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View all search resultsDiponegoro and the birth of Indonesian nationalism
The Javanese prince of the Yogyakarta Sultanate declared war on July 21, 1825, at Selarong Cave, Bantul, after Dutch troops arrived at his Tegalrejo estate the day before to secure a road construction site, triggering long-held resentment against the Dutch.
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Historic catalyst: An 1835 painting by Dutch artist Nicolaas Pieneman documents the surrender of Prince Diponegoro to General De Kock. (The Jakarta Post/rijksmuseum.nl)
E
xactly two centuries ago this week, a Yogyakarta prince by the name of Raden Mas Antawirya, later known with his nom de guerre Pangeran Diponegoro led a guerrilla campaign against the Dutch military army. This was an armed resistance that would last for five years, killing an estimated 200,000 Javanese and almost bankrupting the Dutch colonial administration, setting off a chain of events that would pave the way for Indonesia's independence.
Diponegoro declared war on July 21, 1825, from the Selarong Cave, Bantul, after Dutch troops and workers arrived at his Tegalrejo estate the day before to secure a road construction site, triggering long-held resentment against the Dutch.
Historians have held a consensus that the eviction of Diponegoro from his estate was only a trigger, as the prince had long held resentment toward the Dutch colonial administrators who interfered with the Yogyakarta Sultanate's affairs for their own benefit, while locals suffered from heavy taxation and forced labor.
The war quickly garnered support from people who were already suffering from cholera, famine and unfair policies.
"The resistance wouldn't be a major war if the reason was that someone had a dispute. It was because the Dutch created an extremely unfair system for the people. The Dutch created their own 'senjata makan tuan' [boomerang effect] which led to the fight," said British historian Peter Carey, who has spent decades of his life to researching Diponegoro.
Ratu Adil (Just King)
Born into an aristocratic family as the first son of Hamengkubuwono III and one of his 20 concubines, the Javanese prince molded himself into the image of a Ratu Adil (Just King), a ruler with a mandate to bring justice and resist oppression.
