Majapahit
Majapahit was a vast thalassocratic archipelagic empire based on the island of Java from 1293 to around 1500. Majapahit reached its peak of glory during the era of Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked by conquest which extended through Southeast Asia. His achievement is also credited to his prime minister, Gajah Mada. According to the Nagarakretagama (Desawarxana) written in 1365, Majapahit was an empire of 98 tributaries, stretching from Sumatra to New Guinea; consisting of present day Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, southern Thailand, Sulu Archipelago, and East Timor, although the true nature of Majapahit sphere of influence is still the subject of studies among historians.Majapahit was one of the last major empires of the region and is considered to be one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the history of Indonesia and Southeast Asia, one that is sometimes seen as the precedent for Indonesia's modern boundaries. Its influence extended beyond the modern territory of Indonesia and has been the subject of many studies. German orientalist Berthold Laufer suggested that maja came from the Javanese name of an Indonesian tree.
| Little physical and some details of the The main sources used by written in the Kawi language and Pararaton is focused upon Ken Arok but includes a number of about the formation of old Javanese epic poem golden age under the reign of events are covered inscriptions in Old Javanese and | evidence of Majapahit remains, history are rather abstract. historians are: the Pararaton Nagarakertagama in Old Javanese. (the founder of Singhasari) shorter narrative fragments Majapahit. Nagarakertagama, is an written during the Majapahit Hayam Wuruk after which some narratively. There are also some Chinese. |
| The Javanese sources mythological elements, and scholars nationalist, have considered the not a record of the past, but which the future can be approach, most scholars don't historical record corresponds could not have had similar details of the state structure invented. | incorporate some poetic such as C. C. Berg, a Dutch entire historical record to be a supernatural means by determined. Despite Berg's accept this view, as the with Chinese materials that intention. The list of rulers and show no sign of being - |
| After defeating the 1290, Singhasari became the region. Kublai Khan, the Great the Emperor of the Mongol Singhasari by sending emissaries the last ruler of tribute, insulted the Mongol instead. As the response, in massive expedition of 1,000 | Melayu Kingdom in Sumatra in most powerful kingdom in the Khan of the Mongol Empire and Yuan Dynasty, challenged demanding tribute. Kertanegara, Singhasari, refused to pay the envoy and challenged the Khan 1293, Kublai Khan sent a ships to Java. |
In 1293, Raden Wijaya founded a stronghold with the capital Majapahit. The exact date used as the birth of the Majapahit kingdom is the day of his coronation, the 15th of Kartika month in the year 1215 using the Javanese xaka calendar, which equates to November 10, 1293. During his coronation he was given formal name Kertarajasa Jayawardhana. The new kingdom faced challenges. Some of Kertarajasa's most trusted men, including Ranggalawe, Sora, and Nambi rebelled against him, though unsuccessfully. It was suspected that the mahapati Halayudha set the conspiracy to overthrow all of the king's opponents, to gain the highest position in the government. However, following the death of the last rebel Kuti, Halayudha was captured and jailed for his tricks, and then sentenced to death. Wijaya himself died in 1309.
According to tradition, Wijaya's son and successor, Jayanegara was notorious for immorality. One of his sinful acts was his desire on taking his own stepsisters as wives. He was entitled Kala Gemet, or "weak villain". Approximately during Jayanegara's reign, the Italian Friar Odoric of Pordenone visited Majapahit court in Java. In 1328, Jayanegara was murdered by his doctor, Tanca. His stepmother, Gayatri Rajapatni, was supposed to replace him, but Rajapatni retired from court to become a Bhikkhuni. Rajapatni appointed her daughter, Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi, or known in her formal name as Tribhuwannottungadewi Jayawishnuwardhani, as the queen of Majapahit under Rajapatni's auspices. Tribhuwana appointed Gajah Mada as the Prime Minister in 1336. During his inauguration Gajah Mada declared his Sumpah Palapa, revealing his plan to expand Majapahit realm and building an empire. During Tribhuwana’s rule, the Majapahit kingdom grew much larger and became famous in the area. Tribhuwana ruled Majapahit until the death of her mother in 1350. She abdicated the throne in favour of her son, Hayam Wuruk.
Next to launching naval and military expeditions, the expansion of Majapahit Empire also involved diplomacy and alliance. Hayam Wuruk decided, probably for political reasons, to take princess Citra Rashmi of neighboring Sunda Kingdom as his consort. The Sundanese took this proposal as an alliance agreement. In 1357 the Sunda king and his royal family came to Majapahit, to accompany and marry his daughter with Hayam Wuruk. However Gajah Mada saw this event as an opportunity to demand Sunda's submission to Majapahit overlordship. The skirmish between the Sunda royal family and the Majapahit troops on Bubat square were unevitable. Despite the courageous resistance, the royal family were overwhelmed and decimated. Almost whole of the Sundanese royal party were viciously massacred. Tradition mentioned that the heartbroken Princess committed suicide to defend the honour of her country. The Battle of Bubat or Pasunda Bubat tragedy become the main theme of Kidung Sunda, also mentioned in Carita Parahyangan and Pararaton, however it was never mentioned in Nagarakretagama.
