Sunda Kingdom
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The Sunda Kingdom ( , ) was a Sundanese
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
kingdom located in the western portion of the island of
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
,
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
,
West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
,
Lampung Lampung, officially the Province of Lampung (; ), is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Sumatra. It has a short border with the province of Bengkulu to the northwest, and a longer border with the provi ...
, and the western part of
Central Java Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
. The capital of the Sunda Kingdom moved several times during its history, shifting between the Galuh (Kawali) area in the east and Pakuan Pajajaran in the west. The Sunda Kingdom reached its peak during the reign of King Sri Baduga Maharaja, whose reign from 1482 to 1521 is traditionally remembered as an age of peace and prosperity among Sundanese people. According to primary historical records such as the '' Bujangga Manik'' manuscript, the eastern border of the kingdom was the Pemali River (Ci Pamali; the present-day Brebes River) and the Serayu River (Ci Sarayu) in Central Java. Most accounts of the Sunda Kingdom come from primary historical records from the 16th century. The kingdom's inhabitants were primarily the eponymous ethnic Sundanese, while the majority religion was
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
.


Etymology

The name ''Sunda'' derives from the
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
prefix A prefix is an affix which is placed before the stem of a word. Particularly in the study of languages, a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the word to which it is affixed. Prefixes, like other affixes, can b ...
''su''- which means "goodness" or "possessing good quality". The example is ''suvarna'' (lit: "good color") used to describe gold. ''Sunda'' is also another name for Hindu God
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
. In Sanskrit, the term ''Sundara'' (masculine) or ''Sundari'' (feminine) means "beautiful" or "excellence". According to Reinout Willem van Bemmelen, a Dutch geologist, the name ''Sunda'' was derived from Sanskrit term ''Shuddha'', which means 'white' and 'pure'. The term ''Sunda'' also means 'bright, light, purity, cleanness, and white'. The name ''Sunda'' is also known in Hindu mythology of Sunda and Upasunda, as one of the powerful
Asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...
brothers that received the boon of invulnerability from
Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...
. It is not clear, however, whether the
eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...
ous ''Sunda'' was derived from this Hindu myth. It seems that by the 10th century, the name ''Sunda'' was used by foreigners, possibly by early Indian explorers, Malay
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
n traders and colonizer, as well as Javanese neighbours, as a
toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''wikt:toponym, toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for ...
to identify the Western parts of Java. The Juru Pangambat inscription, dated from 854 Saka (932 CE), confirmes this. The name is similarly used by the Javanese to identify their western neighbour, also rival and enemy, as mentioned in Horren inscription (c. 11th century) from Kediri. An early 13th-century Chinese account reported the pepper port of ''Sin-t'o'' (Sunda), which probably referred to the port of Banten or Sunda Kalapa. By the 15th to 16th century, after the consolidation of the kingdom by Sri Baduga Maharaja, the name ''Sunda'' had shifted from a toponym, into a name that identified a kingdom and its people. The
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
is named after the Sunda Kingdom, the latter having once ruled the area on both coasts of the strait.


Historiography

Knowledge of the kingdom among
Sundanese people The Sundanese (; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to Java in Indonesia, primarily West Java. They number approximately 42 million and form Ethnic groups in Indonesia, Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group. T ...
has been kept alive through Sundanese ''
Pantun ''Pantun'' ( Jawi: ) is a Malayic oral poetic form used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It generally consists of an even number of lines and is based on ABAB rhyming schemes. The shortest consists of two lines, known as the in Mal ...
'' oral tradition, the chant of poetic verses about the golden age of Sunda Pajajaran, and the legend of Prabu Siliwangi, the most popular king of Sunda. Several stone inscriptions mention the kingdom, such as Juru Pangambat, Jayabupati,
Kawali Kawali was the capital of Sunda Kingdom during Galuh Kingdom, Galuh period, between early 14th to late 15th century. It is located in present day Astana Gede inscriptions, Astana Gede archaeological site, in Kawali District of Ciamis Regency, in W ...
, and Batutulis. Most account and records of the Sunda Kingdom are derived from manuscripts dated from a later period circa 15th to 16th century, such as '' Bujangga Manik'', '' Sanghyang Siksakanda ng Karesian'', '' Carita Parahyangan'', and ''
Kidung Sunda Kidung Sunda is a Javanese language, Middle-Javanese kidung of probable Balinese provenance. In this poem, the story of King Hayam Wuruk of Majapahit who was looking for a bride-to-be, is narrated. At last, he chose the princess of Sunda Kingdom, ...
''.


Local account

The earliest reference to the name "Sunda" being used to identify a kingdom is the Kebon Kopi II inscription dated 854 Saka (932 CE). This inscription is in the
Kawi script The Kawi script or the Old Javanese script (, ) is a Brahmic script found primarily in Java and used across much of Maritime Southeast Asia between the 8th century and the 16th century.Aditya Bayu Perdana and Ilham Nurwansah 2020Proposal to en ...
, but the language used is
Old Malay Malay language, Malay was first used in the first millennia known as Old Malay, a part of the Austronesian languages, Austronesian language family. Over a period of two Millennium, millennia, Malay has undergone various stages of development th ...
. It translates as follows: Another reference to the kingdom is the Jayabupati inscription which consists of 40 lines written on four pieces of stone, found on the Cicatih river bank in Cibadak,
Sukabumi Sukabumi () is a landlocked city surrounded by the Sukabumi Regency, regency of the same name (within which it is an enclave and exclave, enclave) in the southern foothills of Mount Gede, in West Java, Indonesia, about south of the national ca ...
. This inscription is again written in
Kawi script The Kawi script or the Old Javanese script (, ) is a Brahmic script found primarily in Java and used across much of Maritime Southeast Asia between the 8th century and the 16th century.Aditya Bayu Perdana and Ilham Nurwansah 2020Proposal to en ...
, and mentions the establishment of a protected sacred area called Sanghyang Tapak by the King Jayabhupati of Sunda. The inscription is dated to 1030 CE. Copperplate letters dating to the 15th century, including royal instructions, also support the existence of the Sunda Kingdom. The copperplate inscription of Kebantenan I (Jayagiri) reads that Raja Rahyang Niskala Wastu Kancana sent an order through Hyang Ningrat Kancana to the Susuhunan of Pakuan Pajajaran to take care of ''dayohan'' in Jayagiri and Sunda Sembawa, banning the collection of collecting taxes from the residents, because they would be knowledgeable about the Hindu religion and worshipped the gods. The Kebantenan II (or Sunda Sembawa I) copperplate inscription announces Sri Baduga Maharaja (1482–1521), the king in Pakuan, approved an already delineated sacred estate (''tanah devasasana'') put at the disposal of the ''wiku'' (priests), which must not be split as it houses facilities for worship, which belong to the king. The Kebantenan III (Sunda Sembawa II) copperplate inscription announces the king of Sunda's sanctions of holy construction in Sunda Sembawa. The Kebantenan IV inscription details that Sri Baduga Maharaja, who ruled in Pakuan, sanctioned a similar sacred estate at Gunung Samya (Mount Rancamaya). The Batutulis inscription is still ''in situ'' at its original location. This inscription commemorates the great king of the Sundanese kingdom named Prabu Guru Dewata Prana who was later crowned as Sri Baduga Maharaja Ratu Haji at Pakuan Pajajaran Sri Sang Ratu Dewata. The king's genealogy states that he was the son of Rahyang Dewa Niskala who died in Gunung Tiga, and the grandson of Rahyang Niskala Wastu Kancana who died in Nusa Larang. It was stated that Sri Baduga had made several works, including making defensive ditches to protect the city of Pakuan, making memorials, making ''gugunungan'' (mountains, perhaps punden terraces), making paving halls with rocks, ''samida'' forests or making ceremonial places, as well as create ''telaga warna''. The ''Bujangga Manik]'' manuscript is the primary source on the daily life of the Sunda Kingdom in the late 15th to early 16th century. Detailing place names, culture and customs, in great detail, it is considered one of the important specimens of Old Sundanese language, Sundanese literature. The manuscript tells the story of Jaya Pakuan alias Bujangga Manik, though a prince at the court of Pakuan Pajajaran, preferred to live a solitary life as a devout Hindu. As a hermit traveller, the book details two journeys from Pakuan Pajajaran to central and eastern Java and back, the second journey including a visit to
Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...
. It is concluded that Jaya Pakuan practised asceticism on a mountain in western Java until his death. As manuscript dates from the pre-Islamic Sunda era, it is written in an older form of Sundanese. It does not contain any words traceable to Arabic. Islamic influence is absent from the content of the story as well. The specific mention of
Majapahit Majapahit (; (eastern and central dialect) or (western dialect)), also known as Wilwatikta (; ), was a Javanese people, Javanese Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia based on the island o ...
,
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
, and Demak, allow us to date the writing of the story in the 15th century, probably the latter part of this century, or the early 16th century at the latest.


