Jayakatwang facts for kids

Jayakatwang was a king in Java who ruled the short-lived second Kediri Kingdom. He became king after he overthrew Kertanegara, the last ruler of the Singhasari kingdom. Jayakatwang's rule did not last long. He was defeated by Raden Wijaya, who was Kertanegara's son-in-law. Raden Wijaya used the help of Mongol troops who were invading Java at the time. Later, Raden Wijaya turned against the Mongols and started the powerful Majapahit empire.

Who Was Jayakatwang?

Jayakatwang was a governor, also called a viceroy, of Kediri starting in 1271. Kediri was a smaller state under the control of the Singhasari kingdom. Long before, Kediri used to be the most powerful kingdom in Java. But it was taken over in 1222 by Ken Arok, who founded Singhasari.

Jayakatwang likely came from the old royal family of Kediri. He wanted to bring his family back to power. He dreamed of making Kediri the main kingdom in Java once more.

His name comes from two words. Jaya means "victory" in Sanskrit. Ketawang means "rising" or "appearing" in Javanese.

Kediri was a rich area. It was known for growing a lot of rice. It was located on the banks of the Brantas River. This was about 80 kilometers west of Singhasari. Mountains like Arjuno-Welirang and Mount Kawi separated the two places.

Rebellion Against Singhasari

Kertanegara, the fifth king of Singhasari, was a very ambitious ruler. In 1289, messengers from the Mongol Yuan dynasty arrived in Java. They demanded that Kertanegara surrender to their powerful leader, Kublai Khan. Kertanegara refused. He even cut off the messengers' ears and sent them back to China.

Kertanegara knew the Mongols would seek revenge. So, he prepared for an invasion. He sent his army to conquer important ports and kingdoms in Maritime Southeast Asia. His biggest mission was the Pamalayu expedition to Sumatra in 1292. He sent many Javanese soldiers to take over Sumatra.

With most of the Javanese army far away, Jayakatwang saw his chance. He started a secret plan to take over Singhasari. He first sent some of his troops to northern Java. This was a trick to draw away the few Singhasari soldiers left on the island.

With Singhasari's capital city left unprotected, Jayakatwang attacked. Kertanegara was killed in his palace during the attack. After this, Jayakatwang declared himself the new ruler of Java. He announced that the Kediri kingdom was restored.

A few of Kertanegara's family members survived. One was his son-in-law, Raden Wijaya. He escaped to Madura island. There, he was protected by the local leader, Arya Wiraraja. Wiraraja asked Jayakatwang to forgive Wijaya. Jayakatwang agreed, and Wijaya promised to be loyal to him. Jayakatwang gave Wijaya land in the Tarik forest. This area was in the Brantas river delta. Wijaya built a village there, which he named Majapahit. The name came from the sour beal trees growing in the area.

Mongol Invasion of Java

In early 1293, a large Mongol army arrived in Java. They had been sent by Kublai Khan of the Yuan dynasty. Their ships sailed from Quanzhou in China. They passed by Champa and Karimata before landing at the port of Tuban.

Raden Wijaya saw this as a perfect opportunity. He wanted to get revenge for Kertanegara's death. He also wanted to claim the throne of Java for himself. So, he offered to join forces with the Mongols. The Mongols did not yet know about the recent changes in Java's leadership.

The Mongol army was huge. It had 20,000 soldiers and 1,000 ships. They also carried enough food for a year. Most of these soldiers were from southern China. After arriving at Tuban, they got their ships ready to sail up Java's rivers.

With Raden Wijaya as their guide, the Mongol troops declared war on Jayakatwang. Wijaya and his Mongol allies first defeated Jayakatwang's navy. This battle happened in Surabaya, near the delta of the Brantas River. After their victory, they marched along the Brantas River. Their goal was the Kediri Kingdom, deep inside Java.

After fierce fighting, they surrounded and captured Kediri. Jayakatwang was taken prisoner. He was executed in March 1293.

Jayakatwang's Legacy

Jayakatwang's time as king of Kediri was very short. However, the events during his rule were very important for Java's history. They especially led to the rise of the powerful Majapahit empire under Raden Wijaya.

Raden Wijaya pretended he needed to go back to Majapahit. He said he needed to prepare a gift for the Mongols. But once he was there, he betrayed his Mongol allies. The Mongols were tired after their war with Jayakatwang. Raden Wijaya then drove them out of Java. After this, he established Majapahit. This became one of the greatest sea-faring empires in Southeast Asia.