Merle Calvin Ricklefs, 1943-2019

On the first day of 2020 we received the sad message from one of his many Indonesian students and co-researchers, Chaidar Bamualim at UIN Jakarta, that Merle Calvin Ricklefs had passed away on 29 December 2019. Only earlier this year his last plan to write a biography on the first Mangkunegara ruler, could be realised with the publication of Soul Catcher: Java's Fiery Prince Mangkunegara I, 1726-95. The 18th century was his major field of studies, but his broad interest went to the whole history of Indonesia between 1200- nowadays.

Here Merle is dressed in what we call at home the 'Merle jacket' with the many practical pockets for the frequent traveller
I met him first at  SOAS in London in early 1979 with a group of nine Indonesian IAIN teaching staff, on their trip from Leiden to London and Oxford. He was already considered as the brilliant successor to the specialist in Javanese studies,  Theodor Pigeaud, and the writer on Indonesian history H.J. de Graaf. From Pigeaud he continued the study of Kraton documents (but in Javanese he perhaps admired Romo Zoetmulder even more and translated the dissertation on Suluk poetry). He liked the story-teller and specialist on Dutch archives De Graaf. He did not use the social science approach of many modern historians, but concentrated in his Javanese studies often on concrete personalities and cases, only then turning to more general theories related more to concepts (the mystical synthesis; origin of the abangan terminology) then on figures.
In contrast to the Dutch use to write Capita Selecta, he wrote the classical work on Indonesian history, from the 13th century on. It became a condense, comprehensive but very readible  book, first published in 1981, updated in 1993, 4th edition in 2008 (with the year 'from 1200' in the title).
 The arrival of Islam around 1200 marked for him the beginning of 'Modern Indonesia' and he saw much of this period as an ongoing, although sometimes somewhat problematic development of Islam.
Merle could handle Dutch archives from the VOC period, Javanese court writings, but was also familiar with the daily political and social developments in contemporary Indonesia. We have lost probably the most diverse, encyclopedic and sympathetic scholar in this field of studies, where still so many areas deserve closer research.
The family was hit severely by the death of a daughter, probably caused by a medical mistake., some years ago. He cherished a dream of living in his house in the mountains and countryside, but a few years ago it was a narrow escape from the flames during the yearly burnings. We wish them that they find some solace in the admiration from many of his colleagues worldwide. Terima kasih Merle!