Chinese account

According to F. Hirt and W.W. Rockhill, there are Chinese sources concerning the Sunda Kingdom. At the time of the Southern Sung dynasty, the inspector of trade with foreign countries,
Chau Ju-kua Zhao Rukuo ( zh, t=趙汝适, s=赵汝适, p=Zhào Rǔkuò; 1170–1231), also romanised as Zhao Rugua, Chau Ju-kua, or misread as Zhao Rushi, was a Chinese government official and writer during the Song dynasty. He wrote a two-volume book titled ' ...
, collected reports from sailors and merchants who had visited foreign countries. His report on far countries, '' Chu-fan-chi'', written from 1178 to 1225 AD, mentions the deepwater harbour of Sin-t’o (Sunda). Chu-fan-chi reported that: According to this source, the kingdom of Sunda produced high-quality black pepper. The kingdom located in the western parts of Java near
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
, corresponds to today Banten, Jakarta, and the west part of West Java province. According to this source, the port of Sunda was under
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
mandala domination. This Port of Sunda was highly possible to refer to Old Banten instead of Kalapa (present-day
North Jakarta North Jakarta (; ), abbreviated as Jakut, is one of the five administrative cities (''kota administrasi'') which form Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia. North Jakarta is not self-governed and does not have a city council, hence it is ...
). Its capital is located 10 kilometres inland southward in Banten Girang near Mount Pulosari. The Chinese book “Shun-Feng Hsiang-Sung" from around 1430 AD relates: According to this source, the port of Sunda was located west of Kalapa and later identified as the port of Old Banten.


European account

European explorers, mainly Portuguese based in
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
, also reported the existence of the Sunda Kingdom. Tomé Pires (1513) mentioned a Western Java kingdom that had established trade relation with them as ''Regño de Çumda'', which means "Kingdom of Sunda". Also the report of Antonio Pigafetta (1522) that mentioned Sunda as a pepper producing region. Tomé Pires from Portugal wrote in his report Suma Oriental (1513–1515): The Portuguese report is dated from a later period of the kingdom, shortly before its fall to forces of the Sultanate of Banten.


History

The history of the Sunda Kingdom spanned for almost a millennium, between the 7th to 16th century. One of the few remnants is the 7th century Bojongmenje Hindu temple near
Bandung Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, the city is the List of Indonesian cities by population, fourth-most populous city and fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabay ...
. It was one of the earliest temple structures in Java, older than temples of Dieng in Central Java, and linked to the Sunda Kingdom. The earlier period is unclear, much owed to only two manuscripts dated from a much later period, the '' Carita Parahyangan''. Its relations to
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
, a previous kingdom in western Java is unknown. The history of later period, however, after the late 14th century, is clearer especially following the reign of King Wastu Kancana and Sri Baduga Maharaja. This is contributed mainly to the availability of historical sources, including numbers of foreign reports, especially Portuguese's '' Suma Oriental'', several stone inscriptions (''prasasti'') especially Batutulis, and native primary historical manuscripts of '' Bujangga Manik'' and '' Sanghyang Siksakanda ng Karesian''.


Rakryan Juru Pangambat

According to Kebon Kopi II inscription, dated from 932, discovered near
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
, a skilled hunter named Rakryan Juru Pangambat, declared that the authority is restored to the king of Sunda. This inscription was written in Kawi alphabet, however curiously the language being used is
Old Malay Malay language, Malay was first used in the first millennia known as Old Malay, a part of the Austronesian languages, Austronesian language family. Over a period of two Millennium, millennia, Malay has undergone various stages of development th ...
. Archaeologist F.D.K. Bosch proposed that this suggests
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
n influence over western Java. French historian, Claude Guillot proposed that this was a declaration of independence of the Sunda Kingdom, possibly from Srivijaya.


Jayabupati

According to
Sanghyang Tapak inscription The Sanghyang Tapak inscription (also known as Jayabupati inscription or Cicatih inscription) is an ancient inscription dated from 952 saka (1030 CE), consisting of 40 lines requiring 4 pieces of stone to write on. The inscription mentioned th ...
, dated from 1030 found in Cibadak near
Sukabumi Sukabumi () is a landlocked city surrounded by the Sukabumi Regency, regency of the same name (within which it is an enclave and exclave, enclave) in the southern foothills of Mount Gede, in West Java, Indonesia, about south of the national ca ...
, a king, Maharaja Sri Jayabupati, has established a sacred sanctuary of Sanghyang Tapak. Curiously, the style of the inscriptions reveal an East Javanese script, language, and style, akin to Dharmawangsa's court of Mataram. This has led to suggestions that the Sunda Kingdom at this time probably was under the influence of Mataram, or probably Jayabupati subscribed to Javanese culture. Sri Jayabupati in ''Carita Parahyangan'' is mentioned as Prabu Detya Maharaja. The 11th century Horren inscription found in southern Kediri, reported that ''çatru Sunda'' ("enemy from Sunda") had invaded and menacing villages in East Java. After Sri Jayabupati, there is no stone inscription discovered mentioning the next ruler. There is no tangible evidence discovered from the period between the 11th to the 14th century. Most of our current knowledge about this period came from ''Carita Parahyangan''. The
Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
Chinese source, '' Chu-fan-chi'' circa 1200, mentioned that Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and ''Sin-to'' (Sunda). The source describes the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, pepper from Sunda being among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture and their houses were built on wooden poles ('' rumah panggung''). However, robbers and thieves plagued the country. The port of Sunda referred by Chou Ju-kua probably referred to Old Banten, instead of
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
. It seems that by the early 13th century, the maritime trade was still dominated by Srivijayan mandala based in Sumatra.


Golden age

The name Sunda appeared in Javanese source, the ''
Pararaton The ''Pararaton'' (''Book of Kings''), also known as the ''Katuturanira Ken Angrok'' (''Story of Ken Angrok''), is a 16th-century Javanese historical chronicle written in Kawi language, Kawi (Old Javanese). The comparatively short text of 32 f ...
'', reported that in 1336, during the inauguration of his newly appointed position as Prime Minister, Gajah Mada declared the Palapa oath, which stated his foreign policy to unify the archipelago under Majapahit domination. ''Pararaton'' recorded what Gajah Mada had said: Translation: Sunda was mentioned as one of the kingdoms targeted by Mada's overseas campaign. It seems by the early 14th century, the Kingdom of Sunda has grown quite prosperous and took part in international maritime trade.


