Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari1

M, #5815, b. 1627, d. 23 May 1699

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Last Edited07/05/2016
Birth*Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was born in 1627 in Goa, now Gowa, Sulawesi.1
 
Marriage*He married Cara Conte van Macassar.1
 
Marriage*He married Cara Pane van Macassar.1
 
Concubine* Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was the concubine of Monuma van Macassar.1
 
Concubine* Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was the concubine of Naima van Macassar.1
 
Death*He died on 23 May 1699 de Caep de Goede Hoop.1
 

Family
Children
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 1 July 1699 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: “Ships affairs. . . On the 23rd May this year the Mohammedan priest, Sheik Joseph, who had by your orders been sent hither in 1694 with 49 followers in the flute “Voetboog,” from Ceylon, departed this life. Until the end of August, 1698, they, and others of their kind, have cost this Government in pay and maintenance ƒ24,421:12:12, and, adding this running year, the sum will reach ƒ26,221:12:12 – a heavy burden indeed on our revenue.

Besides, these Mohammedans, by multiplying, are more and more increasing in numbers However, as Joseph is now dead, we beg you to find a proper method by which we may be released from his adherents and their heavy expense, and also that we may in future be exempted from such people…”.2
 
(Witness) LtrsRecd1695_1708On 30 October 1699 in Letters and Documents Received at the Cape 1695-1708: the Ulama and his family, i.e.: Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari Cara Conte van Macassar, Cara Pane van Macassar, Naima van Macassar, Moehama Radja van Macassar, Radeengh Boerne van Macassar, Moehama Hay van Macassar, Moehama Djalani van Macassar, Roemalang van Macassar, Jahamath van Macassar, Sitina Sara Marouff, Monuma van Macassar, Siety Caeaty van Macassar, Issa van Macassar, Sanda van Macassar, Sito Romia van Macassar and Siety Labieba van Macassar were mentioned in this: Extract from the Resolutions of the Castle at Batavia, dated 30th October, 1699: "Having considered the written request of Dayeeng Nisayo, the officers, and others among the chief Maccassar residents, that there may be ordered back from the Cape of Good Hope, the wives, children, friends, and slaves of the well known Maccassar Priest Sheik Joseph, who, as advised by the Governor and Council of the Cape, in their despatch dated 1st July, 1699, had died there on the 23rd May preceding, viz.:
2 wives named Cara Contoe and Cara Pane.
2 concubines named Monuma and Naima.
12 sons and daughters named Moehama Radja, Radeengh Boerne, Moehama Hay, Moehama Djalani, Roemalang, Jahamath, Care Sangie, Siety Caeaty, Issa, Sanda, Sito Romia, and Siety Labieba.
14 male and female friends of the late Sheik, viz. :
Pia, Boeleengh, Care Manangh, Abida, Amida, Biby, Isar Sarie, DayeeDgh Maniko, Casim, Kentol Taib, Ragoena, Aboebahar, Abdul Rahoef, Abdul Jaffan; likewise some slaves whose number and names have not been given; it was decided for the present to recall hither the wives and daughters of the said Sheik Joseph, and as yet to leave there the sons and the so-called male and female friends of the late priest. Should, however, any of the wives and daughters have sons not older than five or six years, such, and others that may be younger, but no sons older than that, are allowed to return hither. It was further decided to keep the slaves there and have them valued for the Company, that the proceeds might be applied to the reduction of what had been expended for the maintenance of the said priest and his retinue ; and further to diminish the establishment in proportion
to the number left ; and what they might comfortably be maintained with.
Compared with the original, and found to agree with it on the 20th November, 1699. J. ULDRIX, 1st Clerk."3
 
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 26 March 1700 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: (To Governor-General W. v. Outhoorn and Council.) 
…The deceased Moorish priest Sheikh Joseph's family have been informed of your orders. His wives thereupon most humbly requested us, as they were all intermarried, and in order not to be separated, that they might be allowed to remain here, if not allowed to leave all together. For that purpose they present you with the annexed petition, humbly praying that they may all be allowed to return to their country, and remain here until your orders have been ascertained. This was allowed, with the approval of the Commissioner (Valckenier) , and we trust that he has mentioned this subject in his private letters …
Annexures
No. 9. Petition of Karakonto, widow of the deceased Maccassarian priest, named Tuanse or Sheik Joseph, addressed to your Honours.4
 
