ardiansyah said - prince of diponegoro in a great war in java (1825-1830)

7/23/2019 Ardiansyah Said - Prince of Diponegoro in a Great War in Java (1825-1830)

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Ardiansyah Said

Introduction

During the history of kingdom in Java, or the history of colonial, unprecedented large scale

war. The extensive war led by Prince Diponegoro covered main area of Yogyakarta Kingdom, Some

parts of Surakarta Kingdom, Semarang, Kedu, Bagelan, Tegal, Pati, Pekalongan, Pacitan, Banyumas,

Rembang, Bojonegoro, and Kediri. It means that Diponegoros war happened in most of area in

Central Java, Special Area of Jogjakarta (DIY) and East Java.1

Diponegoros war involved factually all of the strata of society at the time. Nearly half of

Prince Palace of Jogjakarta, relatives of King, and officials Kingdom support Prince of Diponegoro.

Some of regent outskirt of kingdom or some of Islamic leader in Jogjakarta Kingdom and Solo

Kingdom also supported the struggle of Prince Diponegoro. It means that middle strata downwards

in Jogjakartas kingdom supported its policies. There were many causes of war such as those written

by historian in his respective, but in this paper will only focus on the Course outline. On other things

were the internal affair of kingdom and the intervention of the colonial to the kingdom, means there

was a conflict t royal party and agreed with the Dutch Colonial policies. On the other side there were

those who disagreed with the Dutch colonial policies. The kingdoms internal conflict eventually

involved the outsider of kingdom (Dutch) dealing with the throne problem, land issues, violation of

kingdom culture by the foreigner. These all had let to resentment of both side and ended in a terrible

war.

1. Diponegoro As The Prince Of Folk

Born as a prince, a specially as a crown prince was something very pleasant at the time,

because one would get all the glory, luxury as well as a very special service. As a prince would have

a lot of excess land right rather than ordinary people and recognized by the people. Bandoro

Pangeran Haryo (BPH) Diponegoro was born in 1785, the eldest sons of the Prince Adipati Anom, A

1Peter Carey, Pangeran Diponegoro and the Making Java War, Oxford 1975, PJF Louw, De Java Oorlag van 1825-1830,

Sagiman MD, Pahlawan Diponegoro Berjuang, Jakarta 1965, and Muhammad Yamin, Sejarah Perang Diponegoro.


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crown prince who later became a king with the title Hamengku Buwono III. His mother was Raden

Ayu Mangkarawati with status as the first wife but not the impress. Although Diponegoro was born

in Jogjakarta kingdom but since he was seven years old, he was taken care of his great grand mother

who later moved to the countryside namely Tegalrejo village and built Dalam Tegalrejo2. There

were some reasons about his great grand mother removal, like the disappointment and

thoughtfulness, with his son life style especially king of Hamengku Buwono II who loved world live

rather than Islamic teaching.3

Prince Diponegoro was taken care and growth by his great grand mother who known as a

religious woman, strong and strict and kept Islam as a guidance. The countryside that far from luxury

and intricate from the kingdom made him closed to his people and also built his character and

attitude, who later made him as respected leader by all of the social class.

Beside that, Diponegoro as a prince had land rights lungguh (appanege) extensively (its

about 8000 m 2 per cacah ). In the structure of feodal society, beside controlling the land, holder of

the land right also controlling the farmers who worked on the land. Beside the land rights, Prince

Diponegoro also had 2000 weaponed guardians and 60 servants.

As a family kingdom who lived in the village was a rare things. Diponegoro had grown up to

be a leader who rotted in the folk, Gave life to the farmer, workers, and guardians that he knew

personally. According to the kingdom tradition, Diponegoro must come to the kingdom every

Grebek Maulud and Grebek Besar to see his great grand father King Hamengku Buwono II. and

also his father who later appointed to be Sultan Hamengku Buwono III, as a symbol of loyalty to the

king. He also had Javanese warrior education, Keraton ritual regulation, attitude and the hierarchy of

the language manner. Beside that he also got knowledge of governmental, Philosophy, javas

literature, gamelan music, and shadow puppet. He also studied about Islamic Religion in Islamic

school. He liked to join with the students of the Islamic school that had simple life.4

His journey and spiritual trip had changed his view, attitude and mind set about self and

people, he wanted to change the people condition at the time that he regarded far from Islamic

teaching and its all could only happen by Sabil war to against the colonial and cruel leader and also

built the new society in the state based on Islamic rules. The closed relationship with the farmer,

Islamic school community, and middle officials kingdom had already given support, sympathy and

admitted as a legal leader.5Prince Diponegoro also had ability in lobbying which accepted by all

society class, as well as among nobles. Tegalrejo was a region that he used to change the transaction

2Peter Carey 1975, pg 743

Ibid, pg 76-774Saleh AD, Stelsel Benteng, Disertase pg 56

5Saleh AD, Ibid pg 57


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of ideas, concept of ideology, politics, military, culture, state, strategy planning, action and also used

by society leader to held a meeting to discuss about kingdoms leaderships problems.

