Kertanagara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kertanagara |
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| Sri Maharajadiraja | |||||
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| King of Singhasari | |||||
| Reign | 1268 – 1292 | ||||
| Predecessor | Visnuvardhana | ||||
| Died | 1292 | ||||
| Burial | Singhasari and Jawi Temple, Kingdom of Singhasari | ||||
| Spouse | Shri Bajradevi | ||||
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| House | Rajasa | ||||
| Father | Visnuvardhana | ||||
| Mother | Jayavardhani | ||||
Sri Maharajadiraja Sri Kertanagara Wikrama Dharmatunggadewa, also known as Kritanagara or Sivabuddha, was the last and most important ruler of the Singhasari kingdom in Java. He ruled from 1268 until his death in 1292. During his time as king, Java's trade and power grew a lot, reaching many parts of the Indonesian archipelago.
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About King Kertanagara
Kertanagara was the fifth king of Singhasari. He was the son of the previous king, Wisnuwardhana, who ruled from 1248 to 1268. Kertanagara started to hold power in 1254 and officially became king when his father passed away in 1268. The Singhasari kingdom began in Java after Ken Arok overthrew the Kediri Kingdom in 1222. Ken Arok was the first ruler of Singhasari.
Kertanagara followed a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. He saw himself as a special leader who combined the powers of the gods Shiva and Buddha. He held many religious events and ordered the creation of sculptures and metal artworks during his rule.
Expanding the Kingdom
Singhasari became very powerful during Kertanagara's reign. The kingdom expanded its influence into Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and Bali. He also helped Java get more involved in the valuable spice trade with the Maluku Islands. Kertanagara also stopped rebellions in Java, like the one by Cayaraja in 1270 and Mahisha Rangkah in 1280.
Kertanagara was the first Javanese ruler who wanted to expand his kingdom beyond Java. In 1284, he made nearby Bali a part of his kingdom. Kertanagara also managed to make an alliance with Champa, another strong state in Southeast Asia.
Later in his rule, an important journey called the Pamalayu expedition helped him take control of the Melayu Kingdom in eastern Sumatra. It's also possible he gained control over the Sunda Kingdom and became powerful over the Strait of Malacca. Other areas like Madura Island and Borneo also accepted Kertanagara's rule.
Facing the Mongols
After conquering Song China, the Mongol Yuan dynasty wanted to expand its power into Southeast Asia. In 1289, Kublai Khan, who was the grandson of Genghis Khan, sent his ambassadors to Java. They demanded that Java pay tribute and become part of the Yuan dynasty. Kertanagara was very angry about this request. He arrested the envoys, branded their faces, cut their ears, and sent them back to China looking disfigured.
Kertanagara knew that the Mongols would send an army to punish him. So, he tried to make his kingdom stronger. Around 1290, he launched the Pamalayu expedition to Sumatra. His goal was to conquer Jambi in the south, which was one of the kingdoms that came after Srivijaya. Jambi was one of the first places in Indonesia where Islam became known, and it already had good relations with Yuan China.
Kublai Khan then ordered a large naval army to be sent to the distant islands to punish Kertanagara. This happened in 1292.
Jayakatwang's Rebellion
While Kertanagara had control over most of Java, a big change happened before the Mongol fleet arrived. Jayakatwang, who was a prince from Kediri and a powerful ruler under Singhasari, rebelled against Kertanagara. Most of Java's army was away fighting overseas. This left Singhasari's defenses weak. Jayakatwang saw his chance and launched a surprise attack. He first made a fake attack in northern East Java. This drew the remaining Singhasari troops away from the capital city. With Kutaraja, the capital of Singhasari, left unprotected, Jayakatwang attacked the city from the mountains in the south without being noticed.
Kertanagara was killed along with many of his officials in his palace in Singhasari in May or June 1292. Jayakatwang then declared himself the ruler of Java and king of the restored Kediri Kingdom.
One of Kertanagara's few surviving relatives was his son-in-law, Raden Wijaya. He escaped to Madura Island, where he was helped by its ruler, Arya Viraraja. Wijaya then settled in the lower Brantas delta. There, he built a new settlement that would later grow into the powerful Majapahit empire.
Kertanagara's Lasting Impact
Raden Wijaya used the approaching Mongol troops to defeat Jayakatwang. After the war, Wijaya then turned against his Mongol allies. They were tired from the fighting. He drove them out of Java and established Majapahit. This became one of the greatest empires to rise in the area that is now Indonesia.
Kertanagara did not have any sons. However, through his daughter Gayatri Rajapatni, who married Raden Wijaya, Kertanagara became an ancestor of the Rajasa dynasty. This was the ruling family of Majapahit. His daughter Gayatri and his granddaughter Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi would both become queen regnant (ruling queens) of Majapahit. His great-grandson Hayam Wuruk became the greatest king of Majapahit. Under his rule, Majapahit became one of the biggest empires in Nusantara.
Kertanagara was later honored as Mahaksobya Dyani Buddha by his descendants in the Wurare Inscription.
In 1351 CE, Gajah Mada, the chief minister of Majapahit, created an inscription. It was to remember the building of a special temple for King Kertanagara, who died in 1292 CE. This temple is likely the Singhasari temple, as the inscription was found nearby. It seems Gajah Mada greatly respected King Kertanagara, even 58 years after his death. This makes historians think there might have been a connection between them. Both men were known for wanting to unite the Nusantara archipelago.
The idea of Nusantara as a united region was not new with Gajah Mada in 1336. Kertanagara first used this idea in an inscription from 1255. Also, in 1275, he used the term Cakravala Mandala Dvipantara. This described his dream of a united Southeast Asian archipelago under Singhasari. It marked the start of his efforts to achieve it. Dvipantara is a Sanskrit word meaning "islands in between," similar to Nusantara, as both dvipa and nusa mean "island." Kertanagara imagined a union of Southeast Asian sea kingdoms. This union would act as a strong defense against the growing power of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty from China. It is very likely that Gajah Mada looked up to Kertanagara and used his ideas to inspire his own goal of uniting the archipelago.
See also
In Spanish: Kertanegara de Singhasari para niños
- History of Indonesia
- Pararaton
- Nagarakretagama
