Mataram

Mataram, large kingdom in Java that lasted from the late 16th century to the 18th century, when the Dutch came to power in Indonesia. Mataram was originally a vassal of Pajang, but it became powerful under Senapati (later known as Adiwijoyo), who defeated Pajang and became the first king of Mataram. Senapati attempted to unite eastern and central Java without much success.

Under Sultan Agung, who came to power in 1613, as the Dutch entered the region, Mataram was able to expand its territory to include most of Java. After capturing several port cities of northern Java, especially Surabaya and Madura, he attempted to seize Batavia from the Dutch East India Company. He launched two unsuccessful attacks, one in 1628 and the other in 1629. The sultan also launched a “holy war” against Bali and against Balambangan in extreme eastern Java. He then concentrated on the internal development of Mataram. He moved the inhabitants of central Java to the less populated Krawang (in western Java) and encouraged interisland trade. He also adapted Islām to the Hindu-Javanese tradition and introduced a new calendar in 1633 based on Islāmic and Javanese practice. The arts during Sultan Agung’s reign were a mixture of Islāmic and Hindu-Javanese elements.

Mataram began to decline after the death of Sultan Agung (1645) and, in the mid-18th century, lost both power and territory to the Dutch East India Company. It had become a vassal state of the company by 1749. Wars of succession took place in Mataram, resulting in the division of the eastern and western regions in 1755 (see Gianti Agreement); two years later Mataram was divided into three regions.