Prabu Maharaja

The '' Carita Parahyangan'' and ''
Pararaton The ''Pararaton'' (''Book of Kings''), also known as the ''Katuturanira Ken Angrok'' (''Story of Ken Angrok''), is a 16th-century Javanese historical chronicle written in Kawi language, Kawi (Old Javanese). The comparatively short text of 32 f ...
'' named him as Prěbu Maharaja, while the pseudohistorical Wangsakerta give a detailed name of Prabu Maharaja Lingga Buana. He ruled from Kawali Galuh, and died in the
Battle of Bubat The Battle of Bubat, also known as ''Pasunda Bubat'', is the battle between the Sunda Kingdom, Sundanese royal family and the Majapahit army that took place in Bubat Square on the northern part of Trowulan (Majapahit capital city) in 1279 Saka or ...
in 1357, fell victim to a stratagem crafted by the Majapahit prime minister, Gajah Mada.
Hayam Wuruk Hayam Vuruk ( Indonesian: ''Hayam Wuruk'', Sanskrit: हयम् वुरुक्, Kawi: ꦲꦪꦩ꧀ꦮꦸꦫꦸꦏ꧀) (1334–1389), also called Rajasanagara, Pa-ta-na-pa-na-wu, or Bhatara Prabhu after 1350, was a Javanese Hindu emperor fr ...
, the king of Majapahit, intended to marry Princess Dyah Pitaloka, the daughter of Prabu Maharaja. Delighted, the Sunda king and his royal family came to Majapahit, to marry off his daughter to Hayam Wuruk. The Sunda party erected the encampment on Bubat square in the northern part of Trowulan and awaited the proper wedding ceremony. Gajah Mada however, saw this event as an opportunity to demand Sunda's submission to Majapahit overlordship and insisted that the princess was to be presented as a token of submission. Angered and humiliated, the Sunda king decided to cancel the wedding and to return home, resulting in a skirmish between the Sunda royal family and the Majapahit army. Outnumbered, almost the entire Sundanese party, including the princess, perished in this tragedy. The tradition says Princess Dyah Pitaloka committed suicide to defend the honour of her country. After his death, Prabu Maharaja was revered as Prabu Wangi () for the heroic defence of his honour. Thus his successors, the later kings of Sunda, were later called ''Siliwangi'' (lit. successor of Wangi). The story is the main theme of the book
Kidung Sunda Kidung Sunda is a Javanese language, Middle-Javanese kidung of probable Balinese provenance. In this poem, the story of King Hayam Wuruk of Majapahit who was looking for a bride-to-be, is narrated. At last, he chose the princess of Sunda Kingdom, ...
, another source reporting this incident found in Bali.


Niskala Wastu Kancana

The next king of Sunda was Niskala Wastu Kancana, who was the youngest son of Prabu Maharaja and younger brother to Princess Dyah Pitaloka, who both perished in Bubat Incident. In 1371, Prince Wastu ascended to the throne, stylized as Prabu Raja Wastu Kancana. According to one of Astana Gede inscriptions, approximately dated from the second half of the 14th century, the king ordered the construction of defensive structures, walls and moats surrounding Kawali city, and renovated Surawisesa palace. The construction of moats and other defensive measures, was probably as a response to a perceived foreign threat. Especially since the relations between Sunda and its powerful eastern neighbour Majapahit empire badly deteriorated following the Bubat incident. Niskala Wastu then resided in Kawali palace of Galuh. His reign is remembered as a long era of peace and prosperity. The copperplate inscription of Kebantenan I reads that Raja Rahyang Niskala Wastu Kancana sent an order through Hyang Ningrat Kancana to the Susuhunan of Pakuan Pajajaran to take care of ''dayohan'' in Jayagiri and Sunda Sembawa, banning the collection of taxes from the residents because they were knowledgeable about the Hindu religion and worshipped the gods. According to Batutulis inscription, Rahyang Niskala Wastu Kancana was buried in Nusalarang, and supported by ''Carita Parahyangan'' manuscript that mentioned "''Prebu Niskala Wastu Kancana surup di Nusalarang ring giri Wanakusumah''". At this point, the capital was still located in Galuh, more precisely in Kawali city.


Ningrat Kancana

Niskala Wastu Kancana's son, named as Tohaan di Galuh (Lord of Galuh) in ''Carita Parahyangan'', succeeded him as the king. He was mentioned in Kebantenan I inscription as Hyang Ningrat Kancana and in Batutulis inscription as Rahyang Dewa Niskala. The new king, however, reigned for only seven years and subsequently demoted. Carita Parahyangan tells that ''"... kena salah twa(h) bogo(h) ka estri larangan ti kaluaran ..,"'' which translate as "because (his) wrongdoing, fell in love with a forbidden outsider woman." Although it was unclear as to what the line mean, it was possible that the forbidden outsider woman was a Muslim, signifying the presence of
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
in western Java. According to the Batutulis inscription, Rahyang Dewa Niskala was later buried in Gunatiga. This information is supported by ''Carita Parahyangan'' which mentioned that Tohaan di Galuh was ''nu surup di Gunung Tilu 'died or buried in Gunung Tilu' (''tilu'' means 'three'), which corresponds to Gunung Tilu mountain range located east of the town of Kuningan.


Sri Baduga Maharaja

Sang Ratu Jayadewata (reigned 1482 to 1521) or also known as Sri Baduga Maharaja, is a grandson of Prabu Wastu Kancana. Jayadewata is often linked with a popular character Prabu Siliwangi in the Sundanese oral tradition of pantun. King Jayadewata moved the government seat from
Kawali Kawali was the capital of Sunda Kingdom during Galuh Kingdom, Galuh period, between early 14th to late 15th century. It is located in present day Astana Gede inscriptions, Astana Gede archaeological site, in Kawali District of Ciamis Regency, in W ...
back to Pakuan in 1482. It is not clear, however, the reason behind the transfer of capital westward; it might be a geopolitical move to secure the capital away from the eastern threat from the rising Muslim power of Demak in Central Java. By 1482, according to ''Purwaka Caruban Nagari'', a Cirebon chronicle,
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
declared its independence from Sunda and no longer sent tribute to the Sunda court. Based on the Kebantenan copperplate inscription, he established a ''tanah devasasana'' sacred estate at Mount Samya or Rancamaya. He also announced the construction of a sacred compound in Sunda Sembawa, stipulated as the resident of the priests. According to Batutulis inscription, Sri Baduga Maharaja built defensive
moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...
s surrounding Pakuan Pajajaran; he built ''gugunungan'' (sacred mounds), established huts and sacred Samya forest, reserves for wood destined for offerings, and the artificial lake Talaga Rena Mahawijaya (which apparently served as a reservoir). Certainly, there was a good road to Sunda Kalapa (present-day Jakarta), the most important harbour of the Sunda kingdom. At the time of Tome Pirés's visit to Pakuan, Sri Baduga Maharaja reigned over the Sunda kingdom. The reign of King Jayadewata was hailed as the golden age of the Sundanese people. The kingdom consolidated its rule and exercised power throughout the western part of Java. It also marked the era of great prosperity resulting from efficient agriculture management and the thriving pepper trade in the region. This era of great wealth also marked the beginning of the Sunda kingdom's decline.


