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19th Century Javanese drawing, illustrating an episode of the Geger Pecinan (‘Chinese Revolt’) the war that erupted in Java 1741-2
In 1740 the VOC implemented a policy intended to diminish the dominance of the Chinese population of Batavia (Jakarta) due to fear that their economic position was becoming increasingly powerful. This gave rise to great unrest among Batavia’s Chinese population, eventually resulting in open conflict with the Dutch. Violent clashes following a search of the Chinese quarters within Batavia turned into a massacre (October 1740). Defeated by Kumpeni troops, many Chinese left the city and fled to the east, where they were given support by the bupati (local rulers) of the north coast. A period of war ensued between the VOC, the Chinese, and the Javanese (1741-2). VOC strongholds were attacked, and Chinese communities in many parts of Java put up fierce resistance, at great losses for all parties involved. Paku Buwono II eventually decided to support them, having witnessed the determination of the Chinese resistance in Kartasura, and after the Javanese attacked the VOC fortress and the VOC’s guardhouse at the karaton there in July 1741. But he did so indirectly, through one of the realm’s highest officials, Patih Adipati Notokusurno.
The rebel forces also besieged the Dutch port of Semarang. When this eastern VOC base at Semarang did not quickly fall to the Chinese, despite local Javanese support, Paku Buwono II began to hesitate and tried to withdraw his support for the rebels. Unfortunately this decision rather dramatically backfired, and resulted instead in the rebel forces attacking Kartasura (June 1742). When Paku Buwono II made the tactical decision to return his support to the Kumpeni, he had Adipati Notokusumo arrested; the latter was eventually exiled to Sri Lanka. However, an anti-Dutch Javanese faction at Kartasura took advantage of the situation and succeeded in defeating the Dutch garrison there, thus placing themselves in a position of revolt against Paku Buwono II. The situation culminated when the karaton itself was attacked by a combined army of Chinese rebels and Javanese aristocrats, and was destroyed. They installed one of the still very young grandsons of the exiled Amangkurat III, Raden Mas Garendi, as the ruler at Kartasura, who was subsequently known as Sunan Kuning. As in many Javanese names, the ,meaning is ambiguous. While ‘Inning” means “yellow”, this can either refer to someone’s fair skin, or to Chinese ancestry.
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Three wars that increased the dominance of the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch, through the power of the Vereenigde Oost-Indische (VOC, Dutch East India Company), intruded on the affairs of Javanese rulers in the East Indies.
The first war began in 1685 with the organization of a rebellion against the Dutch by a former VOC soldier, Surapati (or Untung), a former slave and outlaw. His followers killed officials who had rebelled against the authority of the central Javanese kingdom of Mataram. The grateful king of Mataram, Susuhunan Amangkurat II (1677–1703), granted Surapati refuge. Upon Amangkurat II’s death in 1703 the Dutch supported a rival claimant to the throne, Amangkurat’s uncle Pakubuwono (1704–1719). Surapati eventually claimed kingship over the northeastern part of Java. War continued until Surapati died in 1706 of battle wounds. Susuhunan Amangkurat III (1703–1708) surrendered all of his possessions, became a prisoner of war, and was exiled to Ceylon.
The second war erupted when Susuhunan Pakubuwono I died in 1719. The claims of numerous princes instigated war. The Dutch again intervened and gave support to whoever upheld their endeavors. Four years of fighting led to all the rival claimants and Surapati’s descendants being captured by VOC forces and sent into exile. The Dutch extended their control in Java.
During the third war Mataram became a vassal of the Dutch East India Company. Susuhunan Pakubuwono III (1749–1788) received Dutch military support against two challengers. In 1751 the Dutch were seriously defeated and lost their commander. The 13 February 1755 Gianti Agreement, agreed upon by one challenger, split Mataram in two. The eastern region of Pakubuwono had its capital at Surakarta with Susuhunan Pakubuwono III as king. The western region made Yogyakarta its capital with Sultan Hamengkubuwono I (1749–1792) as its ruler. The VOC retained control over the northern provinces. Ultimately, the VOC militarily expanded its power to gain commercial supremacy over the region.
References and further reading:
Boxer, C. R. The Dutch Seaborne Empire, 1600–1800. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, UK: Penguin Books, 1990.
Greig, Doreen. The Reluctant Colonists. Netherlanders Abroad in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Assen, Netherlands:Van Gorcum, 1987.
Israel, J. The Dutch Primacy in the World Trade 1585–1740. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 1989.
