Espanto del Mundo! "The phrase which means the terror of the world was shouted by the Portuguese when they saw Cakra Donya, the ship sent to the Sultanate of Aceh Darussalam, to attack them in Malacca in 1629.
The Cakra Donya bell hanging at the entrance of the Museum of Aceh, is a symbol of camaraderieAceh and China since the 15th century ago. Here is a silent witness to the strength of the military fleet of the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam in its heyday. This giant bell-shaped stupa, made in 1409 AD.This figure reached 125 centimeters, 75 centimeters wide.
The warship is 100 meters long. Three poles where the screens are mounted on the ship. Then, on the right and left when they are attached to 100 cannons. "How glorious, how powerful! How beautiful, how rich! Even though our eyes are tired because often wondered at beautiful objects, we all stared at this one, "wrote the Spanish historian Manuel de Faria y Sousa (1590-1649), tent ang Cakra Donya in Asia Portuguesa.
In Hikayat Malem Dagang, the saga which contains the journey of Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-1636) to conquer Malacca from Portuguese written Chik Pantee Guelima, also called about ship Cakra Donya.Cakra means 'weapon' and donya means 'the world'. This huge and bruised Donya chakra brings three big bells. The bell was a gift from a Chinese trade expedition to Aceh early in the 15th century. One of these is still to be seen in the Aceh Museum of Banda Aceh.
The story of Aceh's maritime prowess does not stop here. In the book of the Kingdom of Aceh: The Age of Sultan Iskandar Muda by Denys Lombard, for example, is also written about admiral admiration de Beaulieu.Pelaut and French traders were amazed by the many and large warships during the sultanate of Aceh Darussalam led by Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah al-Qahhar (1537-1571). Among the ships, some even can carry up to 400 people. At the time of the sultanate of A ceh Darussalam led by Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-1636), Aceh's maritime fleet seen by Beaulieu was stronger. He mentioned, in 1621, in the three major war ports, Aceh, Daya and Pidir, leaned approximately 100 large war ships which is ready to sail. Each ship can have a crew of 600 to 800 people. A third of the vessels are much larger in size than any ship ever built by nations in Europe. "Under the reign of Iskandar Muda, the kingdom of Aceh is the strongest of its neighbors in the sea , "Said Beaulieu.
British Patel Peter Mundy, who came to Aceh in 1637, also saw the same thing. In fact, he mentioned, Aceh has 200 large warships. Then, there are still small ships that enliven the waters of Aceh.Capaian it can not be separated from the development of Aceh became one of the important ports in the Strait of Malacca in the 16th century until the 17th.thanks