Demak–Majapahit conflicts
Perang Sudarma Wisuta | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Majapahit forces from Daha |
Demak Sultanate Majapahit defenders from Trowulan | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Girindrawardhana General Udara |
Raden Patah Kertabhumi General Sunan Ngudung General Sunan Kudus |
Perang Sudarma Wisuta, meaning the war between father and son, is the name given in Javanese chronicles for a 1478 conflict between the rising Demak Sultanate and the waning Majapahit Empire. It marked the defeat of forces loyal to the Majapahit usurper, Bhre Kertabhumi (Prince Kertabhumi), by Girindrawardhana, son of Singhavikramavardhana, and the independence of the Demak Sultanate under Raden Patah. 1478 is used to date the end of the Majapahit Empire.
Background
The Demak Sultanate was founded by Raden Patah in 1475.[1] According to Babad Tanah Jawi, he was the son of Kertabhumi and a Chinese concubine.[2] In 1468, Kertabhumi usurped Singhavikramavardhana, exiling him to Daha and reigned as Brawijaya V of Majapahit. However, Singhavikramavardhana's son Girindrawardhana consolidated a power base in Daha to retake the throne.[3] He was supported by religious tensions. To keep Majapahit influence and economic interest, Kertabhumi had awarded Muslim merchant trading rights on the north coast of Java, an action which supported the prominence of Demak Sultanate in following decades. The policy increased Majapahit's economy and influence, but weakened Buddhism's position as the dominant religion, as Islam began to spread faster and more freely in Java.[4]
Attack on Trowulan
The conflict came to a head in 1478. In the Pararaton, it states, ".... bhre Kertabhumi ..... bhre prabhu sang mokta ring kadaton i saka sunyanora-yuganing-wong, 1400".[a] In that year, Girindrawardhana's army under general Udara breached Trowulan's defences and killed Bhre Kertabhumi in his palace.[5] Demak sent reinforcements under Sunan Ngudung, who later died in battle and was replaced by Sunan Kudus. Although they managed to repel the invading army, they came too late to save Kertabhumi.[5] In the Trailokyapuri Jiwu and Petak inscriptions, Girindrawardhana claims the defeat of Kertabhumi, and that with it he reunited Majapahit as one kingdom.[6]
After the conflict, Girindrawardhana reigned as Brawijaya VI of Majapahit until he was killed and replaced by Prabu Udara in 1498, but Demak gained independence and was a sovereign state no longer subject to the Majapahit Empire.[7] The conflict led to continued war between Demak and the Majapahit rump in Daha, since Demak rulers claimed descent from Kertabhumi. This only ended with the defeat of Prabu Udara and the fall of Daha in 1517.[8]
Legacy
Today, 1478 is commemorated as among Javanese today with the candrasengkala sirna ilang kertaning bumi (sirna = 0, ilang = 0, kerta = 4, bumi = 1) (lost and gone is the pride of the land).[9]
Notes
References
Citations
- ^ Ricklefs 1993, p. 154.
- ^ Muljana 1976, p. 252.
- ^ Poesponegoro & Notosusanto 1990, p. 448.
- ^ Muljana 1976, p. 196.
- ^ a b Djafar 1978, p. 50.
- ^ Poesponegoro & Notosusanto 1990, p. 450.
- ^ Poesponegoro & Notosusanto 1990, p. 451.
- ^ Ricklefs 1993, p. 107.
- ^ Rose & Rose 1845, p. 384.
Bibliography
- Djafar, Hasan (1978). Girīndrawarddhana : Beberapa Masalah Majapahit Akhir (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Yayasan Dana Pendidikan Buddhis Nalanda.
- Muljana, Slamet (1976). A Story of Majapahit. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
- Poesponegoro, Marwati Djoened; Notosusanto, Nugroho (1990). Sejarah Nasional Indonesia Jilid II (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Balai Pustaka.
- Ricklefs, Merle Calvin (1993). A History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1300 (2nd edition). Stanford: Stanford University Press.
- Smedley, Edward; Rose, Hugh James; Rose, Henry John (1845). Encyclopaedia Metropolitana or Universal Dictionary of Knowledge: Comprising the Two fold advantage of a Philosophical and an Alphabetical Arrangement, with Appropriate Engravings Volume 1. London: B Fellowes et al.