The war against Aceh (1873–1903) in northern…
1828 CE to 1839 CE
The war against Aceh (1873–1903) in northern Sumatra is the most extensive and costly of all Dutch colonial conflicts in Indonesia.
The Dutch pursue this war for multiple reasons:
- Imperial rivalries with other Western powers,
- Commercial and military competition from Aceh, and
- The spread of anti-Western, anti-colonial Islamic movements originating in Aceh.
For a time, Batavia appears to align itself with the uleebalang—Aceh’s traditional, more secular elite—as it had previously done in Minangkabau. However, this proves to be a temporary strategy. In the end, the uleebalang themselves fall under Dutch control, and the colonial state ultimately annexes Aceh outright.
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