Mads Johansen Lange
Encyclopedia
Mads Johansen Lange, nicknamed King of Bali, (September 18, 1807, Rudkøbing
, Denmark
– May 13, 1856, Kotta
, Bali
) was a Danish trader, peace maker on Bali, knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion and recipient of the Danish gold medal of achievement. He was the son of Lorents Lange PedersenSome sources name him as Lorentz, with a 'z' instead of an 's'. and Mare Lange, a merchant and a merchants daughter respectively.
Mads Lange travelled to the East Indies at an early age and settled on the island of Bali. Here he built a thriving commercial enterprise, exporting rice, spices and beef, and importing weapons and textiles. He maintained good relations with the local Raja
s and mediated between them and the Dutch
colonists with great success.
Mads Lange died 48 years old, possibly because of poisoning. His business had been in decline by then, and even the joint efforts of his brother and nephew could not change this. The remains of the business were sold to a Chinese
merchant. Mads had three children with local Balinese women. His maternal grandson, Sultan Ibrahim by his daughter Cecilia, was the Sultan of Johor
. Mads Lange is buried in Kotta.
In later life Lorents was a member of the Langeland
militia. He had an indirect role in the Napoleonic Wars
. During 1812-1813 Spanish
soldiers were billet
ed in his house. He received 4 florins a month for this, but it meant his family home was now occupied by about 15 persons. This will have been a contributing factor in buying a new house on the Østergade 12-14 in 1816. In 1822 Lorents started a transport company, with a mail coach and two horses, not uncommon for a merchant in those days. His cousin was master of the ferry services in those days, which probably benefited the small company enormously. Lorents died in 1828.
Mads Lange's mother Maren Hansen had married Mads Andresen in 1799. With him she had three sons. Mads Andresen died in 1805 and later that year Maren married Lorents Lange. She had inherited a tavern and a shop, which Lorents ran, even though he had been trained to be a master builder. After Lorents' death she married Mads Hansen.
John Burd. They sailed together for many years, for instance to the Danish trading post
Tranquebar
in India
. In 1833 the returned to Denmark en Mads seized this opportunity to visit his parents' home. He remained in Denmark for some time and was counted in the 1834 census
.
In the meantime Burd sold the ship North in Hamburg
. A little while later he and Mads bought the ship South, which they steered towards India and China
. Burd was the captain, Mads the first mate. With them traveled Mads' three brothers: Hans, Carl Emil and Hans Henrik, 20, 18 and 14 years old respectively. None of the four brothers would ever return to their fatherland.
, east of Bali and Java
, because here there was a lively commercial traffic. The island contained to princely states, Karangasem Lombok and Mataram. The first was the largest, and it was the Raja from this state who allowed Mads Lange to trade from the port city of Tanjungkarang, in exchange for a yearly fee. It was here that Mads Lange created his first flourishing commercial enterprise. He exported coffee, rice, spices and green tobacco. Imported textiles and weapons could easily be sold to the local warring tribes.
In 1839 fights erupted ever more frequently between the princely states. Combined with increased Dutch efforts to colonize the island this forced Mads to leave Lombok. When the Raja who had supported him was defeated, Mads had to flee to Bali head-over-heels in his schooner
Venus.
. The town was situated on a narrow peninsula, which made it possible to load goods both on the east and on the west side. This came in very handy during the monsoon
season, when winds abruptly change direction.
Four factors helped Mads Lange settle on Bali successfully. Factor one was his long history of trading with Bali. This meant he knew the possibilities this island had to offer. Second were his good relations with the Balinese Rajas. Raja Kassiman of Badung had even invited him to settle on the island. This meant he enjoyed protection, that he could arrange cheap labour, and probably that he possessed a monopoly on trade on the island. The third factor was that the local population on Bali was suffering from an economic depression, after a war with Java had made the export of slaves impossible. The fourth factor was a shortage of rice in Asia. Bali had the possibilities of reaping the benefits of this shortage, because the island population was well skilled in rice-farming, and because the climate allows for up to three harvests a year.
Mads Lange built his factorij
at Kotta
and steadily expanded it with residential units and warehouses. The Dutch nobleman and politician Wolter Robert, Baron van Hoevell
visited Bali and Mads Lange, and gave a description of the factorij:
Mads Lange was in good standing with the Balinese and within a few years he had built a flourishing company, that owned about 15 ships which entertained a lively trade on ports in the East Indies, the West Indies and Europe. His brothers helped him out in the factorij, and sometimes sailed on the ships, when trading missions were difficult or demanding. Because of pirates and bad weather conditions these journeys were not without danger. Two of Mads' brothers, Hans Henrik and Carl Emil died during these kind of journeys. Carl Emil even died in plain sight of Mads, when the row boat he was in capsized.
Mads Lange's career as a merchant blossomed during the 1840s. Halfway through that period his fleet of ships was capable of transporting between 800 and 1500 tons of freight. Many of the ships were newly built, probably in Singapore
, a city Mads often visited. Coconut oil
was sold in Singapore in great quantities, with profits of 200 to 300%. Because of this Mads had an oil mill imported whole from Europe. This was an expensive operation, but the costs would be recuperated within a few years. Rice kept being announced for low prices in the newspapers of Singapore, Australia and China.
