Ache', or Achen, a kingdom of Sumatra in the East Indies, situated in the north-western part of the island.

The capital is situated on a river which empties itself near the north-west point, or Acheen head, about two miles from the mouth. It lies in a wide valley, formed like an amphitheatre by two lofty ranges of hills. The river is not large, and by emptying itself into several channels is rendered very shallow at the bar. In the dry monsoon, it will not admit boats of any burden, much less large vessels, which lie without, in the road formed by the islands off the point. Though no longer the great mart of eastern commodities, it still carries on a considerable trade with the natives of that part of the coast of Indostan called Tellinga, who supply it with the cotton goods of their country, and receive in return, gold dust, Japan wood, betel-nut, patch-leaf, a little pepper, sulphur, camphire, and benzoin. The country is supplied with Bengal opium, and also with iron, and many other articles of merchandise, by the European traders.

Acheen is esteemed comparatively healthy, being more free from woods and swamps than most other portions of the island; and the fevers and dysenteries to which these are supposed to give occasion, are therefore said to be uncommon. The soil is light and fertile; and the products, beside those already enumerated as articles of export trade, and a variety of fine fruits, are chiefly rice and cotton. There is likewise some raw silk procured in the country, of very inferior quality. Gold dust is collected in the mountains near Acheen, but the greatest part is brought from the southern ports of Nalaboo and Soofoo. The sulphur is gathered from a volcanic mountain in the neighbourhood, which supplies their own consumption for the manufacture of gunpowder, and admits of a large exportation.

In their persons, the Acheenes differ from the rest of the Sumatran, being taller, flatter, and darker complexioned. They appear not to be a genuine people; but are thought, with great appearance of reason, to be a mixture of Battas, Malays, and Moors, from the west of India. In their dispositions they are more active and industrious than their neighbours: they possess more penetration and sagacity; have more general knowledge; and, as merchants, they deal upon a more extensive and liberal footing. Their religion is Mahommedanism; and having a great number of mosques and priests, its forms and ceremonies are strictly observed.

The appearance of the town, and the nature of the buildings, are much the same as are found in the generality of Malay bazars, excepting that the superior wealth of this place has occasioned a great number of public edifices, but without the smallest pretensions to magnificence. The king's palace, if it deserves the appellation, is a very rude and uncouth piece of architecture, designed to resist the force of an enemy, and surrounded for that purpose by strong walls, but without any regular plan, or view to the modern system of military attack. The houses in common are built of bamboos and rough timber, and raised some feet from the ground on account of the place being overflowed in the rainy season.

A considerable fabric of a thick species of cotton cloth, and of stuff for the short drawers worn both by Malays and Acheenes is established here, and supplies an extensive demand. They weave also very handsome silk pieces of a particular form, for that part of the drefs which is called by the Malays cayen jerrong. The Achenese are expert and bold navigators, and employ a variety of vessels, according to the voyages they undertake, and the purposes for which they design them. The river is covered with a multitude of fishing sampans or canoes, which go to sea with the morning breeze, and return in the afternoon, with the sea wind, fully laden.

Having no convenient coins, though most species of money will be taken here at a valuation, they commonly make their payments in gold dust, and for that purpose are all provided with scales or small steelyards. They carry their gold about them, wrapped up in pieces of bladder, and often purchase to so small an amount, as to make use of grains or seeds for weights.

The monarchy is hereditary; and the king usually maintains a guard of 100 sepoys about his palace.

According to Mr Marlden, "the grand council of the nation consists of the king or Sultan, four ooloo-ballangs, and eight of a lower degree, who sit on his right hand, and fifteen cajoorangs, who sit on his left. At the king's feet sits a woman, to whom he makes known his pleasure: by her it is communicated to an eunuch, who sits next to her; and by him to an officer named cajoorang gondong, who then proclaims it aloud to the assembly. There are also present two other officers, one of whom has the government of the bazaar or market, and the other the superintending and carrying into execution the punishment of criminals. All matters relative to commerce and the customs of the port come under the jurisdiction of the habandar, who performs the ceremony of giving the chop or license for trade; which is done by lifting a golden-hatted creche over the head of the merchant who arrives, and without which he dares not to land his goods. Presents, the value of which are become pretty regularly ascertained, are then sent to the king and his officers. If the stranger be in the style of an ambassador, the royal elephants are sent down to carry him and his letters to the monarch's presence; these being first delivered into the hands of an eunuch, who places them in a silver dish, covered with rich silk, on the back of the largest elephant, which is provided with a machine (houder) for that purpose. Within about an hundred yards of an open hall where the king sits, the cavalcade stops, and the ambassador dismounts, and makes his obeisance by bending his body, and lifting his joined hands to his head. When he enters the palace, if an European, he is obliged to take off his shoes; and having made a second obeisance, is seated upon a carpet on the floor, where betel is brought to him. The throne was some years ago of ivory and tortoiseshell; and when the place was governed by queens, a curtain of gauze was hung before it, which did not obstruct the audience, but prevented any perfect view. The stranger, after some general discourse, is then conducted to a separate building, where he is entertained with the delicacies of the country by the officers of state, and in the evening returns in the manner he came, surrounded by a prodigious number of lights. On high days (aree ryah) the king goes in great state, mounted on an elephant richly caparisoned, to the great mosque, preceded by his ooloo-ballangs, who are armed nearly in the European manner."

The country under the immediate jurisdiction of Acheen, is divided into three districts, named Duo-pooloo duo, Duo-pooloo leemo, and Duo-pooloo anum. Each district is governed by a pangleemo, and under him an imaim and four pongoeches to each mosque.

"Acheen has ever been remarkable for the severity with which crimes are punished by their laws: the same rigour still subsists, and there is no commutation admitted, as is regularly established in the southern countries. There is great reason, however, to conclude, that the poor alone experience the rod of justice; the nobles being secure from retribution in the number of their dependants. Petty theft is punished by suspending the criminal from a tree, with a gun or heavy weight tied to his feet; or by cutting off a finger, a hand, or leg, according to the nature of the theft. Many of these mutilated and wretched objects are daily to be seen in the streets. Robbery on the highway and house-breaking are punished by drowning, and afterwards exposing the body on a stake for a few days. If the robbery is committed upon an imaim or priest, the sacrilege is expiated by burning the criminal alive. A man who is convicted of adultery is seldom attempted to be screened by his friends, but is delivered up to the friends and relations of the injured husband. These take him to some large plain, and forming themselves in a circle, place him in the middle. A large weapon called a gadoobong, is then delivered to him by one of his family; and if he can force his way through those who surround him, and make his escape, he is not liable to further prosecution; but it commonly happens that he is instantly cut to pieces. In this case his relations bury him as they would a dead buffalo, refusing to admit the corpse into their house, or to perform any funeral rites." These discouragements to vice might seem to belay a moral and virtuous people: yet all travellers agree in representing the Achenese as one of the most dishonest and flagitious nations of the East.

Acheen was visited by the Portuguese in 1509, only 12 years after they had discovered the passage to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope. They made various attempts to establish themselves in the country, but were expelled with disgrace. See SUMATRA.