Balitung facts for kids

Balitung was a powerful king who ruled the Mataram Kingdom on the island of Java. His full name was Balitung, but he was also known by his royal title, Rakai Watukura, which means 'Lord of Watukura'. He was king from May 10, 898, until around 911 or 912. His kingdom included large parts of both Central Java and East Java.

We know a lot about Balitung's time as king because over 40 stone inscriptions were made during his rule. These inscriptions are like ancient stone documents that tell us about events, laws, and important people. About half of these inscriptions were directly ordered by the king himself. Others were made by his officials or even by local communities. Two very important inscriptions from his reign are the Mantyasih inscription (from 907) and the Wanua Tengah III inscription (from 908). Both of these list the kings who ruled Mataram before Balitung.

King Balitung's Many Royal Names

Balitung used several different royal names, which was a bit unusual for Javanese kings back then. These names were in Sanskrit, an ancient language.

His most common royal name was Śrī Dharmodaya Mahāśambhu. This means 'glorious, creator of good deeds, greatly helpful'. He used this name from 901 until 910.

Another frequent name was Śrī Īsvarakeśavotsavatuṅga. This means 'glorious, highest in the joy of Īśvara and Keśava'. Īśvara and Keśava are other names for the Hindu gods Shiva and Vishnu. He used this name from 902 until 910.

He also used two other names, but only once each. In 900, he was called Śrī Bāhuvikramabajradeva, meaning 'glorious god of thunder, with strong arms'. In 904, he was called Janārdanottuṅga, which is a name for the god Vishnu.

Historians aren't sure why Balitung used so many different names. It might have been for different situations or to show different aspects of his rule.

Where Did King Balitung Come From?

Historians have wondered a lot about where Balitung came from. Some thought he might have been from East Java, but others disagreed.

The ancient inscriptions don't explain how Balitung was related to the kings who ruled before him. So, historians can only guess about his family connections. One idea is that Balitung became king because he married the daughter of the previous king, Jebang. It's also thought that Balitung's successor, Daksha, might have been his brother-in-law.

Important Events During Balitung's Rule

Balitung became king on May 10, 898. This date is mentioned in the Wanua Tengah III inscription. This inscription also tells us that Daksha was his very important chief minister, called a mahāmantri. Balitung was described as an 'incarnation of Rudra' (another name for Shiva), while Daksha was an 'incarnation of Vishnu'. This shows how powerful Daksha was during Balitung's reign.

One of the oldest inscriptions from Balitung's time is the Telahap stele, from March 11, 899. However, this stone is no longer complete, so we don't know much about it.

Fixing Water Systems at Kedulan Temple

On March 30, 900, Balitung ordered important work to be done on water systems. This included irrigating rice fields near the Tiga Ron sanctuary, which is now known as Kedulan temple.

The Tiga Ron inscription tells a story about this. Balitung was trapping pigeons near the temple and noticed that it and its fountain were in bad shape. He asked an official named Śivāstra about it. He learned that the water system was started a long time ago by King Lokapala but was never finished. Even a noblewoman named Manoharī had tried to complete it in 869, but it was still unfinished after 30 years.

So, Balitung ordered the waterworks to be properly completed. This made sure that the rice fields belonging to the temple had enough water. This story shows that Balitung cared about holy places and about managing water for farming. It also shows the challenges of building large projects in ancient Java.

Supporting Buddhist Monasteries

On November 12, 904, Balitung made a big decision. He declared that "all Buddhist monasteries (vihāra) in Java should be independent and stop being taxed." This was important because it showed the king's support for Buddhist institutions, even though he personally followed the Hindu god Shiva. This decision helped many Buddhist monasteries, including those at Dalinan, Hujung Galuh, and Pikatan.

Grants and Gifts

Balitung often gave grants and gifts, which are recorded in his inscriptions:

• The Telang plates (January 11, 904) mention a new area called Paparahuan, built near the Bengawan Solo river. Balitung freed the villages there from taxes. He also made it free for people to cross the river.
• The Poh inscription (July 17, 905) states that the village of Poh was freed from taxes. In return, the villagers had to take care of a holy monument for a deceased former king. Interestingly, Balitung's grandmother, Tammer, was a very important person involved in this decision, even more important than Daksha in the list of attendees.
• The Kubu-Kubu inscription (October 17, 905) describes a gift of the village Kubu-Kubu to two lords. They received this gift because they helped conquer an area called Bantan under Daksha's orders.

The Mantyasih Charter and Royal Weddings

The Mantyasih charter (April 11, 907) describes a gift given to five junior officials. They received this gift because they kept the peace during Balitung's wedding! This inscription also lists some of the past kings of Mataram who were honored during special ceremonies.

On October 19, 907, Balitung gave the village of Rukam to his grandmother. This was to make up for property she had lost because of a volcanic eruption.

The End of Balitung's Reign

Historians believe that Balitung's rule ended because of a rebellion led by Mpu Daksha. Daksha was Balitung's brother-in-law and had been his powerful chief minister.

In 910, an inscription shows Daksha still held the title of Rakai Hino. But by 913, another inscription shows that Daksha had already become king. This suggests that Daksha took over the throne from Balitung. Some historians think that Rakai Gurunwangi, who might have been Daksha's nephew, also joined Daksha in this rebellion.

See also

• Kingdom of Mataram
• History of Indonesia

Images for kids

• Kedulan temple.jpg

  Kedulan temple, where King Balitung ordered waterworks to be completed.