Predominantly French
ship sailed to Kotta to load trading goods, especially cattle, pony's, pigs and poultry. Often the Balinese would come to the beaches with far more livestock than the ships could carry. Here Mads Lange would take advantage of the situation. He bought the livestock that remained, especially the cattle, since beef was a popular food. He functioned as a beach butcher, were a man could have his cows butchered quickly. Dried beef, known as "ding-ding" was shipped to Dutch troops on Java.
During those days Mads' factorij had trading interests of a million guilders on trade with Java specifically. His success was predominantly because of his ability to create personal ties, especially with the local Rajas. The Dutch, who were also trying to set up trade on Bali, were less successful and in May 1844 they named Mads Lange their agent on the island, with the right to fly the Dutch flag. Now Mads was not just working for himself, but also for the Dutch authorities, who profited from his cooperation.
. Their goal was the northern city of Buleleng
. After an ultimatum to surrender unconditionally was rejected, the Dutch landed on the island on the 28th of June and attacked the city. It was conquered and burned. The next day the Dutch troops marched for the residency Singaraja
. This city was taken without much resistance, because most Balinese were moving inland, to the fort of Djagaraga. During the attack the Dutch received support from their fleet, and the commander of this fleet would not allow the troops to move too far inland. Mads Lange offered to go to the Rajas of Buleleng and Karangasem for negotiations. These were successful and on the 9th of July the peace accords came into effect. The Rajas would pay a small amount of damages and the Dutch would maintain a small occupation force on the island until the matter would be settled.
When the Rajas did not comply with all the agreements of the treaty of 1846, the Dutch sent a larger expedition to Bali in 1848, the Second Dutch Expedition to Bali
. Mads Lange was able to keep the states of Tabanan and Badung neutral, but the rest of the Balinese forces assembled at Djagaraga, the same place they had sought refuge in 1846. During the preparations for their campaign the Dutch blockaded the coast of Bali, wreaking havoc on trade. Djagaraga lay deep inland, so the attack had to go through without the help of the fleet. At first all went well, but the Dutch were stopped when they met Gusti Djilantiek, who had dug in with 600 riflemen. When it became clear that the Dutch supply was badly organized, because there were not enough coolie
s to carry everything, the Dutch could no longer resists Balinese attacks from the villages and they were forced to retreat.
The Dutch defeat resonated through the Dutch East Indies and the government felt compelled to re-establish authority, in order to prevent revolts in other parts of the archipelago. A new force twice the size of the previous one was sent in 1849, the Third Dutch Expedition to Bali
. This time the army brought along 200 coolies to carry supplies and wounded. On April 1, 1849 the fleet reached Buleleng and on April 4 general-major Andreas Victor Michiels
set up his headquarters in the abandoned palace of Singaraja. Emissaries of the Rajas of Buleleng and Karangasem were sent to the general, but he refused to talk to anyone but the Rajas themselves. He urged them to hurry up, or they would lose their territories. The meeting took place on April 7. The Balinese arrived at the palace with a force of 12.000 men, after the Dutch had allowed them to take as much guards as the Rajas deemed necessary. Fighting did not occur, since the Rajas accepted all demand of the Dutch, including the immediate demolition of the fortifications at Djagaraga.
The Dutch now decided to focus their attention on the south of Bali and they attacked the small states of Karangasem and Klungkung
. At the same time they accepted an offer of 400 soldiers from the Prince of Lombok, who also coveted power over Karangasem. On the 12th of May 1849 preparations were complete and the Dutch landed near the coastal town of Padang Cove, which they conquered. A week later warriors from Lombok infiltrated in Karangasem, which rose in revolt against its Raja. The Raja, facing total defeat, killed all his wives and children and then committed suicide. The Raja of Buleleng, together with Gusti Djilantiek, fled into the mountains, with the warriors from Lombok in pursuit. The Dutch now focussed their attacks on Klungkung, where the most important and holiest Raja of Bali resided, the Dewa Agung
. This Raja and his sister were the most fanatical opponents of Dutch influence on Bali, and it was of utmost importance to sideline them. Under command of major-general Michiels the Dutch progressed and conquered and old, holy temple and the town of Kasumba. The next night however they were attacked by the Balinese, and Michiels was wounded in the thigh. He died after an unsuccessful amputation. The second in command, luitenant-colonel Jan van Swieten took over command and decided to retreat the army back to the coast. There he waited for further instructions from Batavia. They were met by the warriors from Lombok who informed them that the Raja and Gusti Djilantiek were no longer alive.
Mads Lange's trade suffered from the war and when the Raja of Kassim launched an attack on neighbouring Menguwi, the people in Kotta feared a counter-attack. Mads convinced the Rajas to assemble a force of 16.000 men and join him on a journey to the Dewa Agung, plead with him for peace negotiations with the Dutch. Even though fortune favoured the Balinese after the death of Michiels and the retreat of the Dutch army, the Rajas decided to accept Mads Lange's request. Lange had placed a man aboard his ship the Venus and sent him ahead to inform the Dutch of his mediation. They were not convinced he would succeed, and when the monsoon season arrived, they decided that action needed to be taken, lest the whole expedition would fail. The army advanced on Kasumba and met almost no resistance. The Balinese had raised their defences around Klungkung. Early in the morning of June 10 the Dutch left Kasumba for Klungkung. Along the way they met Mads Lange and a small group of riders. He informed them that his mediation had failed, but that the Rajas wished for peace. Mads also warned the Dutch not to advance any further, for he could not guarantee that his 16.000 men would not join the Balinese defences. The Dutch were grateful for the information and retreated. They sent Mads Lange back to the Rajas, together with a Dutch officer, to agree with the Rajas that the Balinese would send an embassy to the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
to recognize Dutch sovereignty over the island.