Those are a little bit of the prince of Diponegoros life journey to the long way to exhale the

Java Island from the foreign force and he wanted to build the kingdom based on the Islamic rule. At

last he is regarded as a symbol of people opposition to the despotic leader and he also was very

respected and obeyed by his people as well as his enemies

2. The Causes Of War

The causes of conflict of Diponegoros war had already happened in Jogjakarta for long time.

Its all about the taking over of throne and the intervention of Dutch colonial government because

Dutch government wanted to break the kingdom in chaos, conflict and the kingdom of Java did not

opposite of the colonial, like Sultanate Agung, king of Mataram did in 1613-1645. Those reasons

why the war happened.

Some causes of war are:

a. Internal Conflict Among Nobles Group

Since Sultan Hamengku Buwono I had been changed by his son namely R.M. Sundoro

with the title Hamengku Buwono II, the conducive situation turned into conflict. Beside his

principle that easily changed, strict, arrogant, and he was also anti foreigner. Marked by the

rejection of the coronation ceremony which arranged by the Dutch. In addition he had strong

Principle and courageous, like his opposition to the regulation settled by the Daendels

protocoller in 1808 for it was considered degrading the king and the kingdom dignity.

Another action was to fired Governor Danurejo II (one of son in law) that he taught

closed with Daendels and feuding with his son who later became a crown prince (Prince

Adipati Anom Amangkunegoro). Due to the conflict between sultan and Dutch Government

and also based on the report from Patih Danurejo II (was fired) and crown prince, so

Daendels changed Sultan Hamengku Buwono II with crown prince on December 1910. Due

to the change of the sovereign brought the abolition of beach tax that was paid by the

kingdom to the Dutch colonial government before. Patih Danurejo reappointed to accompany

Sultan Hamengku Buwono III. When England under Raffles command came to Java on

August 1811 and taking over Dutch powers, he sent his man to inform the transition of Dutch

power to confirm that agreements had been made in the era of Raffles remain enforced.


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The opportunities of transition of power exploited the shift of power of Sultan Sultan

Hamengku Buwono III to Hamengku Buwono II and also conducted a purge of all people

who helped the sultan Hamengku Buwono III and killed Patih Danurejo II. This action was

considered excessively and beyond the authority of the sultan to return the Quo status.

However the opposite happened, Raffles instead to reinforce the position of Sultan

Hamengku Buwono II to continue the efforts to clean up the maid who was not loyal to him.

In Addition Rafles disenfranchised Sultan Hamengku BuwonoIII as crown prince. Now he

had strong position because he was also supported by his younger brother Prince

Notokusumo and Prince Notodiningrat who had relationship with Raffles.

The closeness relationship between Notokusumo Prince and the England made

suspicion the king. So that England choosed Notokusumo as Sultan later. Meanwhile England

disagreed with Sultan Hamengku Buwono II and decided that all the previous agreement

with Daendels must be executed by Sultan Hamengku Buwono II. But it was rejected by the

Sultan and it was considered as an opposition to England. As the effect of the rejection The

Sultan Palace was invaded by England for two days.6

British residence who chaired by John Crowfurd proposed to Raffles in order to

reappointed Crown Prince of the king and choosed Diponegoro as crown prince. But the

proposal was refused by Prince Diponegoro and appointed his younger brother R.M.

Ambiyah as a crown prince. Actually Diponegoro felt sad and dislike to see the conflict of

power between his grand father (Sultan Hamengku Buwono II) with his father. He considered

that his grandfather liked breaking the law and the promise. Thats why he defended his

father, but he also thought that his father was as a weak figure against the Dutch pressure and

had westernized style.

b.

Conflict of Land Issues

Since England ruled in Java, it began the practiced of leasing land owned by the

relatives of sultan in 1814. Many relatives of the kingdom suddenly rich due to lease land to

the foreigner. Land leasing policy was still forwarded by Netherland after receiving the

returned power from England in 1816. As well as sultan Hamengku Buwono IV (Diponegoro

younger brother ) who participated in leasing land. The reason of Residen Nahujis was for

revenue funding to the government by using non-productive land become more productively

through cultivating exports plants such as coffee that was booming at the time. It was


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suspected as practiced of liberalism by his political enemies and regarded as one of the causes

rebellion.

When Van Der Capelin served as a colonial rulers he canceled the practice of leasing

land. He looked much worse as a result of the practice of leasing land, Especially for the

employee who work on the land. The villagers who live on the land commonly used as force

labor. Meanwhile, this new policy brought many problems for the aristocracy land owner,

because they had to return the money that they had received before. Consequently many

nobles became poor, because hey had to return the money. It made them hurt and displaced to

the Dutch. Van Der Capellen assumed that the Liberal economic system had not been time to

be applied in Jogjakarta. Practice in leasing land would be meaning the eviction of the

residence from their land because they could not possibly competed with the owner of large

capital.

