Editing Islam in the Netherlands (section)

=== Envoys from Aceh ===
[[File:Maurits ontvangt de afgezanten van de sultan van Atjeh, 1602 Maurits ontvangt de afgezanten van den sultan van Achem op Sumatra (titel op object), RP-P-OB-73.729 (cropped).jpg|thumb|300px|left|Prince Maurits received the envoys of the Sultan of Aceh]]

In 1602, [[Aceh Sultanate]] sent several envoys to the Netherlands. This was the first diplomatic mission of a Southeast Asian polity to Europe. The Acehnese delegation to the United Republic constituted an ambassador, an admiral and a cousin of the sultan, accompanied by their servants. In his letter to [[stadtholder]] [[Prince Maurice]] dated 24 August 1601 Alau'd-din enumerated the gifts he sent for the prince. These were 'a small jewel and a ring with four big stones and some smaller stones, a dagger with a gold and copper sheath wrapped in a silver cloth, a golden cup and saucer and a gold-plated silver pot and two Malay speaking parrots with silver chains.

The envoys were treated with due respect and given a grand tour of the provinces where they visited important towns and met with local authorities; they were received by the States General and by Prince Maurice. The States General invited European monarchs to send their representatives to meet the Acehnese visitors. It was a successful strategy to give publicity to their warm relations with an important Asian ruler and trading partner at a time when Spain was still a menace in Europe.

The eldest of the envoys, Abdul Hamid, died three months after arrival and was buried in a church in the town of [[Middelburg, Zeeland|Middelburg]] in the province of [[Zeeland]], in the presence of important dignitaries. The other envoys, Sri Muhammad and Mir Hassan, returned to Aceh in 1604 with the fleet of Admiral Steven Verhaegen.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cosijn-Mitrasing |first=I.S. |title=The age of Aceh and the evolution of kingship 1599-1641 |year=2011 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/1887/16640|page=87|hdl=1887/16640 }}</ref>