A few days after the new commander of the military forces in the Dutch East Indies, Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, had arrived, Mads Lange organised a meeting for all Dutch soldiers and 12.000 Balinese. The latter were extremely curious about this 'real' European prince. The Rajas and the prince assured each other of their peaceful intentions, after which prince left for Batavia, taking most of the Dutch troops with him. Jan van Swieten was tasked with forging a final peace agreement with the Balinese princes. When the residences of the Rajas proved to be to small for the meetings, talks were held in the factorij of Mads Lange, which by that time was already a meeting place where quarrels between Balinese and foreigners were resolved. The meeting took place from 10 to 15 July. De Dewa Agung was ill and had sent his son Raja Geit Putera from Klungkung. The Rajas of Bandung, Tabanan, Gianyar
and Mengwi were also present. Both parties saw the final arrangement as a victory. The Dutch left the island as sovereigns, while the Balinese would remain de facto independent for the rest of the 19th century.
According to estimates there were around 20.000 people attending the meetings, mostly Balinese. During the many days of negotiations, they all stayed in or around Mads Lange's factorij. This must have been a huge drain on his resources. Raja Kassiman rewarded him for his efforts by granting him the honorary title of unggawa besar or high commissioner, one of the most senior titles on Bali. The Dutch on their part rewarded Mads Lange with the Knight's Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, awarded on the 11th of December 1849 by king William III
. The newspaper of Langeland, the Danish island where Mads Lange had been born, wrote in 1850 about the award: "His many great services and self-sacrificing toils in support of the Dutch, have finally been acknowledged by the Dutch government, both in the East Indies as well as in Europe, proven by the fact that last year he was named Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion."
At the same time as this drop in production, the number of ships in the waters around Bali dropped sharply. As skippers were not able to match their previous profits, their numbers declined. Sailing ship were out competed by steamers, resulting in more traffic for large ports like Hong Kong
and Singapore, and less for smaller places. Mads Lange also suffered from illness, and a never-sent letter to the Raja of Tabanan shows he had plans to return to Rudkøbing.
. After Mads Lange's death, his sea chest was offered to the museum by a Swedish engineer, who had acquired it on Bali. On the 28th July 1854 the many gifts Lange had donated to the museum resulted in him being awarded the Danish Golden Medal of Merit by Frederik VII of Denmark. Papers in the Danish National Archives show the bureaucratic process surrounding this award. "Mads Lange was awarded the golden medal by Royal Order of 28 July 1854 resulting from a proposal by the Ministry for Culture. The initiative for this recognition of merit was taken by Christian Jürgensen Thomasen, who on 7th march sent a letter to the director of the Royal Gallery, nominating Mads Lange for donating valuable artifacts to the Ethnographic Museum. On the 11th may the director sent the proposal on to the Ministry for Culture, which lent its approval on the 24th July, after which it was signed by Frederik VII on the 28th of July."
Mads Lange's contribution did not confine itself to the cultural sphere. He sent thousands of rijksdaalders to Denmark during the First Danish-German War of 1848-1851. He also collected money for the Danish organisation "Aid for the Victims of War".
In talks with writer Aage Krarup Nielsen, Cecilia accused Mads' nephew Peter Christian Lange of stealing everything of value and fleeing. Nielsen: "He was a robber who left for home in Denmark with all that was left of my fathers riches, without leaving us two childeren a single penny."
Writer Ludvig Verner Helms defend this nephew, based on a letter he had received in 1883 from one of Hans Nielsen Lange's sons, who wrote about Peter Christian Lange: "He sold everything that had belonged to my father, ships and buildings, nothing was left for me. The house in Banjuwangi was left to Cecilia, but because she had no documentary evidence that she was Mads Lange's daughter, the government would not allow this."It was believed that Cecilia would inherit the house on Java, but the government denied this.
The reason why Mads Lange had made a will at such a young age, was the declining economic situation of his company. His planned trip to Denmark was also part of the decision. His brother had recently died in an accident, and making a will before undertaking a long and dangerous journey will have seemed like a good idea. A short while before writing the will Mads had lost his lover, the Balinese woman Nyai Kenyèr, probably because of an outbreak of cholera
.
In the will each of his children received a legacy of 10.000 guilders. Besides this, Cecilia would inherit all belongings and properties on Java, on the condition that her mother would be allowed to use these properties for the rest of her life. Cecilia's mother would inherit 3000 pieces of gold, the interest of which would make her financially secure. Ida Bay, Mads Lange's cousin, would inherit 4000 gold pieces and 1000 Spanish daalders, but she had to support Mads Lange's mother, who would inherit all remaining assets. Lastly, two nephews, one in Rudkøbing and one on Bali, would each inherit 1000 guilders. Around 1855 Mads changed his will. His son William had died and was removed from the will. The legacy of his other son Andreas Emil was reduced to 5000 guilders. He would now inherit all his fathers personal belongings and succeed him as head of the company. Cecilia's legacy was reduced by 25% and was frozen at a 9% interest rate. The funds would not be released until she married or reached adulthood.
