On the 7th September 1680, another contract was entered into with the princes of Chéribon, by which all former differences were declared to be forgotten, and Panambáhan, Chéribon, and sultan Anom, promised to respect and honour their elder brother, sultan Sépu, as the first-born of their Panambáhan Kiái Gíri Láyah. Sultan Sépu promised, on the other hand, not to slight his brothers in any way, but on the contrary to treat them, on every occasion, with the deference due to their rank. It was agreed, that there shall be one place only for holding tournaments, where the royal brothers would appear every Saturday in their state dresses, attended by their mántris, and that, to prevent disputes, they should be seated to the right and left of sultan Sépu, and all the mántris below; but that, should indisposition prevent one of them from attending the tournament, they should send due notice thereof on the Saturday morning. At the tournament the sultan only had the right to speak; but sultan Sépú not being present, that right was to devolve on the second, and in his absence on the third chief. In the event of all the princes being prevented from attending, the eldest sons of sultan Sepu and Anom should make their appearance, and the command devolve on the Pangéran. That in consequence of frequent disputes having arisen among the princes, with reference to the appointment and super-cession of prime minister, the right of nominating to that office was vested exclusively in the governor-general of Batavia. That in the event of any difference occurring between the princes, which they could not adjust themselves, the resident of Chéribon should be requested to act as arbitrator on the part of the Dutch. That should one of the princes refuse to comply with this article, the other brothers should on no account molest him, but simply report the matter to the Batavian government, through their ambassadors. The dissenting prince should, however, in that case, voluntarily place himself in the resident's custody, who should not be permitted to convey him out of Chéribon.
Mr. Middlekoop mentions, that during the reign of this prince, the principality of Madúra was conferred by the Susúnan on Chákra Diníngrat; but the inhabitants of Súmenap being discontented with this choice, they informed the Susúnan that they would rather die than submit to that authority; upon which the Susúnan thought proper to divide that country into two parts, giving to Chákra Diníngrat the western district, and the eastern, or Súmenap district, to Mas Yáng Wúlan, who took the name of Yúdha Nagára. In the year 1683, the whole island of Madúra revolted, and became subject to the Dutch government.
But to return to Pangéran Adipáti Amángku Nagára, usually called Mangkúrat Más. The authority of this prince seems to have been attacked almost immediately after his accession to the throne; for Ráden Súria Kasúma, a son of the Pangéran Púgar, having accompanied the procession which attended the body of the late Susúnan to the grave, persuaded many of the party to declare him sovereign of Java, under the title of Súnun Panatagáma. The Susúnan Mangkúrat Mas no sooner heard of this, than he became highly enraged with his uncle, the Pangéran Púgar, and sent back to him his daughter, the queen Ratu Kanchána. He afterwards ordered the Pangéran with his wives and children into his presence, and commanding them to be seized, publicly exposed them on the alun alun, in a pen or railing made for that purpose, which the Javans call betek. Ráden Suria was apprehended.
On the one hundredth day after the death of the late Susúnan, the wives of the chiefs being assembled to prepare a customary feast, intended "to give a blessing to the journey of the deceased," the Susúnan conceived a passion for Ayu Pakúwati, the wife of the Adipáti of Madúra, and availed himself of his power over her to gratify it. She, however, soon made her escape, and reported the particulars to her husband, who in revenge concurred with the Adipáti of Semárang, in urging the Pangeran Púgar to assume the sovereignty. "So large a party," said these chiefs, "being in favour of your pretensions, you can never be condemned for assuming the government; for as with men who drink a bottle of wine, if there are few of them they must necessarily become intoxicated, but if there are many, truly it is nothing at all."
Being assured by the Adipáti of Semárang, that the Dutch were not cordial friends of the present Susúnan, the Pangéran was at last prevailed upon to escape with his family and a chosen band to Semárang, where the Dutch received him, and conditionally proclaimed him sovereign of Java.
As soon as the Susúnan Mangkúrat Mas was informed of the departure of the Pangéran, he applied to the commissioners at Semárang to have him delivered up; but received for reply an intimation, that he was under the protection of the Dutch, and that if the Susúnan wanted him he must come for him himself. Enraged at this evasion, he ordered that Ráden Súria Kasúma, the son of the Pangéran, should immediately be put to death. The young prince was accordingly brought into his presence for the purpose, when a great eruption suddenly took place from Merápi, the mountain emitting a sound louder than thunder, and flame which enlightened all Kérta Súra. The Susúnan, thinking that his end was approaching, sent the young king back into confinement, when the sounds immediately ceased, and the mountain emitted no more flame. The Susúnan conceiving all danger at an end, once more ordered the execution of the prince, but a more violent eruption than the first instantly rent the mountain asunder. The alarm of the Susúnan was increased, and considering this was a gáro-gáro, or sign, that the prince was favoured by the Almighty, he altered his intentions, received his intended victim into favour, and appointed him a Pangéran, under the title of Pangéran Ang'ebái Saléring Péken, with an assignment of one thousand cháchas of land.
He appointed the Adipáti of Madúra, under the name of Panambáhan Chakra Níngrat, chief over all the coast districts, from Brébes to Banyuwángi, and the Tumúng'gung of Surábaya, under the name of Adipáti Jaeng Rána, to be his Páteh. To the Tumúng'gung of Semárang he also gave the title of Adipáti Súra Adimang'gála.
Immediately after his accession he had written to the Dutch government; but it appears that the letter was not forwarded from Semárang to Batavia until after the Pangérang Púgar had taken part against him. According to the Dutch accounts, the ambassadors of both parties arrived nearly at the same time at Batavia, were admitted to audience the next day, and were received, not like ambassadors, but rather as messengers.
The objections urged by the Dutch to the acknowledgment of the Susúnan were the following:—1st. Because he was a great tyrant, and well known to have instigated his father to a rupture with the Dutch, and to have himself menaced hostilities against them, as soon as he should have mounted the throne. 2d. Because his embassy did not consist of princes of his family, and the prime minister, as usual, but of two common regents only. 3d. Because the letter which communicated his father's death, and announced his own accession, although it contained a request for protection against his enemies, did not apply for their sanction or confirmation, nor declare his readiness to renew the contracts, to acknowledge the debts, and to fulfil the engagements formerly stipulated, though he ought to have known that this was the basis upon which alone the Dutch could have recognized his title as sovereign of Java. 4th. Because letters had been intercepted, in which he invited the prince of Madúra to join him against the Dutch, calling them his mortal enemies, whom he intended to expel from the island of Java.
These combined circumstances induced the Dutch government not to acknowledge him as successor to his father, although they, with a view to gain time until the arrival of a fleet expected from Holland with a reinforcement of troops, wrote to him, merely declining to receive his ambassadors as such, and requiring him to send others, whose family connections and rank might entitle them to more consideration, and with whom they might treat.