Born: 1645 (circa), Indonesia
Died: 3 October 1688
Country most active: Indonesia
Also known as: Puteri Raja Setia
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
In 1678, Inayat Zakiatudin Syah became the sixteenth monarch of the Acèh Darussalam (modern-day Indonesia) and the third sulṭāna regnant to rule in succession. She ruled for ten years.
Sultan Inayat Zakiatuddin Syah, also known as Puteri Raja Setia, ruled Acèh Darussalam from 1678 to 1688, becoming the sixteenth monarch and the third sulṭāna regnant. Her family background remains uncertain, with conflicting accounts. Still, she peacefully ascended the throne after Queen Nurul Alam died in 1678.
During her rule, she displayed cultural interests and supported the Islamic scholar Abdul Ra’uf of Singkel, commissioning one of his works. In 1683, she received an embassy from the Sharif of Mecca and entertained English envoys from Madras in 1684, who sought permission to establish a trading post in Aceh.
Aceh emerged as a popular port for Indian traders and adventurers during her reign. Sultanah Inayat Zakiatuddin Syah passed away on 3 October 1688, leading to a brief power struggle among the orang kayas before the fourth sultana, Kamalat Syah, took the throne.