Flags of the Aceh Sultanate

The Alam Peudeuëng Mirah (Jawoë: علم ڤدڠ مره‎ pronounced [alam pɯdɯəŋ mirah]; The Red Sword Standard) or Alam Peudeuëng (Jawoë: علم ڤدڠ‎ pronounced [alam pɯdɯəŋ]; The Sword Standard) consists of a white crescent and star and a sword below, pointed to the right, on a red field. Alam Peudeuëng was used by the Aceh Sultanate as early as the 16th century until its annexation into the Dutch East Indies after the Aceh War.^[1]

Nowadays, Alam Peudeuëng is often used to represent the Acehnese people as an alternative to the Moon Star flag used by the Free Aceh Movement, which would go against Indonesian law as it's a symbol tied to a separatist movement.^[2]

The crescent and star symbolises Islam, which was taken from the flag of the Ottoman Empire, Aceh favoured the Ottoman Empire due to its assistance against Portuguese expansionism and later on being a key ally to the sultanate, even requesting protection under the Ottomans,^[3] The sword represents the sovereignty of Aceh, but also a symbol of the Acehnese's firmness, feared by their opponents.^[4]

Before the creation of Alam Peudeuëng, the Aceh Sultanate used the Ottoman flag as its own.^[4] Aceh then took inspiration from the Ottomans and designed several flags of their own, using the crescent and star symbol, which later became a symbol of Aceh and its Islamic culture. Due to its influence across the archipelago, the crescent and star symbol was later adopted by several other Islamic kingdoms in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Alam Peudeuëng had many variations throughout its history of usage due to the lack of standardisation of the construction and form of the flag. During its early days, variations of the flag often doesn't include the crescent and star in its flag, and the type of sword differs. Common elements used in the flag and its variants are swords (saber or Zulfiqar, a double-edged sword), crescent and star, the sun, the moon, or starts represented in small circles. Arabic writings can also be seen written on the flags, especially war flags, as they contain prayers of safety and back luck to their enemies, akin to an amulet.^[6]

The modern depiction of Alam Peudeuëng was first illustrated in 1961 with a poem alongside it:^[7]

Parts of Acehnese society show support of using Alam Peudeuëng as the official flag of Aceh,^[8] as they deem it to better represent Acehnese culture, history, and consider it as the original symbol of Aceh and its people.^[9]

On 1 September 2019, a community who claims to be the extended family of the mandate bearers of the Aceh Sultanate held a flag raising ceremony of the Indonesian flag and the Alam Peudeuëng to celebrate the Islamic New Year of 1441 in the Darul Ihsan palace, located in Blang Oi Village, Banda Aceh,^[10] alongside an edict by Tuanku Muhammad ZN, saying that the Alam Peudeuëng is not just a flag, but a symbol of the struggle to spread Islamic dawah in Aceh and the Malay world, as well as to restore the spirit of unification and harmony amongst the people of Aceh.^[10] Afterwards, the flag raising ceremony became an occasional tradition on Islamic New Years.^[11][12] During an Islamic New Year celebration in 2024, a flag raising ceremony of the Alam Peudeuëng was held in Pidie. Led by Teungku Saiful, the flag ceremony was held as an invitation for all Muslims to bring peace and cease conflict with each other.^[13]

In 2023, an Islamic preacher and representative of Aceh in the Regional Representative Council in 2019, Muhammad Fadhil Rahmi, wore a songkok with the Alam Peudeuëng embroided onto the sides, which sparked local public interest and requests for the Alam Peudeuëng songkok. He also gifted one to Abdul Somad at his request, which he still wore occasionally to this day.^[14]

• Eight-starred flag, commonly used as a state flag before the Alam Peudeuëng
• Zulfiqar and moon flag (Alam Zulfiqar), used as a civil ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)^[15]
• Alternative civil ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)^[15]
• Alternative civil ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)^[15]
• Alternative civil ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)^[15]

• Plain sword and moon flag (1840), used as a war flag, sometimes seen with Arabic calligraphy enscribed within
• The Aceh Sultanate's war flag used in the Second Aceh Expedition^[15]
• Swallow tail Zulfiqar flag (1902), used by Acehnese fighters in the Battle of Jambo Ayer^[5]

• Naval Ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)
• Naval Ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)
• Naval Ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)
• Naval Ensign of the Aceh Sultanate (1877)

• Flag of the Aceh Sultanate (1873–1874),^[16] possibly being a royal standard
• Royal Standard of the King of Trumon (1877)^[15]
• Royal Standard of the Prince of Aceh (1877)^[15]
• Royal Standard of the King of Samalanga (1877)^[15]

• Variant of the eight-pointed star flag spotted in 1877, with a slightly tilted star^[15]
• Variant of Alam Zulfiqar (1877)^[15]
• Six-pointed star flag (1877), in the original sketch, a text in Dutch reads "Seen in Great Aceh (the Beginning of the Aceh Expedition)"^[17]
• West Coast Flag (1877)
• Kuala Gigiëng Flag (1877)
• Kuala Batèë Flag (1877)
• Kuala Nibong Flag (1877)

• The Bintang Buleuën flag of the Free Aceh Movement, which may have been inspired by the Alam Peudeuëng
• The flag of Sisingamangaraja XII, which was heavily inspired by the Alam Zulfiqar of Aceh
• Flag used by the Karo people,^[18] possibly inspired by the Alam Peudeuëng

• Flag of Batak
• Marawa Minangkabau
• Flag of King Sisingamangaraja
• List of Indonesian Flags

• Zainuddin, H.M. (1961). Tarich Atjeh dan Nusantara [the History of Aceh and Nusantara] (in Indonesian). Medan: Pustaka Iskandar Muda.
• Finkel, Caroline (2005). Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire 1300-1923. England: John Murray Publishers. ISBN 0-465-02396-7.