Mads Lange was buried near his factorij in a small grove of palm trees. Today the grave lies on the main road between Sanur and Kotta. An obelisk
has been placed. It was erected in 1927 by the Dutch government on the originally white foundations, at the urging of the Danish consul at Surabaya
, Johan Ernst Quintus Bosz.
Several times Cecilia and her half-brother tried in vain to get clear information about the value of their fathers belongings on Bali. An investigation by the Dutch authorities in 1872 resulted in several lengthy exchanges of letters between the Raja and the Dutch. In the meantime the once flourishing company withered away. The empty factorij was abandoned and today no visible traces remain of its existence.
On Bali Mads Lange fathered three children with two women. One was a Balinese woman named Njai Kenjèr or Nyai Kenyèr. His second wife was a Chinese woman who Mads calls Nonna Sangnio, which means "Miss" or "Mistress".
He had three children in total. With Nyai Kenyèr he had William Peter (1843) and Andreas Emil (1850), and with Nonna Sangnio he had Cecilia Catharina (1848).
Both his sons went to school in Singapore. William Peter died here at twelve years of age. Andreas Emil was educated at the Raffles Institute. He married a Malaysian woman and had several children. His descendants live in Singapore and Australia. Former New-Zealand prime-minister David Lange
, who is known to be of Danish ancestry, is descended from a different branch of the family according to himself.
Daughter Cecilia was sent to Singapore when she was seven years old, to receive an education at a convent school. The next years Mads Lange died, and she was adopted by an English family. They took her on holidays to Europe and India. She received a thorough education, which proved to be of great use when she returned to Singapore in 1870. Here she met Abu Bakar, the ruler of Johor
. He fell in love with her and was so smitten he ignored all the custom stereotypes that in those days stood in the way of a marriage between a full-blooded Malay man and a Eurasian woman. They married and Cecilia took the name Zubaidah. She was not Abu Bakar's first wife however. And when her husband, with British blessing, became sultan
in 1885, it was his third wife Fatima who received the title of sultana
. Cecilia was named "Inch Besar Zubaidah", a title bestowed upon wives of the sultan who were not sultana. But in contrast to his other wives, it was Cecilia who bore him a son and continued the dynasty. Her son Ibrahim is a descendant of Mads Lange, and his family sits on the throne of Johor to this very day.
Rudkøbing
Rudkøbing is a town on the island of Langeland in Denmark with a population of 4,697 belonging to Langeland municipality .-References:...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
– May 13, 1856, Kotta
Kuta
Kuta is administratively a district and subdistrict/village in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
) was a Danish trader, peace maker on Bali, knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion and recipient of the Danish gold medal of achievement. He was the son of Lorents Lange PedersenSome sources name him as Lorentz, with a 'z' instead of an 's'. and Mare Lange, a merchant and a merchants daughter respectively.
Mads Lange travelled to the East Indies at an early age and settled on the island of Bali. Here he built a thriving commercial enterprise, exporting rice, spices and beef, and importing weapons and textiles. He maintained good relations with the local Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
s and mediated between them and the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
colonists with great success.
Mads Lange died 48 years old, possibly because of poisoning. His business had been in decline by then, and even the joint efforts of his brother and nephew could not change this. The remains of the business were sold to a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
merchant. Mads had three children with local Balinese women. His maternal grandson, Sultan Ibrahim by his daughter Cecilia, was the Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the nominal ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a bendahara...
. Mads Lange is buried in Kotta.
Childhood
Mads Lange was born in Rudkøbing on the 18th of September 1807, as the second son of Lorents Lange and Maren Hansen. He had one sister and ten brothers, three of whom were children from an earlier marriage of his mother. The youngest brother died when he was six years old. No more is known about Mads Lange's childhood.Ancestors
His father Lorents Lange Pedersen was the son of master builder Peder Frandsen Knudsøn and Johanne Margarethe Lorentzdaughter Lange. He was the only one of his nine brothers and sisters to take his mothers surname Lange as baptismal name. Although the idea was for it to be a middle name in practice it became his surname, meaning his mothers surname lived on through him. Lorents was the only boy among the three children who survived into adulthood.In later life Lorents was a member of the Langeland
Langeland
Langeland is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km² and, as of 1 January 2010, has a population of 13,277. The island produces grain and is known as a recreational area. A bridge connects it to Tåsinge via Siø - a small island with a...
militia. He had an indirect role in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. During 1812-1813 Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
soldiers were billet
Billet
A billet is a term for living quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. Historically, it referred to a private dwelling that was required to accept the soldier....
ed in his house. He received 4 florins a month for this, but it meant his family home was now occupied by about 15 persons. This will have been a contributing factor in buying a new house on the Østergade 12-14 in 1816. In 1822 Lorents started a transport company, with a mail coach and two horses, not uncommon for a merchant in those days. His cousin was master of the ferry services in those days, which probably benefited the small company enormously. Lorents died in 1828.
Mads Lange's mother Maren Hansen had married Mads Andresen in 1799. With him she had three sons. Mads Andresen died in 1805 and later that year Maren married Lorents Lange. She had inherited a tavern and a shop, which Lorents ran, even though he had been trained to be a master builder. After Lorents' death she married Mads Hansen.