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 29 May 1701 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: 29th May 1701 Your orders of 28th January, 1701. in answer to our despatch of 22nd March, regarding the widows and daughters of the deceased Sheik Joseph, have been communicated to them, but they have humbly requested us to be allowed for the present to live here. According to your wishes we have allowed them a moderate income according to their numbers.5
 
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 14 June 1701 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: Sheik Joseph. As regards the widow of the Moorish priest Sleg (Sheik) Joseph, whom in request of the Maccassarian King Radja Goa, we shall give her and her children passage accordingly. We shall also allow it to pass, by shutting our eyes, and doing as if we did not see it, should they be willing to take under their care and carry away with them the bones of that same priest. To out satisfaction this whole company will be sent over with the first fleet ship that has room. We shall also take care that no other Easterner under the pretense of belonging to that family, but who are in banishment here, get mixed up in the number, and so escape from banishment. We shall detain them all, and grant them no passage until further orders. Whether they have dug up, or will havte dug up the bones of the said priest we cannot tell. But should they be inclined to do so, they will be allowed to do so without any remark…... Arrival of the English man-of-war "Burlington" to convoy the re'urn fleet from St. llelena to England. We send you some medicinal drugs, seeds, marmalade, wheat and rye, and train oil ; we also send you in cash f15,000.6
 
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 2 October 1704 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: ...With the “Liefde” and “Spiegel” we have, at the request made to you by the Macassar King, Radja Goa, sent to you the widow, children, and family of the deceased Moorish priest, Sheik Joseph, as the annexed list will show.
As one of the women [Sitina Sara Marouff, wife of the Radja of Tambora] of that family, and two of her children, because they are married, have earnestly begged to remain here for the present, we have, considering that your orders do not say that those who were unwilling to go, should be made to go, left the matter in abeyance for your decision...7
 
(Witness) LtrsDesp1695_1708On 6 April 1705 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was mentioned in Letters Despatched 1696-1708 to the authorities in Batavia: From your letter of the 18th December we gathered with joy that the "Spiegel" had safely arrived on the 10th December with a portion of the people of the deceased Sheik Joseph, but that the "Liefde" had not yet arrived with the rest. We hope that she has arrived by this time, and that the whole lot, for your peace and quiet, have been sent on to Macassar.8
 
Names in the record, in publications, etc.Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was also known as Muhammad Yusuf van Macassar.
NotesI have elected to add as a surname the toponym "Van Macassar" to the family and retinue of Sheik Yusuf in order that they are grouped together in the project and also identified as a specific group, and because 'van Macassar' was commonly used during that period. The spelling is derived from his name, i.e. al-Maqassari. However, this does not imply they all came from Makassar - in fact some would have come from Banten - nor that they were known as "Van Macassar".
Crime and relatedIn 1694 Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari was banished from Banten, now the western most province of Indonesia on the island of Java, to the Cape along with his wives, concubines, famly and retinue, comprising 49 individuals, including Cara Conte van Macassar, Cara Pane van Macassar, Monuma van Macassar, Naima van Macassar, Moehama Radja van Macassar, Radeengh Boerne van Macassar, Moehama Hay van Macassar, Moehama Djalani van Macassar, Roemalang van Macassar, Jahamath van Macassar, Sitina Sara Marouff, Siety Caeaty van Macassar, Issa van Macassar, Sanda van Macassar, Sito Romia van Macassar, Siety Labieba van Macassar, Pia van Macassar, Boeleengh van Macassar, Care Manangh van Macassar, Abida van Macassar, Amida van Macassar, Biby van Macassar, Isar Sarie van Macassar, Dayeengh Maniko van Macassar, Casim van Macassar, Kentol Taib van Macassar, Ragoena van Macassar, Aboebahar van Macassar, Abdul Rahoef van Macassar and Abdul Jaffan van Macassar.9
Resolutions of the Council of PolicyThe Council of Policy convened on 14 June 1694 with Simon van der Stel, Gerrit Vieroot and Willem Corsenaar in attendance. Discussed at the meeting: Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari i.e., Wat belangt den Macassarisse Priester, Schjegh Joseph, en desselfs onderhout, is goet gevonden den selven met sijn aanhangh te versenden na-de mont van d' eerste rivier en dat men hem ingevolge de schriftelijke ordres van de hoge Regeringe van India maandelijks sal doen toetellen 12 R. mitsgrs. aan die van sijn gevolge op het suijnigste (soo veel doenlijk) uijtkeeren het geene dat men oordeelen sal tot haar levensonderhout nodigh te sijn.10

