters, and these alternative names are also mentioned for each ruler. For research purposes, the ruler’s alternative names will all direct the researcher to the standardized name.


Name Alternative names Location Number of letters
Sultan Abul Mahasin Zainul Abidin (1690-1733) Pangeran Adipati
Paducca Sri Sultan Abul Fatah Muhammad Shivaji Daniel Arisin
Banten 194
Lords of Padang Penghulu's of Padang
Penghulu's of Tarusan
Padang 184
Phra Khlang Phraklang
Phra Khlang
Ayutthaya 175
Lords of Rote Rote 163
Lords of Ternate Ternate 141
Lords of Tidore Tidore 130
Sangaji Lohayong Lohayong 118
Sri Susuhunan Abdurrahman (1659-1706) Sultan Ratu Abdurrahman Khalifatul Mukminin Sayidul Imam
Kiyai Mas Endi
Pangeran Kusumo Abdurrahim
Susuhunan Sultan Abdurrahman Khalifat al-Mukminin Sayidil Iman
Susuhunan Abdurrahman Khalifatul Mukminin
Palembang 118
Sultan Abdul Hamid (1773-1817) Syafiuddin Abdul Hamid Muhammad
Bima 111
Lords of Timor Timor 100
Sangaji Lamakera Sangaji Carien
Sangaji Karaeng
Lamakera 100
Sangaji Terong Terong 85
Sultan Haji (1682-1687) Abu ‘n-Nasr ‘Abd al Qahhar
Sultan Abu Nasr Abdul Kahhar
Sultan Haggi
Banten 83
Sultan Kyai Gede (1687-1719) Pangeran Dipati Cakraningrat
Pangeran Mas Adipati Mangkubumi Dipati Gading
Jambi 78
Sunan Nata Alam (1761-1801) Pangeran Mangkubumi
Maulana As Sulthan Tahmidillah ibni As Sulthan Tamjidillah
Tahmidullah II
Panembahan Batoe
Sulaiman Saidullah
Panembahan Kaharudin Khalilullah
Pangeran Natadilaga
Banjarmasin 75
Lords of Bacan Bacan 74
Lords of Savu Savu 73
Panembahan Cirebon I Muhammad Nasaruddin (1662-1714) Wangsakerta
Pangeran Abdul Kamil Muhammad Nasarudin
Panembahan Cirebon I Muhammad
Panembahan Tohpati
Cirebon 73
Sangaji Adonara Adonara 73
Sultan Sepuh III Muhammad Zainuddin I (1723-1753) Cirebon 73