Career at sea
Mads Lange started his career at sea at fourteen years of age. Three years later, in 1824, he worked aboard the ship North, where he met captainCaptain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
John Burd. They sailed together for many years, for instance to the Danish trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
Tranquebar
Tranquebar
Tharangambadi is a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, 15 km north of Karaikal, near the mouth of a distributary of the Kaveri River. Its name means "place of the singing waves"...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1833 the returned to Denmark en Mads seized this opportunity to visit his parents' home. He remained in Denmark for some time and was counted in the 1834 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
.
In the meantime Burd sold the ship North in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. A little while later he and Mads bought the ship South, which they steered towards India and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Burd was the captain, Mads the first mate. With them traveled Mads' three brothers: Hans, Carl Emil and Hans Henrik, 20, 18 and 14 years old respectively. None of the four brothers would ever return to their fatherland.
Lombok
In 1835 Mads decided to settle on the island of LombokLombok
Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east...
, east of Bali and Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, because here there was a lively commercial traffic. The island contained to princely states, Karangasem Lombok and Mataram. The first was the largest, and it was the Raja from this state who allowed Mads Lange to trade from the port city of Tanjungkarang, in exchange for a yearly fee. It was here that Mads Lange created his first flourishing commercial enterprise. He exported coffee, rice, spices and green tobacco. Imported textiles and weapons could easily be sold to the local warring tribes.
In 1839 fights erupted ever more frequently between the princely states. Combined with increased Dutch efforts to colonize the island this forced Mads to leave Lombok. When the Raja who had supported him was defeated, Mads had to flee to Bali head-over-heels in his schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Venus.
Bali
Mads Lange now had to start over on Bali. He settled on the south coast of the island, near the town of KottaKuta
Kuta is administratively a district and subdistrict/village in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations...
. The town was situated on a narrow peninsula, which made it possible to load goods both on the east and on the west side. This came in very handy during the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season, when winds abruptly change direction.
Four factors helped Mads Lange settle on Bali successfully. Factor one was his long history of trading with Bali. This meant he knew the possibilities this island had to offer. Second were his good relations with the Balinese Rajas. Raja Kassiman of Badung had even invited him to settle on the island. This meant he enjoyed protection, that he could arrange cheap labour, and probably that he possessed a monopoly on trade on the island. The third factor was that the local population on Bali was suffering from an economic depression, after a war with Java had made the export of slaves impossible. The fourth factor was a shortage of rice in Asia. Bali had the possibilities of reaping the benefits of this shortage, because the island population was well skilled in rice-farming, and because the climate allows for up to three harvests a year.
Mads Lange built his factorij
Factory (trading post)
Factory was the English term for the trading posts system originally established by Europeans in foreign territories, first within different states of medieval Europe, and later in their colonial possessions...
at Kotta
Kuta
Kuta is administratively a district and subdistrict/village in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations...
and steadily expanded it with residential units and warehouses. The Dutch nobleman and politician Wolter Robert, Baron van Hoevell
Wolter Robert, Baron van Hoevell
Wolter Robert, Baron van Hoëvell was a Dutch politician, and vicar.He traveled extensively through the Dutch colonies in Indonesia and was appalled by the colonial system and the treatment of slaves he had to witness...
visited Bali and Mads Lange, and gave a description of the factorij:
Mads Lange was in good standing with the Balinese and within a few years he had built a flourishing company, that owned about 15 ships which entertained a lively trade on ports in the East Indies, the West Indies and Europe. His brothers helped him out in the factorij, and sometimes sailed on the ships, when trading missions were difficult or demanding. Because of pirates and bad weather conditions these journeys were not without danger. Two of Mads' brothers, Hans Henrik and Carl Emil died during these kind of journeys. Carl Emil even died in plain sight of Mads, when the row boat he was in capsized.
Mads Lange's career as a merchant blossomed during the 1840s. Halfway through that period his fleet of ships was capable of transporting between 800 and 1500 tons of freight. Many of the ships were newly built, probably in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, a city Mads often visited. Coconut oil
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm . Throughout the tropical world, it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry...
was sold in Singapore in great quantities, with profits of 200 to 300%. Because of this Mads had an oil mill imported whole from Europe. This was an expensive operation, but the costs would be recuperated within a few years. Rice kept being announced for low prices in the newspapers of Singapore, Australia and China.
Predominantly French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ship sailed to Kotta to load trading goods, especially cattle, pony's, pigs and poultry. Often the Balinese would come to the beaches with far more livestock than the ships could carry. Here Mads Lange would take advantage of the situation. He bought the livestock that remained, especially the cattle, since beef was a popular food. He functioned as a beach butcher, were a man could have his cows butchered quickly. Dried beef, known as "ding-ding" was shipped to Dutch troops on Java.
During those days Mads' factorij had trading interests of a million guilders on trade with Java specifically. His success was predominantly because of his ability to create personal ties, especially with the local Rajas. The Dutch, who were also trying to set up trade on Bali, were less successful and in May 1844 they named Mads Lange their agent on the island, with the right to fly the Dutch flag. Now Mads was not just working for himself, but also for the Dutch authorities, who profited from his cooperation.
Peace broker
In the last half of the 1840s the Dutch again tried to gain control over Bali and its Rajas. In July 1846 the sent a military force to the island, the First Dutch Expedition to BaliDutch intervention in Northern Bali (1846)
The Dutch intervention in Northern Bali in 1846 was the first in a long series of Dutch military interventions on Bali island, until total control was achieved with the Dutch intervention in Bali in 1908...