Decline

During the reign of King Jayadewata, there was already a group of Sunda inhabitants that had converted to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, as testified by Portuguese account. Tomé Pires in 1513 reported, there was a significant number of
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s residing in the port of Cimanuk (today Indramayu), the easternmost port of Sunda Kingdom. According to a Portuguese report, the port of
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
which is located just east of Cimanuk is already a Muslim port by that time, ruled by Javanese. These new converts most probably were the people referred to in Carita Parahyangan as "those who felt no peace because of having strayed from '' Sanghyang Siksa''". Nevertheless, during this time, Islamic influence had not yet penetrated inland into the capital. As mentioned in Carita Parahyangan that'' "mana mo kadatangan ku musuh ganal, musu(h) alit"'', which means the capital is "safe from rough/coarse enemy, (as well as) soft/subtle enemy". The term "coarse enemy" refers to an actual invading foreign army, while "subtle enemy" refers to the propagation of a new faith or new religion that might upset the established spiritual order of the kingdom. The kingdom anxiously watched the growing influence of the expansive Islamic Sultanate of Demak that finally succeeded in destroying Daha, the remnant of the Hindu
Majapahit Majapahit (; (eastern and central dialect) or (western dialect)), also known as Wilwatikta (; ), was a Javanese people, Javanese Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia based on the island o ...
court in 1527. As a result of this event, only Blambangan in the eastern edge of Java, and Sunda in the western part remained Hindu kingdoms in Java. Meanwhile, in the land of Sunda, Muslim influences started to penetrate the kingdom.


Rise of Muslim Cirebon and Banten

'' Bujangga Manik'' manuscript, written circa the second half of the 15th century reported that the eastern boundary of Sunda Kingdom realm was the Cipamali river in present-day Brebes. However, the Portuguese '' Suma Oriental'' in 1513 reported that the eastern border of Sunda Kingdom is located in the port of ''Chemano'' (Cimanuk), the estuarine of Manuk River. This means between 1450 and 1513 the kingdom has lost control of the area surrounding Cirebon, between Brebes and Indramayu on the northeastern part of the kingdom. This signifies the coastal Muslim Javanese push westward into once a traditional Sundanese territory, as Demak Sultanate was responsible as the patron for the rise of Cirebon. The detail of the Sunda Kingdom and its relations with the rise of Cirebon Sultanate, mostly were taken from the account of '' Purwaka Caruban Nagari'', a manuscript of Cirebon chronicle which claimed Cirebon as the rightful successor of Sunda Kingdom. According to Purwaka Caruban Nagari, a Sunda king Prabu Siliwangi married Nyai Subang Larang, daughter of Ki Gedeng Tapa, port master of Muara Jati (today Cirebon). They had three children: Prince Walangsungsang, Princess Rara Santang, and Prince Kian Santang. Although Prince Walangsungsang was the first-born son of the King, the prince did not earn the right as a crown prince of Sunda Kingdom. This was because his mother, Nyai Subang Larang was not the
queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...
. Another reason was because of his conversion to Islam, probably influenced by his mother as she is a Muslim. In the 16th century western Java, the prevalent faith practiced was Hinduism, Sundanese ancestral religion, and Buddhism. It was his half brother, Prabuwisesa, the king's son from his third wife Nyai Cantring Manikmayang, who was chosen as the crown prince. Walangsungsang later moved to a settlement called Dukuh Alang-alang on 1445. After Ki Gedeng Alang-Alang's death in 1447, Walangsungsang appointed as the ruler of the town and established a court and assumed a new title as Prince Cakrabuana. King Siliwangi sent his envoy Tumenggung Jagabaya and Raja Sengara, to bestow Prince Carkrabuana with the title Tumenggung Sri Mangana. The settlement, now called Cirebon grew into a thriving port, yet Cakrabuana was still loyal to his father and sent tribute to the main court of Sunda. At that time Cirebon was still a principality within the Sunda Kingdom. In 1479, Cakrabuana was succeeded by his nephew, Sharif Hidayatullah, the son of his sister Nyai Rara Santang. He married his cousin, Nyi Mas Pakungwati daughter of Cakrabuana. He is popularly known with his posthumously name
Sunan Gunungjati Sunan Gunungjati (1448–1568) was one of the '' Wali Songo'' or nine saints of Islam revered in Indonesia for the propagation of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. He founded the Sultanate of Banten and the Sultanate of Cirebon on ...
. On 2 April 1482, Sunan Gunungjati stated that Cirebon will no longer send tribute to Pajajaran, which marked the proclamation that the Sultanate of Cirebon is independent from Sunda Pajajaran. The character described in Purwaka Caruban Nagari, as Prabu Siliwangi, matched the historic character of Dewa Niskala or Ningrat Kancana, referred as Lord of Galuh in Carita Parahyangan. Tohaan di Galuh was the son and heir of Niskala Wastu Kancana. The pressure from coastal Javan Islamic states drove the king of Sunda, Sri Baduga Maharaja, to seek assistance from the Portuguese at
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
. In 1512 and again in 1521, he sent his son, the crown prince Surawisesa also known as Ratu Sang Hyang (Samian) to
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
to request the Portuguese to sign an alliance treaty, to trade in pepper and to build a fort at his main port of Sunda Kalapa. Sunan Gunung Jati's son later also established the Sultanate of Banten, which later become a menace for the Hindu Sunda Kingdom.


Surawisesa and Sunda–Portuguese Treaty 1522

After Sri Baduga Maharaja's death in 1521, the succeeding kings, Prabu Surawisesa Jayaperkosa, also known as Ratu Sang Hyang whom the Portuguese called Ratu Samian, faced the menace of
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
and Demak. Under this threat, Surawisesa, who reigned from 1521 to 1535, concluded the treaty with Portuguese from Malacca to establish a warehouse and fortress at
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa () is the old port of Jakarta, located on the estuary of the Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan D ...
in return for protection against the menace of these Islamic Sultanates. By 1522, the Portuguese were ready to form a coalition with the King of Sunda to get access to his lucrative pepper trade. The commander of Malacca, Jorge de Albuquerque, sent a ship, the ''São Sebastião'', under Captain Henrique Leme, to Sunda Kalapa with valuable gifts for the king of Sunda. Two written sources describe the concluding of the treaty in detail, the original Portuguese document of 1522 with the text of the treaty and the signatories of the witnesses, and a report on that event by
João de Barros João de Barros (; 1496 – 20 October 1570), nicknamed the "Portuguese Livy", is one of the first great Portuguese historians, most famous for his (''Decades of Asia''), a history of the Portuguese in India, Asia, and southeast Africa. Early y ...
in his book ''Da Ásia'', printed after 1777/78. The king welcomed them warmly upon their arrival. The crown prince had succeeded his father and was now King Prabu Surawisesa, although Barros called him King Samião. This Sunda ruler agreed to an arrangement of friendship with the King of Portugal and granted a fortress at the mouth of the Ciliwung River where the Portuguese could load as many peppers as they wished. In addition, he pledged, dating from the start of construction on the fortress, each year he would donate one thousand sacks of pepper to the Portuguese king. The contract document was drafted into two copies and signed. On the said day in 1522, Henrique Leme of Portuguese and his entourage together with deputies of the King of Sunda erected a commemoration stone at the mouth of the Ciliwung River.


