IX Moekims

IX Moekims refers to the ninth district of the Moekim (local chief) system in Acheh, targeted by the Dutch expeditionary force in 1875–1876. General General Pel received orders to conquer the IX Moekims, and the marine and army columns advanced through passes such as Glitaroem to bring the area under Dutch control. As described in Kruisheer’s ATJEH ‘96, the IX Moekims — written in Dutch as IX Moekims and meaning “Nine Mukims” — was a region of Groot-Atjeh comprising nine mukims situated in the central-southern portion of the Atjeh-oorlog theatre, of which the true ulèëbalang (territorial chief) was Toekoe Nanggroi, who always resided at Troemon, and the acting (wd.) oeleebalang was Toekoe Nja Mohamad at Toebaloe. The IX Moekims contained the mukims of Oleh Soesoe and Lamkoenjit, and were protected by the Dutch post of Biloel against incursions from the Lamkrak, Kroeng Mak, Loetoe, and Lam Lheue of the VII Moekims Baid. The general sentiment of the IX Moekims toward the Dutch was “not unfavourable,” but the kampongs of Lam-Tehen and Koeta Karang were actively hostile. The IX Moekims were the object of the show-of-force by Van Heutsz on 29 May 1896 and were the recruiting ground for Teuku Umar’s mercenaries at 15 dollars per month plus rations.

The 1875–1876 Dutch expedition

By early February 1876 the entire IX Moekims region was reported as “in ons bezit” (in our possession) by the Dutch forces. The IX Moekims were conquered by General General Pel through the Glitaroem pass and other routes as part of the 1875–1876 Dutch campaign.

Administrative position in the late sultanate

The Atjeh-Album of 1896 records that the IX Moekims formed part of the immediate territory of the Sultan of Atjeh — distinct from the three great sagis (the XXII, XXV and XXVI Moekims). The Sultan’s immediate territory — the directly-ruled core of the sultanate — included the Kraton and Kota Radja, the Taman, Marassa, Longbattah, the III Moekims, the IV Moekims, the VI Moekims and the IX Moekims. The IX Moekims thus formed part of the directly-ruled core of the sultanate — the mukim-cluster over which the Sultan exercised direct temporal authority, in contrast to the three sagis, which were governed by their own panglimas and oeloebalangs under the Sultan’s nominal suzerainty.

The Inlandsche administrative structure of the immediate Sultan’s territory was based on the mukim-imam-oeloebalang hierarchy: each mukim was governed by an imam (religious head) and an oeloebalang (temporal chief). The IX Moekims were, in this structure, one of the larger mukim-clusters of the immediate Sultan’s territory.

Description and Location (ATJEH ‘96 account)

The IX Moekims lay to the south-east of Koeta Radja between the XXV Moekims on the south-west and the XXVI Moekims on the east. The mukims of Oleh Soesoe (with the fortified Masdjid Oleh-Soesoeh) and Lamkoenjit (with its great pasar) were the most important settlements, and the kampong of Toebaloe was the fortified residence of the acting oeleebalang Toekoe Nja Mohamad. The kampongs of Lam-Tehen (East and West) and Koeta Karang were the actively hostile centres. The IX Moekims were bounded on the north by the III Moekims Daroe and on the south by the VII Moekims Baid and the Lamkrak country. The fortified mosque of the IX Moekims had its bridge partly destroyed to impede movement.

Historical Background (ATJEH ‘96 account)

The IX Moekims had been a partial Dutch sphere of influence since 1873, with the oeleebalang of the mukim generally accommodating to the Dutch presence. The Dutch post of Biloel had been constructed specifically to protect the IX Moekims against incursions from the Lamkrak and the VII Moekims Baid, and the great market of Lamkoenjit had been a major economic centre. The eigenlijke oeleebalang (true territorial chief) Toekoe Nanggroi resided always at Troemon and left the administration to his acting successor Toekoe Nja Mohamad at Toebaloe. Teuku Umar recruited mercenaries in the IX Moekims at 15 dollars per month plus rations, drawing principally from the hostile kampongs of Lam-Tehen and Koeta Karang where Nja Gedong built a benteng (fortification).