. Their goal was the northern city of Buleleng
Buleleng
Buleleng is a regency of Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 1,365.88 km2 and population of 577,644 . Its regency seat is Singaraja....
. After an ultimatum to surrender unconditionally was rejected, the Dutch landed on the island on the 28th of June and attacked the city. It was conquered and burned. The next day the Dutch troops marched for the residency Singaraja
Singaraja
Singaraja is the regency seat of Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia. The name is Indonesian for "Lion King". It is on the north coast just east of Lovina...
. This city was taken without much resistance, because most Balinese were moving inland, to the fort of Djagaraga. During the attack the Dutch received support from their fleet, and the commander of this fleet would not allow the troops to move too far inland. Mads Lange offered to go to the Rajas of Buleleng and Karangasem for negotiations. These were successful and on the 9th of July the peace accords came into effect. The Rajas would pay a small amount of damages and the Dutch would maintain a small occupation force on the island until the matter would be settled.
When the Rajas did not comply with all the agreements of the treaty of 1846, the Dutch sent a larger expedition to Bali in 1848, the Second Dutch Expedition to Bali
Dutch intervention in Northern Bali (1848)
The Dutch intervention in Northern Bali in 1848 was the second in a long series of Dutch military interventions on Bali island, until total control was achieved with the Dutch intervention in Bali in 1908...
. Mads Lange was able to keep the states of Tabanan and Badung neutral, but the rest of the Balinese forces assembled at Djagaraga, the same place they had sought refuge in 1846. During the preparations for their campaign the Dutch blockaded the coast of Bali, wreaking havoc on trade. Djagaraga lay deep inland, so the attack had to go through without the help of the fleet. At first all went well, but the Dutch were stopped when they met Gusti Djilantiek, who had dug in with 600 riflemen. When it became clear that the Dutch supply was badly organized, because there were not enough coolie
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
s to carry everything, the Dutch could no longer resists Balinese attacks from the villages and they were forced to retreat.
The Dutch defeat resonated through the Dutch East Indies and the government felt compelled to re-establish authority, in order to prevent revolts in other parts of the archipelago. A new force twice the size of the previous one was sent in 1849, the Third Dutch Expedition to Bali
Dutch intervention in Bali (1849)
The Dutch intervention in Bali in 1849 was a major Dutch military intervention in Northern and Southern Bali, following two failed interventions, the 1846 intervention and the 1848 intervention...
. This time the army brought along 200 coolies to carry supplies and wounded. On April 1, 1849 the fleet reached Buleleng and on April 4 general-major Andreas Victor Michiels
Andreas Victor Michiels
Andreas Victor Michiels was a military and administrative officer in the Dutch East Indies.- Early life and military career :...
set up his headquarters in the abandoned palace of Singaraja. Emissaries of the Rajas of Buleleng and Karangasem were sent to the general, but he refused to talk to anyone but the Rajas themselves. He urged them to hurry up, or they would lose their territories. The meeting took place on April 7. The Balinese arrived at the palace with a force of 12.000 men, after the Dutch had allowed them to take as much guards as the Rajas deemed necessary. Fighting did not occur, since the Rajas accepted all demand of the Dutch, including the immediate demolition of the fortifications at Djagaraga.
The Dutch now decided to focus their attention on the south of Bali and they attacked the small states of Karangasem and Klungkung
Klungkung
Klungkung is the smallest regency of Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 315 km2 and population of 169,906 . Its regency seat is Semarapura....
. At the same time they accepted an offer of 400 soldiers from the Prince of Lombok, who also coveted power over Karangasem. On the 12th of May 1849 preparations were complete and the Dutch landed near the coastal town of Padang Cove, which they conquered. A week later warriors from Lombok infiltrated in Karangasem, which rose in revolt against its Raja. The Raja, facing total defeat, killed all his wives and children and then committed suicide. The Raja of Buleleng, together with Gusti Djilantiek, fled into the mountains, with the warriors from Lombok in pursuit. The Dutch now focussed their attacks on Klungkung, where the most important and holiest Raja of Bali resided, the Dewa Agung
Dewa Agung
Dewa Agung or Deva Agung was the title of the kings of Klungkung, the foremost in rank among the nine kingdoms of Bali, Indonesia. It was also borne by other high-ranking members of the dynasty. The term Dewa means "god" and was also a general title for members of the Ksatria caste. Agung...
. This Raja and his sister were the most fanatical opponents of Dutch influence on Bali, and it was of utmost importance to sideline them. Under command of major-general Michiels the Dutch progressed and conquered and old, holy temple and the town of Kasumba. The next night however they were attacked by the Balinese, and Michiels was wounded in the thigh. He died after an unsuccessful amputation. The second in command, luitenant-colonel Jan van Swieten took over command and decided to retreat the army back to the coast. There he waited for further instructions from Batavia. They were met by the warriors from Lombok who informed them that the Raja and Gusti Djilantiek were no longer alive.