The fall of Sunda Kalapa

This trade and defence treaty was fallen apart tremendously due to Portuguese failure to deliver their promise to construct the fortress in Kalapa. The delay was caused by troubles in Goa. To make things worse, in 1527
Fatahillah Fatahillah, Fadhillah Khan, or Falatehan (Portuguese writing) was a commander of the Demak Sultanate, Sultanate of Demak who is known for leading the conquest of Sunda Kelapa in 1527 and changing its name to Jakarta, Jayakarta. The conquest of Sun ...
, a military commander sent from Demak, managed to capture the Sunda Kalapa harbour just before the Portuguese returned. The army of Fatahillah, comprising around Cirebon-Demak troops, conquered Sunda Kalapa. The Sunda authority stationed in the port were fallen. The harbour chief and his family, the royal minister, and all of the people working in the harbour were slaughtered. The port city was completely destroyed and razed, as the Sundanese reinforcements sent from Pakuan was too weak and retreated. The Sunda Kingdom has lost its most important port, thus subsequently Sunda Kalapa was renamed Jayakarta by its Muslim conqueror. Thirty Portuguese sailors, shipwrecked by storms, swam to the beach at Kalapa only to be killed by Fatahillah's men. The Portuguese recognised the political leadership had changed when they were not allowed to set foot on the land. As they were too weak for a battle, they set sail back to Malacca. The next year, a second attempt failed because of striking sailors angry at not having been paid. The failure to rely on Portuguese assistance has led Sunda to fend for their own survival by themselves. Carita Parahyangan mentioned that during his 14 years of reign (1521–1535), King Sang Hyang (Surawisesa) has fought in 15 battles. Unbeatable, all in which he managed to repel the series of invading Muslim forces from Cirebon and Demak. He fought in Kalapa, Tanjung, Ancol Kiji, Wahanten Girang, Simpang, Gunung Batu, Saung Agung, Rumbut, Gunung, Gunung Banjar, Padang, Panggoakan, Muntur, Hanum, Pagerwesi, and Medangkahyangan. The war between Cirebon-Demak forces and the Sunda kingdom lasted for almost five years. The king lost thousands of his men. During this war, after Sunda Kalapa, Sunda Kingdom also lost the Port of Banten.
Sunan Gunungjati Sunan Gunungjati (1448–1568) was one of the '' Wali Songo'' or nine saints of Islam revered in Indonesia for the propagation of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. He founded the Sultanate of Banten and the Sultanate of Cirebon on ...
of Cirebon later crowned his son, Hasanuddin, as the king of Banten under the auspices of the Sultan of Demak who, in turn, offered Hasanudin his sister's hand in marriage.
Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...
was established as the capital of this new sultanate, held as a vassal under Sultanate of Cirebon. Finally, in 1531, a peace treaty was concluded between King Surawisesa of Sunda and Syarif Hidayatullah of Cirebon. In an apparent sorrow after the tremendous defeat and the loss of his two most important ports, Prabu Surawisesa established the Batutulis inscription in 1533 to commemorate his late father. This action was probably an attempt to spiritually appeal for ancestral guidance and protection against the powerful Muslim enemy that now loomed by the gates. Because of ongoing battles, he often could not stay in his palace in Pakuan Pajajaran.


Jaya Dewata

Prabu Ratu Dewata also known as Sang Ratu Jaya Dewata, was the successor of Prabu Surawisesa. He was, however, not his son. The reign of Prabu Ratu Dewata between 1535 and 1543 was known as a chaotic and difficult one full of hardship, as Islamic forces from Cirebon and Banten tried multiple times to capture the Dayeuh Pakuan capital. During Ratu Dewata reign, the Carita Parahyangan reported several calamities befell the kingdom; there was a sudden attack, a lot of enemies razed the city, thus mass combat erupted in the grand yard (''buruan ageung''). In this battle, the noble princes were killed. The chaos has widespread across the kingdom, the attack also occurred in Ciranjang and Sumedang. Another terror was the assassination of the
rishi In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "gre ...
s, hermits and Hindu priests that resides in the hermitage sanctuaries. It was reported that the Hindu priests and hermits of mandala Jayagiri, were captured and drowned in the sea. It is highly possible that the attack was launched by Muslim states of Banten or Cirebon. This was a devastating attack straight to the spiritual core of the Sundanese Hindu community. Unable to control the kingdom, instead of fulfilling his duty by maintaining the law and order, Prabu Ratu Dewata retreated himself to become a ''Raja Pandita'' (priestly king), submitted himself deeply into religious rituals as an apparently desperate appeal for gods' salvation. By this time, Sunda Kingdom were already isolated and confined to the inland.


Last kings and the fall of Sunda kingdom

Series of last Sunda kings were notoriously known as incompetent rulers. The successor of Ratu Dewata, King Ratu Sakti reigned from 1543 to 1551, was known as a ruthless king, who indulges himself with sensual pleasure. The next successor that ruled from 1551 to 1567, King Nilakendra, also known as Tohaan di Majaya, is also an incompetent ruler. Instead of fulfilling his duty as a king, he renovates and beautifies the palace. Squander kingdom's fortune by indulging himself in pleasures and luxury. Because of ongoing battles, ironically Tohaan di Majaya could not stay in his newly renovated palace. The last kings of Sunda could no longer reside in Pakuan Pajajaran, since in the 1550s Hasanuddin, the sultan of Banten has launched a successful attack on Dayeuh Pakuan, captured and razed the capital. The surviving Sunda royalties, nobles and common people fled the fallen city, heading to the mountainous wilderness. After the fall of Pakuan Pajajaran, the royal regalia of Sunda Kingdom was evacuated to the eastern principality of Sumedang Larang. Among these regalias are ''Makuta Binokasih Sanghyang Paké'', the royal crown of Sunda. Thus the member of the Sunda dynasty established a surviving minor regional kingdom of Sumedang Larang where Sundanese aristocracy would survive for a few more centuries to come until conquered by
Mataram Sultanate The Sultanate of Mataram () was the last major independent Javanese people, Javanese kingdom on the island of Java (island), Java before it was Dutch Empire, colonised by the Dutch. It was the dominant political force radiating from the inte ...
in the 17th century. From 1567 to 1579, under the last king Raja Mulya, also known as Prabu Surya Kencana, the kingdom declined substantially. In Carita Parahyangan, his name is Nusiya Mulya. He ruled further inland in Pulasari, near Pandeglang, at the slope of Mount Palasari. The kingdom has fallen apart, particularly after 1576 due to constant pressure from Banten, and finally collapsed completely in 1579. Thereafter, the Sultanate of Banten took over most of the former Sunda Kingdom's territory, thus ultimately put an end to a millennium of Hindu-Buddhist Dharmic civilization of West Java. By this time, Java has turned more and more Islamic. Only the kingdom of Blambangan on the eastern edge was the last surviving Hindu kingdom in Java, well until its demise in the early 18th century.


Capital

Throughout Sunda's history, the centre of cultural and political power often oscillated between the Western Priangan region; initially identified as "Sunda", and Eastern Priangan region; traditionally identified as "Galuh". The two traditional sites are located in and around modern
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
city and the town of Ciamis. The two most important capitals are Pakuan Pajajaran, the capital of Sunda; and
Kawali Kawali was the capital of Sunda Kingdom during Galuh Kingdom, Galuh period, between early 14th to late 15th century. It is located in present day Astana Gede inscriptions, Astana Gede archaeological site, in Kawali District of Ciamis Regency, in W ...
, the capital of Galuh.


Kawali

The capital of the Galuh Kingdom of the eastern Priangan region, has moved several times. In the older period, the capital was located around the Karang Kamulyan site by the banks of Citanduy river. By the early 14th century, the capital was moved further northwest upstream, in the area now known as Astana Gede, near the current town of Kawali, Ciamis Regency. The city was located on the eastern slope of Mount Sawal near the source of the Citanduy river. A Kawali inscription was discovered here. According to tradition, the keraton in Kawali is called ''Surawisesa'', expanded and renovated by King Niskala Wastu Kancana. Kawali served as the capital of the kingdom for several generations until Sri Baduga Maharaja moved the government back to Pakuan in 1482.