On January 1825 had conducted a secret oral agreement between sunan Surakartas

king, Sultan Jogjakarta, Sultan Surakarta residence and Jogjakarta residence. Contents of the

agreement regarding some of the land North of the mountain of Perahu and the north east

land of Banyumas would be leased to the Dutch for 30 years, and the rest of land leasing

used by sunan and sultan Jogjakarta. Problems arose because Sultan Hamengku Buwono V

who changed the position of Sultan Hamengku Buwono IV (passed away) was still under age

and taken after by prince Mangkubumi and Prince Diponegoro. Both of the princes rejected

the agreement but Patih Danurejo IV received it.

c. Cultural Issues

Beside the Dutch colonial intervention to the succession of power and land in

Jogjakart,a they also too far violated local culture boundaries Javanese Kingdom that

eventually the intervention was considered insulting and degrading the sultan and the

Javanese people. Prince himself very embarrassed in the case of choosing R.M. Menak who

was too young by the Dutch to be Sultan Hamengku Buwono V.In this case Prince of

Diponegoro who became the sultan guardian must give respect to a child. Actually he

disagreed with the appointment of R.M.Menak to be sultan because the background of R.M.

Menak was not a crown prince. The child was born of concubines Sultan Hamengku Buwono

IV, Therefore he didnt deserve to be a king. In the nobles group, the family background or

treason against the king and kingdom was a principle that must be obeyed. In the view of

prince Diponegoro, the colonial government policy had been polluting the culture of empire.

Another cases, when Resident Swissaert who replaced Resident Baron De Salis in 1823, has


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been enacted improperly. At a meeting with the sultans family he often occupied the chair

that was prepared for the Sultan. Beside that the Resident Swissaert also frequently in and out

the palace and conducted an affair with the princess of the sultan. All of the actions caused

hatred and anger among the noble, included Diponegoro, noticed that it was impolite actions

and did not respect the custom of Java.

Another case that became crucial reason of Diponegoros war was the erection of pole

as a mark of the opening new way on Diponegoros land in Tegalrejo. It was ordered by

Residen Swissaert and Patih Danurejo IV who was involving conflict with Diponegoro. Of

course the policy made Diponegoro felt offended and got angry because he was not confirm

and without asking his permission. This conflict caused the Diponegoros war broke out for 5

years.

3. Java War

During the reign of HB (Hamengkubuwono, 1822), Prince Diponegoro did not agree to the

government system held by Patih Danurejo and Dutch officer. This rebellion culminated in 1825,

after the Dutch made the road connecting Yogyakarta and Magelang passing through his house (now

railway). The dutch colony that did not ask Prince Diponegoro permission was fought by Prince and

his troop. The Dutch had a reason to seize the Prince as a rebel; the Dutch surrounded his house on20 July 1825. Being shoved, Diponegoro and his family saved their lives to the west until Dekso

village in Kulonprogo Regency and continued to the south reaching Selarong cave located five

kilometers west of Bantul town. The Dutch troops t did not succeed in capturing him fired Prince

Diponegoros house. Selarong cave that is situated where he set guerrilla strategy against Dutch

colony. The Prince lived in the west part of the cave, named Goa Kangkung, functioning as his place

for meditating. Raden Ayu Retnaningsih (his concubine who faithfully accompanied him after the

demise of his earlier that lasted until 1830 was called Java Oorlog (Java War) in history books

written by the Dutch writers.

The troops of Prince Diponegoro were very successful in the beginning, controlling the

middle of Java and besieging Jogjakarta. Furthermore the Javanese population was supportive

Diponegoros cause, whereas the Dutch authorities were initially very indecisive. However, as the

Java War prolonged, Prince Diponegoro had difficulties in maintaining the numbers of his troops.

The Dutch colonial Army however was able to fill its ranks troops from Sulawesi and later on troops

from the Netherlands. The Dutch Commander, General De Kock, was able to end the siege of

Jogjakarta on September 25, 1825. Prince Diponegoro started a fierce guerilla war and it was not


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until 1827 that the Duch Army gained the upper hand. In 1830, after Prince Diponegoro was tricked

into entering Dutch custody near Magelang believing he was there for negotiations for a possible

cease-fire, and exiled to Manado on the island of Sulawesi. In this war, The Dutch colony lost not

less than 15000 soldiers and spent more than 20 millions Gulden. And Diponegoro lost 200.000

soldiers.

REFERENCES

Carey, peter BR., Pangeran Dipanegara and the Making Java War, Oxford, 1975, University of

Oxford.

Carey, Peter., Asal usul Perang Jawa (terjemahan tim penerjemah Pustaka Azet), Judul asli, The

Origin of the Java war (1825-1830), Jakarta, 1985, Pustaka Azet.

Sagimun, MD, Pahlawan Diponegoro Berjuang, Jakarta, 1965, Gunung Agung.

Yamin, Muhamad, Sejarah Peperangan Dipanegara, Jakarta, 1998, Balai Pustaka.

As ad Djamhari, Saleh, Stelsel Benteng Dalam Pemberontakan Diponegoro 1827-1830 suatu

kajian sejarah, Jakarta, 2002, Universitas Indonesia.

ardiansyah said - prince of diponegoro in a great war in java (1825-1830)

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