Mads Lange's trade suffered from the war and when the Raja of Kassim launched an attack on neighbouring Menguwi, the people in Kotta feared a counter-attack. Mads convinced the Rajas to assemble a force of 16.000 men and join him on a journey to the Dewa Agung, plead with him for peace negotiations with the Dutch. Even though fortune favoured the Balinese after the death of Michiels and the retreat of the Dutch army, the Rajas decided to accept Mads Lange's request. Lange had placed a man aboard his ship the Venus and sent him ahead to inform the Dutch of his mediation. They were not convinced he would succeed, and when the monsoon season arrived, they decided that action needed to be taken, lest the whole expedition would fail. The army advanced on Kasumba and met almost no resistance. The Balinese had raised their defences around Klungkung. Early in the morning of June 10 the Dutch left Kasumba for Klungkung. Along the way they met Mads Lange and a small group of riders. He informed them that his mediation had failed, but that the Rajas wished for peace. Mads also warned the Dutch not to advance any further, for he could not guarantee that his 16.000 men would not join the Balinese defences. The Dutch were grateful for the information and retreated. They sent Mads Lange back to the Rajas, together with a Dutch officer, to agree with the Rajas that the Balinese would send an embassy to the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies represented the Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949.The first Governors-General were appointed by the Dutch East India Company...
to recognize Dutch sovereignty over the island.
A few days after the new commander of the military forces in the Dutch East Indies, Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, had arrived, Mads Lange organised a meeting for all Dutch soldiers and 12.000 Balinese. The latter were extremely curious about this 'real' European prince. The Rajas and the prince assured each other of their peaceful intentions, after which prince left for Batavia, taking most of the Dutch troops with him. Jan van Swieten was tasked with forging a final peace agreement with the Balinese princes. When the residences of the Rajas proved to be to small for the meetings, talks were held in the factorij of Mads Lange, which by that time was already a meeting place where quarrels between Balinese and foreigners were resolved. The meeting took place from 10 to 15 July. De Dewa Agung was ill and had sent his son Raja Geit Putera from Klungkung. The Rajas of Bandung, Tabanan, Gianyar
Gianyar Regency
Gianyar is a regency in the Indonesian province and island of Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 368 km2 and population of 416,728 , making it the second most densely populated district in Bali...
and Mengwi were also present. Both parties saw the final arrangement as a victory. The Dutch left the island as sovereigns, while the Balinese would remain de facto independent for the rest of the 19th century.
According to estimates there were around 20.000 people attending the meetings, mostly Balinese. During the many days of negotiations, they all stayed in or around Mads Lange's factorij. This must have been a huge drain on his resources. Raja Kassiman rewarded him for his efforts by granting him the honorary title of unggawa besar or high commissioner, one of the most senior titles on Bali. The Dutch on their part rewarded Mads Lange with the Knight's Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, awarded on the 11th of December 1849 by king William III
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
. The newspaper of Langeland, the Danish island where Mads Lange had been born, wrote in 1850 about the award: "His many great services and self-sacrificing toils in support of the Dutch, have finally been acknowledged by the Dutch government, both in the East Indies as well as in Europe, proven by the fact that last year he was named Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion."
Economic decline
After the war Bali suffered an economic decline, which also affected Mads Lange and his factorij. The Dutch blockades during the military campaigns had practically stopped all trade. Also the majority of the male inhabitants had fought in the war instead of working the fields, leading to a standstill in the production of major export products. Mads Lange was able to buy rice in Lombok and sell it to Raja Kassiman, but his expensive oil mill ground to a halt due to a shortage of coconuts.At the same time as this drop in production, the number of ships in the waters around Bali dropped sharply. As skippers were not able to match their previous profits, their numbers declined. Sailing ship were out competed by steamers, resulting in more traffic for large ports like Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Singapore, and less for smaller places. Mads Lange also suffered from illness, and a never-sent letter to the Raja of Tabanan shows he had plans to return to Rudkøbing.
Relationship with Denmark
Mads Lange never forgot his fatherland, even though most of his life he lived on Bali. He sent several artifacts to the Royal Ethnographic Museum in Copenhagen, which was opened in 1849 by Christian Jürgensen ThomsenChristian Jürgensen Thomsen
Christian Jürgensen Thomsen was a Danish archaeologist.In 1816 he was appointed head of 'antiquarian' collections which later developed into the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. While organizing and classifying the antiquities for exhibition, he decided to present them chronologically...
. After Mads Lange's death, his sea chest was offered to the museum by a Swedish engineer, who had acquired it on Bali. On the 28th July 1854 the many gifts Lange had donated to the museum resulted in him being awarded the Danish Golden Medal of Merit by Frederik VII of Denmark. Papers in the Danish National Archives show the bureaucratic process surrounding this award. "Mads Lange was awarded the golden medal by Royal Order of 28 July 1854 resulting from a proposal by the Ministry for Culture. The initiative for this recognition of merit was taken by Christian Jürgensen Thomasen, who on 7th march sent a letter to the director of the Royal Gallery, nominating Mads Lange for donating valuable artifacts to the Ethnographic Museum. On the 11th may the director sent the proposal on to the Ministry for Culture, which lent its approval on the 24th July, after which it was signed by Frederik VII on the 28th of July."
Mads Lange's contribution did not confine itself to the cultural sphere. He sent thousands of rijksdaalders to Denmark during the First Danish-German War of 1848-1851. He also collected money for the Danish organisation "Aid for the Victims of War".
Mads Lange's death
Mads Lange died on 13 May 1856, 48 years of age. His daughter Cecilia was only eight years old, but like Lange's English physician she also suspected he had been poisoned during a visit to a Raja. There were rumors he had been poisoned by the Dutch as well. Since no official inquiry has ever been made, it impossible both to prove or to disprove any theories.In talks with writer Aage Krarup Nielsen, Cecilia accused Mads' nephew Peter Christian Lange of stealing everything of value and fleeing. Nielsen: "He was a robber who left for home in Denmark with all that was left of my fathers riches, without leaving us two childeren a single penny."