Pakuan Pajajaran

After the fall of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
in the 7th century, King Tarusbawa built a new capital city inland near the source of the Cipakancilan river in present-day
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
. According to '' Carita Parahyangan'', a manuscript from the 15th or 16th century, King Tarusbawa was only mentioned as ''Tohaan'' (Lord/King) of Sunda. He was the ancestor of a series of Sunda kings that reigned until 723. Pakuan served as the capital of Sunda during the reign of several kings, and the court shifted to Kawali until Sri Baduga Maharaja moved the court from Kawali back to Pakuan in 1482. The city was permanently settled since at least the 10th century, but not gaining major political importance until King Jayadewata established it as the royal capital of the Sunda kingdom in the 15th century. In 1513, the city was visited by its first European visitor, Tomé Pires, the Portuguese envoy. According to his report, the city of ''Daio'' (''Dayeuh'' is a Sundanese term for "capital city") was great city, with population around 50,000 inhabitants. The tradition hailed that King Jayadewata ruled justly from his beautiful ''Kadatwan'' (palace) called ''Sri Bima Punta Narayana Madura Suradipati'' at Pakuan Pajajaran, and his reign is celebrated as the golden age for Sundanese people. After the reign of King Jayadewata (Sri Baduga Maharaja), Pakuan Pajajaran served as the royal capital for several generations. ''Dayeuh'' Pakuan Pajajaran served as the capital of the Sunda Kingdom for almost a hundred years (1482 – 1579), until it was razed and destroyed by the Sultanate of Banten in 1579. Because Pakuan, the capital city of the Sunda kingdom laid between two parallel rivers, Ciliwung and Cisadane, it was called ''Pajajaran'' (lit. place laid between two parallel things) or Pakuan Pajajaran. Although primary local and European historical records referred to the kingdom in the western part of Java island as the Sunda Kingdom, the Sundanese, especially after the establishment of the Sultanate of Banten and
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
, referred to the kingdom (minus the coastal sultanates) as "Pakuan Pajajaran" Kingdom, or simply as the Pakuan Kingdom or the Pajajaran Kingdom. The later name – Pajajaran – is more familiar for people residing in West Java and the Javanese of Mataram region (current
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
and
Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...
).


Government and economy


Administration

In many historical sources, including manuscripts, inscriptions, as well as foreign historical accounts from China and Portuguese reports, all refer to "Sunda" as a kingdom. On the other hand, the term "Pakuan" and "Pajajaran" or "Dayeuh" refer to its capital which corresponds to the modern city of Bogor. The tangible evidence on the existence of a kingdom as an administrative social structure, was found in
Sanghyang Tapak inscription The Sanghyang Tapak inscription (also known as Jayabupati inscription or Cicatih inscription) is an ancient inscription dated from 952 saka (1030 CE), consisting of 40 lines requiring 4 pieces of stone to write on. The inscription mentioned th ...
dated 952 Saka (1030 CE), that mentioned ''Prahajyan Suṇḍa'' (Sunda Kingdom), with Sri Jayabhupati claimed as ''haji ri Suṇḍa'' (the king of Sunda). Through the study on the 14th century inscriptions in Astana Gede site in Kawali, historian suggests that the political model of Sunda Kingdom adhered the concept of ''Tri Tangtu di Buana'', which administrative power was distributed in triad among three elements; ''Prebu'' (king), ''Rama'' (village chief or regional elder) and ''Resi'' (
rishi In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "gre ...
priestly class of religious authority). According to Tomé Pires (1513), the Sunda kingdom is ruled by a paramount ''raja'' (king or monarch), and the right of the throne inheritance descended from a father to his son. However, in the case when a king did not produce a male heir, the successor is elected from the lesser kings, the rulers of regional towns or provinces. These lesser kings are called ''Tohaan'' (lord) that acts as local governor, and most are related to the king, which means they belong in the same dynasty. Much of our current knowledge on detailed social order and the bureaucracy structure of the kingdom, is owed to the Sundanese manuscript of Sanghyang siksakanda ng karesian, compiled around 1518. According to Carita Parahyangan, all regional ruler (governor), ''rama'' (village chief), government officials, and ''rishi'' (Hindu priests), are required to make a formal annual visit to the capital; paying homage,
tax A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
or
tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...
to the court. As mentioned in some fragments of this manuscript:
''"..., ti Kandangwesi pamwat siya ka Pakwan..."'' ("... from Kandangwesi the tribute was sent to Pakuan"),
''"..., anaking sang Prebu Rama, Resi samadaya sarerea siya marek ka Pakwan unggal tahun..."'' ("... my son the chief of the village, the ''
rishi In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "gre ...
s'' together all paid a visit to Pakuan every years").


Economy

The economy of the Sunda kingdom relied on
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
, especially
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
cultivation; this is reflected in Sundanese culture and the annual ceremonies of crop seeding and ''Seren Taun'' rice harvest festival. The harvest ceremony also allowed the king's official to collect
tax A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
in the form of rice that can be stored in the state's '' Leuit'' (rice
barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G ...
). According to Siksakanda ng Karesian, Sundanese farmers during the era of the Sunda Kingdom did recognize ''sawah'' or the wet-field rice cultivation. However, the widespread rice cultivation system applied in the kingdom seems to be the ''ladang'' or the dry-field rice which is a much simpler form of cultivation that doesn't require an elaborate social structure to support it. This corresponds with the geography and topography of West Java which dominated by the central
Parahyangan Parahyangan () or Priangan ( Sundanese script: ) is a cultural and mountainous region in West Java province on the Indonesian island of Java. Covering a little less than one-sixth of Java, it is the heartland of Sundanese people and their cultur ...
Plateau, in contrast with Central and East Java that consists of river valleys between volcanoes. As the result, compared to Central and East Java, West Java at that time was more sparsely populated, consists of settlements, villages or hamlet quite isolated deep within highland valleys, which render direct administrative control from the kingdom's central government rather difficult. The kingdom was also well known as the world's main producer of high quality pepper. The kingdom participated in a spice trade network in the archipelago. The ports of Sunda participated in international trades in the region. In Suma Oriental, written in 1512–1515, Tomé Pires, a Portuguese explorer report about the ports of Sunda: Another Portuguese explorer, Diogo do Couto, wrote that the Sunda kingdom is thriving and abundant; it lies between Java and Sumatra, separated from the latter by the
Sunda Strait The Sunda Strait () is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java island, Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea with the Indian Ocean. Etymology The strait takes its name from the Sunda Kingdom, which ruled the western portion of Ja ...
. Many islands lie along the coast of this kingdom within the strait, for nearly the space of forty leagues; the strait's widest point is about twenty-five and narrowest point only twelve leagues broad. Bantam is about the midpoint. All the islands are well timbered but have little water. A small one called Macar, at the entrance of Sunda Strait, is said to have much gold. He also noted that the principal ports of the Sunda kingdom were Banten, Ache, Chacatara (Jakarta), which annually receive twenty sommas, ships from Chienheo, China, to ship the eight thousand ''bahars'', which are equal to 3,000,000 kg of pepper the kingdom produced. Bantam is situated at 6° south latitude, in the middle of a bay, three leagues from point to point. The town is eight hundred and fifty fathoms in length, and the seaport extends about 400. A river capable of admitting junks and galleys flows through the middle of the town: a small branch of this river admits boats and small craft. There is a brick fort, the walls of which are seven palms thick, with wooden bulwarks, armed with two tiers of artillery. The anchorage is good, with a muddy or sandy bottom and a depth from two to six fathoms.


Territories

Based on the primary manuscript in Ancient Sundanese, '' Bujangga Manik'' (which tells the story of Bujangga Manik's journey, a Sundanese
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
priest who visited Hindu holy places on the islands of Java and Bali in the early 16th century), which is currently kept in the Boedlian Library,
Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...
in
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
since 1627, the boundary of the Sunda Kingdom to the east is ''Ci Pamali'' (Pamali River) and ''Ci Serayu'' (Serayu River) in
Central Java Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...
province. Meanwhile, the vassal territory of the Sunda Kingdom stretched from the western tip at Pasar Talo, Bengkulu to Jatimalang, Purworejo at the eastern tip. The Sunda Kingdom, whose capital was Pakuan Pajajaran, also covered the southern part of the island of Sumatra ( Ulubelu inscription). After the Sunda Kingdom was destroyed by the Sultanate of Banten, power over the southern region of Sumatra and the western part of Java was continued by the Sultanate of Banten.


