The History of Java, v. 1-2

by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles

In 1706, however, the army of Surapáti was defeated by the allied Dutch and Javan forces, and Kedíri was taken. Subsequently, the large combined army of Mangkúrat Mas and Surapáti was put to the rout and dispersed. Surapáti shortly after died in the mountains of Bángil, according to some accounts, of the effect of his wounds. He was succeeded in office by his son, Pangáting, who took the name of Adipáti Wíra Nagára, and being allied by marriage to the chiefs of Kedíri, Balambáng'an, and Grésik, brought many of the eastern districts again to acknowledge the authority of Mangkúrat Mas. Additional forces were, in consequence, sent from Batavia by the Dutch, which arrived at Semárang in 1707, and immediately proceeded, first to Kérta-súra, and then to the eastward. Falling in with the enemy of Mádion, they put him to flight, and continued their march to Surabáya, where the disturbances which had broken out on the island of Madúra obliged them to halt.

On the death of the native chief of Madúra his eldest natural son, Sástra Nagára, had declared himself his successor, and placed troops round the island to oppose the landing of his uncle, Ráden Súria Nagára, who had been appointed to the succession by the Dutch. The Dutch, however, found means to satisfy both parties, by conferring the separate charge of Sámpang on Sástra Nagára.

At Súmenap they met with greater difficulty. The native chief, Nága Sidérma, had been stabbed by his secretary: the secretary was afterwards killed by the slave of the chief. A tumult was thus excited, and the Dutch commanding officer having given offence to the principal inhabitants they proceeded with a large proportion of the population to the northern part of the island. The Dutch at length succeeded in establishing the infant son of the deceased as chief of Súmenap, with the title of Ráden Tumúng'gung Príng'ga Kasúma, under the guardianship of his mother, Rátu Sidáyu. With these proceedings the campaign closed for that year[275].

In the following year, 1708, the Dutch sent further reinforcements to the eastward, and preparations were making for opening the campaign, when the fugitive Susúnan, hearing of the arrival of the Dutch at Surabáya, sent ambassadors to their representative (Knol,) soliciting his pardon, and an assignment of some lands, independent of any other authority than that of the Dutch government. No sooner had he been promised this than he came to Surabáya, where he was received on the 17th July by Knol, who delivered to him a letter of pardon written in the Dutch and Javan languages, promising to him the independent possession of a district as a principality, subordinate only to the Dutch government. But, alas! these concessions were soon found to be nothing more than a stratagem to get possession of the prince's person. The unfortunate Susúnan, unsuspicious of the treachery, was quietly embarked at Surabáya on the 24th August, and with his three sons, his wife, concubines, and attendants, conveyed to Batavia.

The Dutch accounts relate, that as soon as the prince arrived at Batavia, the commissioners, who had received him on board and accompanied him to the castle, demanded that he should deliver up his kris before being admitted to an audience, which he refused to do. When, however, introduced to the high regency, who had been especially assembled for his reception, he prostrated himself at the feet of the governor-general, surrendered his kris, and implored the fulfilment of the conditions on which he surrendered. The governor-general replied, that Mr. Knol had not been authorized either to grant him a pardon or to make promises, yet that government would take the matter into consideration: his krís was then returned to him. He was lodged in the castle as a prisoner of war, and soon afterwards transported to Ceylon.

The account of this transaction by the Javan writers is as follows:

"The Susúnan Mangkúrat Mas and the Adipáti Wíra Nagára (son of Surapáti) had not been long at Málang before they were attacked by Pangéran Blítar, and forced to seek safety in the forests with only a few followers. There they suffered severely from disease; and most of them dying, the rest removed to the land of Blítar, whence the Susúnan sent a letter to the chief Dutch authority at Surabáya, asking him why the Dutch had thus assisted the Pangéran Púgar against him, and deprived him of the sceptre which had descended to him from his ancestors, adding that he was himself equally the friend of the Dutch, that he had never harboured a thought injurious to them, and that if they still believed that he had been guilty of a fault against them, it would be well if they would point it out that he might exert his utmost to make amends: for this they might fully depend on him; 'therefore,' said he, 'let the Dutch place confidence in me, let them consider my youth, and that it is yet but a short time that I have been a sovereign.' To this the Dutch authority replied, 'If the Susúnan wishes to act thus, and his intentions are good, let him come to Surabáya.' Susúnan Mangkúrat then requested, that if the Dutch would not again place him on the throne, they would assign him a province, in which he and his family might reside in peace. A promise being given to that effect he immediately proceeded to Surabáya, where he was received with all honours and the customary salutes, and afterwards entertained with the Dutch officers in the Passangráhan of the Adipáti of Surabáya. The Dutch authority at last said to him, with the utmost kindness and softness of speech, 'If the Susúnan has no objection, I am anxious that we should go to Semárang to see the commissary; from thence the Susúnan can at once proceed to Kérta-súra, and request the Dutch again to acknowledge him as sovereign of Java.' The Susúnan immediately assented to this arrangement. He was then, with his family and followers, embarked on board a ship; but instead of being conveyed to Semárang, he was taken to Batavia, and afterwards banished to Ceylon."

It appears, that after the arrival of Mangkúrat Mas at Ceylon he found means to dispatch letters of complaint to the prince of Orange and the Court of Directors in Holland. Two Mahomedan priests were charged with the mission, but the letters being intercepted, the messengers were subjected to severe punishment.

With Mangkúrat Mas was lost the celebrated makóta, or crown of Majapáhit. The regalia of the sovereigns of Java, with the exception of this important article, were duly delivered over, by order of the Dutch, to the acknowledged sovereign Pakabúana, but nothing more was ever heard of the crown, and since that time, the princes have worn a cap, as described in another place. As the Dutch were now become supreme on Java, a crown was perhaps but an empty pageant. It cannot, however, escape notice, that this proud ornament of state should first have been deprived of its brightest jewel, and afterwards, as there is too much room to suspect, filched by the Dutch, who probably stripped it of its remaining jewels, and melted down the gold for its value!

The removal of Mangkúrat Mas did not, however, extinguish the flame of internal discord which still blazed forth in the eastern provinces of Java, and which increased till the year 1712-13. The Susúnan sent several embassies to Batavia, requesting assistance against the chiefs of Balambángan and of the island of Madúra, as well as against the sons of Surapáti, who had their hiding places in the mountains. On this occasion the Dutch sanctioned the nomination of the Pangéran Mángku Nagára as the hereditary prince, and promised the required succours against the rebels, but took care to point out the value which they put upon their assistance: a piece of policy which, on no occasion, they seem to have forgotten. They adverted to the immense sums they had at different times advanced, and the extent of the obligations which the Susúnan lay under to them, admonishing him to act with greater circumspection in future, and to adopt such measures as might put a stop to the civil wars and commotions which desolated the country.