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The blessings and perils of female rule : new perspectives on the reigning queens of Patani, c. 1584–1718

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Author

  • Stefan Eklöf Amirell

Summary, in English

Only in a handful of cases in world history has female rule been seen by contemporary observers as desirable and been sustained for long periods of time. Drawing on European, Malay and Chinese sources, this article investigates the reasons for the institutionalisation of female rule in the Malay sultanate of Patani (presently in southern Thailand) for most of the period between c. 1584 and 1711. It is concluded that the results of previous research, in which the Patani queens are characterised as powerless front figures and/or promiscuous, have insufficient support in the contemporary sources. Furthermore, the problems of female rule for dynastic stability are discussed comparatively. Finally, the decline of female rule in Patani after the mid-seventeenth century is explained with reference to the larger political, economic and military changes in maritime Southeast Asia at the time.

Publishing year

2011

Language

English

Pages

303-323

Publication/Series

Journal of Southeast Asian Studies

Volume

42

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Topic

  • History

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0022-4634