Culture and society


Religion

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
was one of the earliest religious influences established in West Java since the era of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
, circa early 5th century CE. In fact, West Java was one of the earliest places in Indonesia that being Indianized, also sparked the historic period of Indonesian history by producing the earliest inscription in Java. As Tarumanagara's successor, Sunda Kingdom has inherited this Hindu civilization influences. The culture of the people in the Sunda kingdom blends
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
with Sunda Wiwitan; a native
shamanism Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...
belief, and also a traces of
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
is observable. Several intact prehistoric
megalithic A megalith is a large Rock (geology), stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging ...
sites, such as Cipari site in Kuningan and the Pangguyangan
menhir A menhir (; from Brittonic languages: ''maen'' or ''men'', "stone" and ''hir'' or ''hîr'', "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large upright stone, emplaced in the ground by humans, typically dating from the European middle Br ...
and stepped pyramid in Cisolok,
Sukabumi Sukabumi () is a landlocked city surrounded by the Sukabumi Regency, regency of the same name (within which it is an enclave and exclave, enclave) in the southern foothills of Mount Gede, in West Java, Indonesia, about south of the national ca ...
, suggest that native shamanic
animism Animism (from meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and in ...
and dynamism beliefs coexisted with Hinduism and Buddhism. The native belief, Sunda Wiwitan, persists today as a way of life for the Baduy or Kanekes people who resist Islam and other foreign influences. The Cangkuang Hindu temple in Leles, Garut, dated from the 8th century, was dedicated to
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
and built during the Galuh kingdom. Buddhist influence came to West Java through the
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
conquest, as the empire dominated West Java until the 11th century. The brick
stupas In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
in Batujaya indicate Buddhist influence in West Java, while nearby Cibuaya sites show Hindu influence. The manuscript Carita Parahyangan clearly demonstrate
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
spirituality within the Sunda Kingdom society. This manuscript is opened with a legendary character named Sang Resi Guru that had a son named Rajaputra. Comprehensively the manuscript was written by a Hindu scholar which demonstrate the Hindu frame of references. The Hindu pantheon, such as Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesvara, Rudra, Sadasiva, Yama, Varuna, Kuvera, Indra and Besravaka, were also mentioned in the ancient Sundanese manuscript of Sewakadharma or also known as ''Serat Dewabuda'', dated 1357 Saka or 1435 CE. The Sundanese manuscript of spiritual guidance, the Sanghyang Siksakanda ng Karesian also demonstrate Hinduism religious outlook and frame of references, although it seems already mixed with some sorts of Buddhism spirituality. ''" ... ini na lakukeuneun, talatah sang sadu jati. Hongkara namo Sewaya, sembah ing hulun di Sanghyang Panca Tatagata; panca ngaran ing lima, tata ma ngaran ing sabda, gata ma ngaran ing raga, ya eta ma pahayueun sareanana .., "'', " ... this has to be done, the true mandate of the good-hearted (or trusted one). Blessed (should be) in the name of Shiva. Worship the servant to Sanghyang Panca Tatagata (Buddha), panca means five, tata means words, gata means body, yes, that is for the good of all". Sunda Kingdom period did not produce enough archaeological evidence and records that could give comprehensive knowledge about the religious aspects of its population. Yet, there are few interesting things that suggest a syncretism took place between Hinduism, Buddhism, and a form of local beliefs system. This indication emerged from the veneration of ''
Hyang ''Hyang'' (Kawi language, Kawi, Sundanese language, Sundanese, Javanese language, Javanese, and Balinese language, Balinese) is a representation of the King of the gods, supreme being, in ancient Mythology of Indonesia, Java and Bali mythology. T ...
'' figure, which considered possess higher status than Hindu-Buddhist deities, as it is shown in Sanghyang Siksakanda Ng Karesian manuscript (1518): ''"...mangkubumi bakti di ratu, ratu bakti di dewata, dewata bakti di hyang..."'', which means "...mangkubumi submit to the king, king submit to the gods, and gods submit to hyang..." Ancient Sundanese society did not build temples that are meticulously decorated with exquisite bas-reliefs as demonstrated in
temples A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
built by neighbouring Javanese in central and east Java that flourished around the same era. Furthermore, their statuary such as Shiva from Cangkuang temple and Ganesha from the Karang Kamulyan site were made such in a very simple form, almost has primitive megalithic style and quality. This has led to the suggestion that Hinduism and Buddhism were not truly and fully embraced by the ancient Sundanese populace because they still rather faithfully adhered to their own vernacular ancestral beliefs system.


Art and culture

The culture of the Sunda kingdom centred on agricultural activity, especially
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
cultivation. Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Asri or Sanghyang Asri, the goddess of rice, is revered as the main deity or the highest goddess within Sundanese pantheon. The priest was concerned about the religious ceremonies and the king and his subjects participated in annual ceremonies and festivals such as the blessing of the rice seeds ceremonies and harvest festival. The annual '' Seren Taun'' rice harvest festival is still practised today in traditional Sundanese communities. According to the Bujangga Manik manuscript, the courtly culture of Sunda kraton and its nobles' etiquette in Pakuan Pajajaran was sophisticated. However, no traces of the palace or buildings survived in the former capital, probably because their wood construction decayed over the centuries. The Portuguese source provide a glimpse of the culture and customs of the Sunda kingdom. In his report “ Suma Oriental (1512–1515)” Tomé Pires wrote: The people of Sunda are said to be truthful. They, with the great city of Dayo, the town and lands and port of Bantam, the port of Pontang, the port of Cheguide, the port of Tangaram, the Port of Tangaram, the port of Calapa, the port of chi Manuk. are justly governed. The king is a great sportsman and hunter. The kingdom descends from father to son. The women are handsome, and those of the nobles chaste, which is not the case with those of the lower classes. There are monasteries of convents for the women, into which the nobles put their daughters when they cannot match them in marriage according to their wishes. The married women, when their husband dies, must, as a point of honour, die with them, and if they should be afraid of death they put into the convents. The inhabitants are not very warlike, much addicted to their idolatries. They are fond of rich arms, ornamented with gold and inlaid work. Their krises are gilt, and also the point of their lances.