| The Nagarakertagama, sophisticated court with refined and a complex system of describes Majapahit as the centre extending from New Guinea and Peninsula. Local traditions in retain accounts in more or less Majapahit's power. Majapahit's extend beyond east Java and Majapahit's claim to overlordship forceful responses. | written in 1365 depict a taste in art and literature, religious rituals. The poet of a huge mandala Maluku to Sumatra and Malay many parts of Indonesia legendary form from 14th-century direct administration didn't Bali, but challenges to in outer islands drew - |
| In 1377, a few years Majapahit sent a punitive naval Palembang, contributing to the end kingdom. Gajah Mada's other Adityawarman, known for his conquest | after Gajah Mada's death, attack against a rebellion in of the Srivijayan renowned general was in Minangkabau. |
| The nature of the subject to debate. It may have notional influence over some of included Sumatra, the Malay Indonesia over which of authority Nagarakertagama. Geographical and that rather than a regular states were most likely to have trade connections, which was also claimed relationships Siam, southern Burma, and to China. | Majapahit empire and its extent is had limited or entirely the tributary states in Peninsula, Kalimantan and eastern was claimed in the economic constraints suggest centralised authority, the outer been connected mainly by probably a royal monopoly. It with Champa, Cambodia, Vietnam, and even sent missions - |
| Although the Majapahit over other islands and their focus seems to have been gaining a larger share of the through the archipelago. About founded, Muslim traders and area. | rulers extended their power destroyed neighboring kingdoms, on controlling and commercial trade that passed the time Majapahit was proselytizers began entering the - |
| Following Hayam Majapahit power entered a period over succession. Hayam crown princess Prince Wikramawardhana. his previous marriage, also claimed the throne. A is thought to have which Wikramawardhana was caught and decapitated. The Majapahit grip on its outer | Wuruk's death in 1389, of decline with conflict Wuruk was succeeded by the Kusumawardhani, who married a relative, Hayam Wuruk also had a son from crown prince Wirabhumi, who civil war, called Paregreg, occurred from 1405 to 1406, of victorious and Wirabhumi was civil war has weakened vassals and colonies. |
| During the reign of armada naval expeditions led Chinese admiral, arrived in spanned the period from 1405 to expeditions has established Muslim northern ports of Java such as in Ampel, thus Islam began to gain coast. | Wikramawardhana, the series of Ming by Zheng He, a Muslim Java for several times 1433. By 1430 Zheng He's Chinese and Arab communities in Semarang, Demak, Tuban, and foothold on Java's northern - |
| Wikramawardhana ruled by his daughter Suhita, She was the 2nd child of the daughter of Wirabhumi. was succeeded by until 1451. After became a king with formal name He died in 1453. A possibly the result of a Girisawardhana, son of Kertawijaya, 1466 and was succeeded by Kertabhumi rebelled against of Majapahit. | to 1426 and was succeeded who ruled from 1426 to 1447. Wikramawardhana by a concubine who was In 1447, Suhita died and Kertawijaya, her brother. He ruled Kertawijaya died, Bhre Pamotan Rajasawardhana and ruled at Kahuripan. three-year kingless period was succession crisis. came to power 1456. He died in Singhawikramawardhana. In 1468 Prince Singhawikramawardhana promoting himself king - |
| In western part of the found itself unable to Sultanate of Malacca that in the effective control of Malacca influence to Sumatra. Several vassals and colonies began to Majapahit domination and | crumbling empire, Majapahit control the rising power of the mid-15th century began to gain strait and expands its other former Majapahit released themself from suzerainty. |
capital further inland to Daha until he was succeeded by his 1478 he defeated Kertabhumi one Kingdom. Ranawijaya the formal name Majapahit's power had declined conflicts and the growing power of kingdoms in Java. | Singhawikramawardhana moved the Kingdom’s and continued his rule son Ranawijaya in 1474. In and reunited Majapahit as ruled from 1474 to 1519 with Girindrawardhana. Nevertheless, through these dynastic the north-coastal - |
With the fall of Daha crushed by Demak in 1527, the Muslim emerging forces finally defeated the remnants of the Majapahit kingdom in the early 16th century. Demak under the leadership of Raden Patah (Arabic name: Fatah) was acknowledged as the legitimate successor of Majapahit. According to Babad Tanah Jawi and Demak tradition, the source of Patah's legitimacy was because their 1st sultan, Raden Patah, was the son of Majapahit king Brawijaya V with a Chinese concubine. Another argument supports Demak as the successor of Majapahit; the rising Demak sultanate was easily accepted as the nominal regional ruler, as Demak was the former Majapahit vassal and located near the former Majapahit realm in Eastern Java.
| Demak established and the 1st Islamic of Majapahit, the Hindu Blambangan on eastern edge and Gradually Hindu communities ranges in East Java and also to enclave of Hindu communities mountain range. | itself as the regional power sultanate in Java. After the fall kingdoms in Java only remained in Pajajaran in western part. began to retreat to mountain neighboring island of Bali. A small still remain in Tengger - |
| Of all the buildings, fine carvings and coloured" "there were elegant pavilions the scene in a painting... were sprinkled over the the wind. The roofs were arranged in their hair, | none lack pillars, bearing [Within the wall compounds] roofed with aren fibre, like The petals of the katangga roofs for they had fallen in like maidens with flowers delighting those who saw them". |
| The main event of the the 1st day of the month of from all territories paying came to the capital to pay territories were roughly divided and its vicinity; the areas were directly administered the king; and the outer substantial internal autonomy. | administrative calendar took place on Caitra when representatives tax or tribute to Majapahit court. Majapahit's into three types: the palace of east Java and Bali which by officials appointed by dependencies which enjoyed - |
Related Sites for Majapahit
- Film Gajah Mada read Majapahit
- Majapahit Info | Tentang dan Seputar Majapahit read Majapahit