Role in the 1896 Operations (ATJEH ‘96 account)

The IX Moekims were the object of a show-of-force on 29 May 1896 by Van Heutsz, who visited the oeleebalang Toekoe Nja Mohamad at Toebaloe and the principal kampongs of the mukim. Earlier, on 8 April 1896, the 1st company of the 14e Bataljon under Kapitein Bruynis had come under heavy fire from the Masdjid Oleh-Soesoeh in the course of Kolonel Stemfoort’s relief of Biloel and Lamkoenjit, and Kapitein F. P. A. Geluk of the 3rd company 14e Bataljon had been killed in action near the Masdjid Oleh-Soesoeh. On 10 April 1896 enemy shooters were driven from the kampong of Dinoeng, and on 12 April 1896 the W. rand (edge) of Oleh-Soesoeh was occupied. After the defection of 29 March 1896 the IX Moekims became a recruiting ground for Umar’s forces. The IX Moekims are mentioned in Vetter’s proclamation of 26 April 1896 and in the final assessments of 1896 as a region generally not unfavourable to the Dutch.

Significance

The IX Moekims represented the borderline case of an Achehnese mukim whose oeleebalang was prepared to acknowledge Dutch suzerainty but whose population remained partially hostile. The Dutch show-of-force of 29 May 1896 was intended to consolidate the loyalty of Toekoe Nja Mohamad and to detach the IX Moekims from Teuku Umar’s cause. The persistent hostility of Lam-Tehen and Koeta Karang within the otherwise accommodating IX Moekims demonstrated the limits of Dutch authority at the level of individual kampongs. The IX Moekims were also one of the principal sources of Umar’s mercenaries — recruited at 15 dollars per month plus rations — and thus a strategic object of Dutch political-military policy in the first semester of 1896.

Account from Een Vaderlandsch Belang by H. Borel (1878)

The IX Moekims (Negen Moekims, “Nine Mukims”) was the sagi (confederation) of nine mukim (parish) units south of the IV Moekims in Groot-Atjeh, invaded by Pel’s colonne on 28 January 1876 through the Boekit Daroe and the Glitaroem pass, and fully conquered between 31 January and 7 February 1876 in the third phase of the great winter offensive. Like the IV Moekims, the IX Moekims was invaded by the enemy in June 1878 during the enemy breakthrough of June 1878.

The invasion of 28 January 1876

The invasion of the IX Moekims began on 28 January 1876, as the third phase of Pel’s offensive after the VI and IV Moekims invasions. At Boekit Daroe, about an hour south of Ketapang Doewa, vinnig gestreden — sharp fighting — and the enemy suffered gevoelig verlies (sensitive loss). The bergpas Glitaroem, which gave access between the IV and IX Moekims, fell into Dutch hands. With the pass open, the troepen moved eastward, taking Lampermej and Oeleh Soesoe on 31 January 1876. At Oeleh Soesoe the enemy offered hevigen tegenstand but had to zwichten; several kampongs were burned. In the first days of February Lamkoenjit, Toeram and Beloel were also conquered. The IX Moekims was fully in Dutch hands. From Toeram, which bordered the gebied of Toekoe Bait of the XXII Moekims, the Dutch made an inval (inroad) into that sagi on 3 February 1876, driving the enemy out of Atoeh after a heeten strijd.

The June 1878 invasion

Barely had kolonel van der Heijden left with most of his mobile strijdmacht to tuchtigen Gedoeng in June 1878, when the enemy attacked the Dutch linie, broke through at several places, fell into the IV, VI and IX Moekims, verjoeg the pro-Dutch bevolking, plundered and burned, sneed the gemeenschap between K. Radja and several posts, and caused schrik and verwarring. Van der Heijden had to rush back in aller ijl and with geweld restore communication with the posts in the IV Moekims; new battalions were sent from Java. The Dutch eventually drove the enemy out everywhere and even made a successful inval into the XXII Moekims to punish them — but the verloopen (flight) of the friendly bevolking could not be undone: they had lost vertrouwen in Dutch protection. Borel’s lesson is that the posten-systeem alone cannot prevent a linie-doorbraak; mobile forces must never be reduced.

Account in Hooijer’s De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh (1897)

The IX Moekims — the nine moekims — were an administrative district of Groot-Atjeh lying east of the IV Moekims and VI Moekims, on the flat, marshy valley floor of the Atjeh valley between the southern side of the geconcentreerde linie and the steep mountains bounding the plain to the south behind Biloel; they were cleared of the Moslemin by Toekoe Oemar in 1893 and formed, with the territory under his own influence, the XXV Moekims.