Citations

  1. [S741] Mansell G Upham 'Uprooted Lives - Ismael - At war with Society… did God hear? the curious baptism in 1705 of a 'Hottentot' infant named Ismael', First Fifty Years, Uprooted Lives Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), (http://e-family.co.za/ffy/ui66.htm), 05 Oct 2012. "The Muslim community at de mont van d'Eerste Rivier had consisted of the following persons besides Shaikh Yusup himself:
    -2 wives named Cara Contoe and Cara Pane.
    -2 concubines named Monuma and Naima.
    -12 sons and daughters named Moehama Radja, Radeengh Boerne, Moehama Hay, Moehama Djalani, Roemalang, Jahamath, Care Sangie, Siety Caeaty, Sanda, Sito Romia, and Siety Labieba.
    -14 male and female slaves of the late Sheik, viz.:-
    -Pia, Boeleengh, Care Manangh, Abida, Amida, Biby, Isa, Sarie, Dayeengh Maniko, Casim, Kentol Taib, Ragoena, Aboebahar, Abdul Rahoef, Abdul Jaffan;
    -likewise some slaves whose number and names have not been given."
  2. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, Letters Despatched 1696-1708, H.C.V. Leibrandt; CD-ROM (Cape Town, South Africa: W.A. Richards & Sons, Government Printers, 1896), p.125. No. 56, p. 473. To Batavia.] 1699, 1st July 1699. Hereinafter cited as Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope.
  3. [S721] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, Letters Received 1695-1708, H.C.V. Leibrandt; CD-ROM (Cape Town, South Africa: W.A. Richards & Sons, Government Printers, 1896), p.215 No. 89, p. 449.]. Hereinafter cited as Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope.
  4. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.149. [p.149.]
    No. 23, p. 827. To Batavia, (To Governor-General W. v. Outhoorn and Council.)]
    26th March 1700.
  5. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.182. No. 42, p. 287. To Batavia.]
  6. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.245-246. 14th June 1701 To Batavia]
  7. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, To Batavia.] 2nd October 1704 - "List of annexures. No. 7. List of the names of the family of Sheik Joseph sent back to Batavia." - annexure not published.
  8. [S576] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.263-264. 6th April 1705. To Batavia.
  9. [S721] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.215 No. 89, p. 449.] the wives, children, friends, and slaves of the well known Maccassar Priest Sheik Joseph, who, as advised by the Governor and Council of the Cape, in their despatch dated 1st July, 1699, had died there on the 23rd May preceding, viz.: 2 wives named Cara Contoe and Cara Pane;2 concubines named Monuma and Naima. 12 sons and daughters named Moehama Radja, Radeengh Boerne, Moehama Hay, Moehama Djalani, Roemalang, Jahamath, Care Sangie, Siety Caeaty, Issa, Sanda, Sito Romia, and Siety Labieba. 14 male and female friends of the late Sheik, viz. : Pia, Boeleengh, Care Manangh, Abida, Amida, Biby, Isar Sarie, Dayeengh Maniko, Casim, Kentol Taib, Ragoena, Aboebahar, Abdul Rahoef, Abdul Jaffan;.
  10. [S332] Webpage tanap.net (http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/) (Original records held by Western Cape Archives and Records Service, Roeland Street, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) "C. 22, pp. 40?42."
  11. [S741] Mansell G Upham 'UL02 Ismael', Uprooted Lives Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), "Shaikh Yusup's daughter [Sitina Sara Marouff aka Care Sals] ... had married at the Cape the deposed raja of Tambora, Albubasi Sultan -also referred to as Sultan Nissa Nudum Abdul Rassa and Nissa Nidum, Abdula Radja - banished to the Cape (1697) and who died there (1719)."
 

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