Relations with regional powers

The Kingdom is commonly thought of as the successor of
Tarumanagara Tarumanagara or Taruma Kingdom or just Taruma was an early Sundanese Indianised kingdom, located in western Java, whose 5th-century ruler, Purnawarman, produced the earliest known inscriptions in Java, which are estimated to date from aro ...
which also flourished in the same location of Western Java. It seems that in its early history, around the 10th to 11th century, Sunda Kingdom was stuck in between two competing mandalas; the Malay Srivijaya in Sumatra in the west and its Javanese neighbouring kingdom in the east. In early of its history, the kingdom seems served as the vassal of
Srivijaya Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
n mandala. By the 10th century, the kingdom seems to break loose, liberated from the Srivijayan mandala as stated by Rakryan Juru Pangambat inscription (932 CE). However, according to the Chinese
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
book '' Zhu Fan Zhi'', written around 1225 by Zhao Rugua, ''Sin-t'o'' (Sunda), was still part of ''San-fo-tsi '' (Srivijaya) 15 tributaries. The Kingdom of Sunda has established relations with its eastern neighbour; the kaleidoscope of Javanese kingdoms, from the era of Mataram kingdom back in the 8th century, all the way to Majapahit in the 14th century and Demak in the 16th century. The popular hero, King Sanjaya of Mataram known as the Javanese Mataram King mentioned in Canggal inscription (732), was also mentioned in Sundanese manuscript Carita Parahyangan; as having his root in the Sunda Kingdom. The
Sanghyang Tapak inscription The Sanghyang Tapak inscription (also known as Jayabupati inscription or Cicatih inscription) is an ancient inscription dated from 952 saka (1030 CE), consisting of 40 lines requiring 4 pieces of stone to write on. The inscription mentioned th ...
(1030) shows Javanese cultural influence, as the style of script, letters, language, and the title of the king is similar to royal names in East Javanese Mataram court. However, the relations might be not quite harmonious, as according to 11th century East Javanese Horren inscription, mentioned ''çatru Sunda'', which means the village of Horren was attacked by "the enemy (from) Sunda". The relations between Sundanese and Javanese kingdoms descended to a new low, when a disastrous incident took place in Bubat square in Majapahit in 1357, killing all of the Sundanese royal party, including the Sunda king Prabu Maharaja and Princess Tohaan Dyah Pitaloka Citraresmi. This tragedy severely harmed the relationship between the two kingdoms and resulted in hostility for years to come, the situation never again returning to normality. The nemesis of the Hindu Sunda Kingdom was no doubt the Islamic states of Java northern coast; they are the Demak,
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
and later the
Banten Sultanate The Banten Sultanate (, ) was a Bantenese people, Bantenese Islamic trading sultanate, kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Bantam (city), Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both w ...
. In order to protect the political and spiritual order of the kingdom, also to protect the economic interest of the Sunda Kingdom against the menace of Muslim Javanese states, King Sang Ratu Jayadewata seek assistance to the Portuguese based in Malacca. The Sunda Kingdom is known as one of the earliest polity in Southeast Asia that has established diplomatic relations with the European nation. The Luso-Sundanese padrão (1522) stone post, commemorating a treaty between the kingdoms of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
(based in
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
) and Sunda. The treaty formed as pepper trade agreement as well as a political alliance against the menace of their common enemies; the Islamic Demak and
Cirebon Cirebon (, formerly rendered Cheribon or Chirebon in English) is a port city on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is the only coastal city of West Java, located about 40 km west of the provincial border with Central J ...
.


Legacy

Although the kingdom of Sunda left little archaeological remains, it remains part of the culture of
Sundanese people The Sundanese (; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to Java in Indonesia, primarily West Java. They number approximately 42 million and form Ethnic groups in Indonesia, Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group. T ...
being kept alive through the
Pantun ''Pantun'' ( Jawi: ) is a Malayic oral poetic form used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It generally consists of an even number of lines and is based on ABAB rhyming schemes. The shortest consists of two lines, known as the in Mal ...
oral tradition, the chant of poetic verses. According to tradition, the Sunda Kingdom under its legendary king, Prabu Siliwangi, is revered as the prosperous and glorious
golden age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...
for Sundanese people. The historical identity and the source of pride for Sundanese, the same as
Majapahit Majapahit (; (eastern and central dialect) or (western dialect)), also known as Wilwatikta (; ), was a Javanese people, Javanese Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia based on the island o ...
for
Javanese people The Javanese ( , ; ) are an Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnic group native to the central and eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. With more than 100 million people, Javanese people are the largest ethnic group in both Indo ...
. The pantun that mentioned Sunda Kingdom (popularly known as Pakuan or Pajajaran): Translation: It was better during the Pajajaran era, when Kuwera (the god of wealth) was still revered. The era when the earth
guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
was still honoured. The lost era when the essence of teaching is delivered. No farmer had to take loans. No farmer had to sell their lands. No farmer died in vain. No farmer died in hunger. Translation: In the prosperous kingdom of Pakuan, people lacked no food or clothing. Rice was plenteous. The blessing of Dewa Guru laid on the land, so everyone was rich. The land's fame spread to other lands. Dewa Guru ordered Ki Semar to the kingdom of Pakuan! Several streets in major Indonesian cities, especially in West Java, were named after Sundanese kings and the Sunda Kingdom. The street names such as Jalan Sunda in Jakarta and Bandung, Jalan Pajajaran in Bogor and Bandung, Jalan Siliwangi and Niskala Wastu Kancana in Bandung, are among street names named after Kingdom of Sunda. The Padjadjaran University in
Bandung Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, the city is the List of Indonesian cities by population, fourth-most populous city and fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabay ...
was named for Pakuan Pajajaran, the capital and the popular name for the Sunda Kingdom. The TNI Siliwangi Military Division and Siliwangi Stadium was named for King Siliwangi, the eponymous popular king of Sunda. The West Java state museum, Sri Baduga Museum in
Bandung Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, the city is the List of Indonesian cities by population, fourth-most populous city and fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabay ...
is named after king Sri Baduga Maharaja.


List of rulers


Sunda Kingdom in popular culture

Celebrated as 'the golden era' of ancient Indonesia, especially for Sundanese people, the Sunda kingdom has inspired many writers and artists to create works based on this era. The impact of the Sunda kingdom theme on popular culture can be seen in the following: * Saur Sepuh (1987–1991), a radio drama and film by Niki Kosasih. Begun as a popular radio drama program in the late 1980s, Saur Sepuh is set in 15th century Java and is about Brama Kumbara, a fictional king of Madangkara, itself a fictional kingdom neighbour of the Pajajaran. Several films and TV series are also based on the Saur Sepuh story. * Prabu Siliwangi (1988), a film directed by Sofyan Sharna, about the fictionalised life story of King Siliwangi. * Prabu Siliwangi (2009), a novel written by E Rokajat Asura, also about King Siliwangi. * Dyah Pitaloka (2007), a novel by Hermawan Aksan, about Sundanese Princess Dyah Pitaloka Citraresmi, focussed around the Bubat War. The novel virtually took the same context and was inspired by Kidung Sundayana. *Rise of the Rajas (2016) expansion pack from '' Age of Empires II'' computer game, the Pasunda Bubat tragedy was featured as one of Gajah Mada's military campaign.


See also

*
Hinduism in Java Hinduism has historically been a major religious and cultural influence in Java, Indonesia. Hinduism was the dominant religion in the region before the arrival of Islam. In recent years, it has also been enjoying something of a resurgence, parti ...
*
History of Indonesia The history of Indonesia has been shaped by its geographic position, natural resources, a series of human migrations and contacts, wars and conquests, as well as by trade, economics and politics. Indonesia is an archipelagic country of 17,000 ...
* Pura Parahyangan Agung Jagatkarta *
Sundanese people The Sundanese (; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to Java in Indonesia, primarily West Java. They number approximately 42 million and form Ethnic groups in Indonesia, Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group. T ...
* List of monarchs of Java


Notes


References

* "Maharadja Cri Djajabhoepathi, Soenda’s Oudst Bekende Vorst", TBG, 57. Batavia: BGKW, pp. 201–219, 1915) * Sumber-sumber asli sejarah Jakarta, Jilid I: Dokumen-dokumen sejarah Jakarta sampai dengan akhir abad ke-16 * Kebudayaan Sunda Zaman Pajajaran, Jilid 2, Edi S. Ekajati, Pustaka Jaya, 2005 * The Sunda Kingdom of West Java From Tarumanagara to Pakuan Pajajaran with the Royal Center of Bogor, Herwig Zahorka, Yayasan Cipta Loka Caraka, Jakarta, 2007-05-20. {{Precolonial states in Indonesia West Java Sundanese culture Hindu Buddhist states in Indonesia 7th century in Indonesia 8th century in Indonesia 9th century in Indonesia 10th century in Indonesia 11th century in Indonesia 12th century in Indonesia 13th century in Indonesia 14th century in Indonesia 15th century in Indonesia 16th century in Indonesia 669 establishments