INTERNATIONAL POWER PLAY IN OLD JAVA

Java was a major power in 9^th to 14^th century Southeast Asia. In the 11^th century SingasariKingdom in present day city of Malang was the center of power in Java. The first King of Singasari was Ken Arok.

Ken Arok started his career as a robber in the regency of Tumapel. Then he became the ruler of Tumapel in a crouching coup that is nicely described by Pramoedya Ananta Toer in his novel Arok Dedes. (Read my hub: Struggle for Power in Old Java. It is a review of Pramoedya’s book). Tumapel was a vassal state of Kediri. Some years later in 1222 AD Arok managed to beat Kediri in a fierce battle. Then Arok established a kingdom called Singasari. The kingdom grew rapidly into a major power in Southeast Asia. The trade with other Southeast Asian kingdom like Vietnam, Kampuchea was flourishing. The news about prosperous Singasari reached the emperor of Mongol. Then the Mongol ruler in China, Ku Blai Khan wanted to conquer it.

The Mongol ruler sent emissaries several times to Singasari. The last king of Singasari, Kertanegara humiliated them by cutting the ears of Meng Ki, the emissary. The emperor was so angry that he decided to punish Kertarajasa.

In 1292 AD Emperor Khu Blai Khan sent a huge army and navy of about one thousand ships to Java to punish Kertanegara.

Meanwhile there was a power struggle in Java. The King Kertanegara of Singasari was defeated by Jayakatwang of Kediri in 1292 AD. Once again Singasari became the vassal state of Kediri.

Wijaya, a prince from Singasari wanted to take revenge. He got support from several army commanders and from the regent of Madura, Arya Wiraraja. He was a smart general who prepared an excellent strategy to help Wijaya come to power.

He had estimated that the Mongol army would come to conquer Java. That was Wijaya’s golden opportunity. So he posted a spy unit in the island of Bangka which is located in the southern part of China sea but belong to Indonesian waters today. The spy unit consisted of Madurese sailors. Bangka is strategically located between China and Java. The great army needed it as a stop over post. At the time they could not sail directly to Java. They need the island to load clean water, food and supplies. So they had to stay there for days. It means when they came the spy had enough time to report to Java.

When they landed in Java, in 1292 AD Wijaya warmly welcomed them. Then he guided them to Kediri. The Kediri army was no match to the invincible Mongol army. Soon the king was killed. But Wijaya had set a trap for them. When they were not alert after the battle, his army launched a surprise attack. The Mongol army was not ready so they were easily defeated. Then in 1293 AD Wijaya became a new ruler of Java. He established a new kingdom that would grow into Majapahit Empire, the greatest empire in Southeast Asia in the 13^th century.