Majapahit Kingdom, Century Fourteen

PROLOG

The Majapahit Kingdom is a kingdom centred in East Java, Indonesia, which was established from around 1293 to 1500 AD This kingdom reached its peak of glory as a kingdom that controlled a large area in the archipelago during the reign of Hayam Wuruk, who ruled from 1350. up to 1389. 

The Majapahit Empire was the last Hindu-Buddhist kingdom to rule the archipelago and is considered to be one of the largest countries in Indonesian history. 

According to Negarakertagama, his powers stretched across Java, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Kalimantan to eastern Indonesia; Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Sumbawa, Lombok and Timor, although their territory is still disputed.

The Mongols are perhaps best known for being one of history's greatest conquerors. As they expanded their borders, many kingdoms were destroyed and dynasties were replaced. Perhaps less well-known was the Mongol expedition (under the Chinese Yuan Kublai Dynasty) to Java. This expedition ended in the defeat of the Mongols and gave rise to one of the last great powers in the Southeast Asia region, the Majapahit Empire.

After King Kertarajasa died in 1309, the crown prince, Raden Kalagement ascended the throne of the Majapahit Kingdom to replace his father's position and had the title Sang Prabu Jayanagara. However, this young king caused many feelings of disappointment and displeasure among the old commanders, namely the commanders of the late King Kertarajasa. There are many things they disagree with regarding the coronation. 

First, according to their understanding, Raden Kalagement was still too young to assume the task of being king in the Majapahit Kingdom which was so big and victorious and they doubted whether this young man who was only fifteen years old would be able to provide wise leadership like his late father.

Second, they thought that although Raden Kalagement was an only son because the other descendants were mere daughters, the mother of this crown prince was a daughter from Malayu named Dara Petak or Sri Indreswari.

This was very disappointing to the commanders because, in their opinion, the right to be king in Majapahit had to be a descendant of original Majapahit. The third thing which greatly caused them a sense of dissatisfaction and displeasure was that in the Jayanagara government there was a Shiva head of religion who was very powerful.

The head of the Shiva religion is named Bagawan Mahapati who is very powerful, clever, and immune to all kinds of weapons. Bhagawan Mahapati was not liked by the commanders who had helped Raden Wijaya or Prabu Kertarajasa in building the Majapahit palace.

 According to their opinion, this Bagawan Mahapati was a priest who was drunk on the luxury of life and high position, even they had their hearts suspicious that it was not impossible that the priest had used his magic power to put on witchcraft so that the young King Jayanagara was under his influence...

There have been many old commanders who submitted suggestions and advice to King Jayanagara so that they should be expelled from the kingdom. However, all this advice was ignored by the young Prabu, especially because his mother also took sides and defended Bagawan Mahapati.

The three things above are part of the reasons so that shortly after King Jayanagara ascended to the throne, rebellions arose led by his father's former commanders, including Rangga Lawe, Sora and Nambi. Rangga Lawe is a mighty commander who has become a regent in Tuban. 

In the past, this commander was promised to appoint the governor by the late King Kertarajasa, but this promise was never fulfilled. Also, Prabu Jayanagara, who was secretly persuaded and whispered by Bagawan Mahapati, did not want to fulfil his late father's promise. So Rangga Lawe rebelled.

However, there were still many brave commanders who defended Prabu Jayanagara, especially thanks to Bagawan Mahapati's powers, so Rangga Lawe's rebellion failed. He was killed by the old commander of Kebo Anabrang. 

The commander of Sora became very angry to hear about the death of Rangga Lawe in the hands of Kebo Anabrang because, in fact, they were all comrades in arms when he was still defending King Kertarajasa before. Sora seeks Kebo Anabrang as revenge for the death of Rangga Lawe.

After that, the Commander of Sora rebelled, who was then the governor of Daha. However, it turned out that Prabu Jayanagara was still being defended by smart people so that this rebellion failed, Patih Sora could be destroyed. After that, subsequent rebellions, including the Juru Demung rebellion in 1313 and the Blue Elephant in 1314.

However, all these rebellions can be put down. The most powerful thing was the rebellion carried out by Raden Nambi, the son of Aria Wiraraja, because in fact, among all the rebellions that arose, this rebellion was very troublesome for King Jayanagara.

His relations with Aria Wiraraja and Raden Nambi had been terrific, and they were considered close relatives. Aria Wiraraja was a commander who was very loyal and had the greatest service to the late King Kertarajasa, and his services in building Majapahit were enormous.

Therefore, the late Parabu Kertarajasa repaid Aria Wirarajas by making him prime minister and making him deputy king in Lumajang, while his son, Raden Nambi, was appointed governor of Majapahit. Since there were rebellions and the death of Rangga Lawe and other old commanders. Arya Wiraraja was very unhappy and he never came to the king in Majapahit, and at that time, this "strike king" was carried out to state that he did not agree with the government of Prabu Jayanagara.

Raden Nambiuang became the governor of Majapahit, also secretly left the capital and lived in Lumajang with his father. Of course, this was very disappointing and saddened King Jayanagara. Several times Bagawan Mahapati and other commander-in-chiefs persuaded the king to attack Lumajang; however, the King was still reluctant and ashamed to fight Aria Wiraraja, the older man who had made many contributions. 

Finally, after Aria Wiraraja died, the Majapahit army was deployed and under the leadership of the king himself, Lumajang was battered. Raden Nambi and his men fought desperately so that the victims on both sides fell in heaps.