Clearance by Toekoe Oemar

Hooijer recorded that the decision to employ Teukoe Oemar was taken when he had driven the Moslemin as far as the bare hills shown on the opening plate, situated in the IX Moekims. When the whole district had been cleared of enemies, the Dutch erected the post of Tjot Goeë on 8 August 1893 — one month before Oemar’s submission was accepted and the dignity of Panglima Prang Besar conferred on him. The head of the IX Moekims, Toekoe Nja Mohammad, was a Dutch ally, and it was at his request that the post of Biloel was erected in the night of 20 May–21 May 1894.

Separation from the XXII Moekims

The establishment of Lam Koenjit on 4 July 1894, with Biloel at the foot of the steep southern mountains and Tjot Goeë to the north, served among other purposes to separate the XXII Moekims more effectively from those of the IX Moekims.

Renewed hostility

On 29 March 1895 three companies sent out from the geconcentreerde linie to protect Tjot Goeë against kwaad volk assembling in the IX Moekims were heavily fired on, and the post remained surrounded until relieved on 9 April 1895. Reinforcements for Toekoe Djohan came from the IX Moekims as well as from the West Coast and Melaboeh during the campaign in the XXVI Moekims. In 1896 Toekoe Moesa Anaq Batee penetrated the IX Moekims from the direction of Lambarih.

Sources

The Achehnese, Vol. I, by Dr. C. Snouck Hurgronje, translated by A.W.S. O’Sullivan, indexed by R.J. Wilkinson. Leyden: E.J. Brill, 1906.

Atjeh-Album van Eigen Haard, uitgave van de N.V. Het Tijdschrift “Eigen Haard”, Amsterdam, 1896, p. 13 (De Inwendige Toestand — Kolonisten — Banda Atjeh — De Sultan — Imams en Oeloebalangs).

Verslagen der Marine‑Vereeniging III 1889‑1890, pp. 229‑233. 20260707_232246_DLP-55-De_geschiedenis_van_het_Nederlandsche_Korps_Mariniers_van_1665_1945_OCR.txt, pages 138‑141.

ATJEH ‘96, door A. Kruisheer, Kapitein der Infanterie O.I.L., met 2 kaarten en 4 portretten (Weltevreden: N.V. Boekhandel Visser & Co, 1913). Instituut Kern, Leiden. OCR-filename: 20260715_163243_DLP-89-Atjeh_96_Met_2_kaarten_en4_DOORA_KRUISHEER_Kapiteinder_Infanterie_nemoretriever-ocr-v1_OCR.txt, pp. 21, 28, 72, 166, 183, 214, 219, 320, 337, 344.

Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 323–329, 336–337, 350–355.

De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh, door G. B. Hooijer, Gep. Luit.-Kolonel O. I. Leger, met 24 platen (Haarlem: De Erven F. Bohn; Batavia: G. Kolff & Co., 1897). Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, Centrale Boekerij, Amsterdam. OCR-filename: 20260719_140140_DLP-134-De_verlaten_posten_in_Groot_Atjeh_Nemotron-OCR-v2_OCR.txt, pp. 9-10, 12, 14, 16, 32, 50.

Acknowledgement of sources. This article is a single consolidated account combining the material previously held in this entry with the account given in De verlaten posten in Groot-Atjeh (1897) by G. B. Hooijer. Dutch terminology has been rendered in English, the original Dutch being retained only in direct quotations and in bibliographic citations.

De Geconcentreerde Stelling in Groot-Atjeh, ‘s-Gravenhage: De Gebroeders Van Cleef, 1885, p. 17.

tags	place, aceh, region, ix-moekims, achehnese, aceh-war, diplomacy, military, mukim, uleebalangship, sagi, moekim, administrative-division, groot-atjeh, colonial
aliases	IX, Moekims, Moekim, region, IX Mukims, 9 Mukims, the Nine Moekims, IX Moekims of Groot-Atjeh, IX Moekims Oleh Soesoe, Nine Mukims, IX Mukims of the XXV, Sikureueng Mukim, IX Mockims, Nine Moekims

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