Writer Ludvig Verner Helms defend this nephew, based on a letter he had received in 1883 from one of Hans Nielsen Lange's sons, who wrote about Peter Christian Lange: "He sold everything that had belonged to my father, ships and buildings, nothing was left for me. The house in Banjuwangi was left to Cecilia, but because she had no documentary evidence that she was Mads Lange's daughter, the government would not allow this."It was believed that Cecilia would inherit the house on Java, but the government denied this.
Testament
Mads Lange had drawn up a will in 1851. Krarup Nielsen received a copy of this will from his daughter Cecilia, during one of her visits. It is highly likely that this copy still rests at the Royal Library in Copenhagen.The reason why Mads Lange had made a will at such a young age, was the declining economic situation of his company. His planned trip to Denmark was also part of the decision. His brother had recently died in an accident, and making a will before undertaking a long and dangerous journey will have seemed like a good idea. A short while before writing the will Mads had lost his lover, the Balinese woman Nyai Kenyèr, probably because of an outbreak of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
.
In the will each of his children received a legacy of 10.000 guilders. Besides this, Cecilia would inherit all belongings and properties on Java, on the condition that her mother would be allowed to use these properties for the rest of her life. Cecilia's mother would inherit 3000 pieces of gold, the interest of which would make her financially secure. Ida Bay, Mads Lange's cousin, would inherit 4000 gold pieces and 1000 Spanish daalders, but she had to support Mads Lange's mother, who would inherit all remaining assets. Lastly, two nephews, one in Rudkøbing and one on Bali, would each inherit 1000 guilders. Around 1855 Mads changed his will. His son William had died and was removed from the will. The legacy of his other son Andreas Emil was reduced to 5000 guilders. He would now inherit all his fathers personal belongings and succeed him as head of the company. Cecilia's legacy was reduced by 25% and was frozen at a 9% interest rate. The funds would not be released until she married or reached adulthood.
Grave
| On one side of the obelisk a stone carries this inscri>tion: |
Mads Lange was buried near his factorij in a small grove of palm trees. Today the grave lies on the main road between Sanur and Kotta. An obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
has been placed. It was erected in 1927 by the Dutch government on the originally white foundations, at the urging of the Danish consul at Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Johan Ernst Quintus Bosz.
The end of the factorij
Mads Lange's brother Hans and his nephew Peter Christian tried to keep the factorij going after his death. The nephew even invested large amount of personal wealth. After Hans' death in 1860, Peter Christian was the only remaining Christian member of the family on Bali. After Raja Kassiman died in 1863 the factorij lost its protector. Shortly after Peter found himself in conflict with the Rajas. He subsequently sold his factorij to a Chinese merchant. He died in 1869 in Denmark, aged 42.Several times Cecilia and her half-brother tried in vain to get clear information about the value of their fathers belongings on Bali. An investigation by the Dutch authorities in 1872 resulted in several lengthy exchanges of letters between the Raja and the Dutch. In the meantime the once flourishing company withered away. The empty factorij was abandoned and today no visible traces remain of its existence.
Descendants
Mads Lange never married. His whole life he hoped to marry his cousin Ida Bay, who was ten years younger than him. He sent her letters and gifts, but the feeling was clearly not mutual and she did not even comment on the letter with the marriage proposal from the east.On Bali Mads Lange fathered three children with two women. One was a Balinese woman named Njai Kenjèr or Nyai Kenyèr. His second wife was a Chinese woman who Mads calls Nonna Sangnio, which means "Miss" or "Mistress".
He had three children in total. With Nyai Kenyèr he had William Peter (1843) and Andreas Emil (1850), and with Nonna Sangnio he had Cecilia Catharina (1848).
Both his sons went to school in Singapore. William Peter died here at twelve years of age. Andreas Emil was educated at the Raffles Institute. He married a Malaysian woman and had several children. His descendants live in Singapore and Australia. Former New-Zealand prime-minister David Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
, who is known to be of Danish ancestry, is descended from a different branch of the family according to himself.
Daughter Cecilia was sent to Singapore when she was seven years old, to receive an education at a convent school. The next years Mads Lange died, and she was adopted by an English family. They took her on holidays to Europe and India. She received a thorough education, which proved to be of great use when she returned to Singapore in 1870. Here she met Abu Bakar, the ruler of Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
. He fell in love with her and was so smitten he ignored all the custom stereotypes that in those days stood in the way of a marriage between a full-blooded Malay man and a Eurasian woman. They married and Cecilia took the name Zubaidah. She was not Abu Bakar's first wife however. And when her husband, with British blessing, became sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
in 1885, it was his third wife Fatima who received the title of sultana
Sultana
Sultana may refer to:* "Sultâna", is the term used for the mothers of the Ottoman emperors if and only if the aforementioned mother of an ottoman emperor was acquired the title of "Valide Sultân"....
. Cecilia was named "Inch Besar Zubaidah", a title bestowed upon wives of the sultan who were not sultana. But in contrast to his other wives, it was Cecilia who bore him a son and continued the dynasty. Her son Ibrahim is a descendant of Mads Lange, and his family sits on the throne of Johor to this very day.