Palembang Sultanate
The Sultanate of Palembang Darussalam is a princely state of Indonesia whose capital was the city of Palembang in the southern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was proclaimed in 1675 by Sultan Abdurrahman (1659–1706) and dissolved by the colonial government of the Dutch Indies on October 7, 1823. In 1825, its last ruler, Sultan Ahmad Najamuddin, was arrested and sent into exile on the island of Banda Neira in the Moluccas.
Palembang Darussalam | |||||||||
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| 1659–1823 | |||||||||
 Flag | |||||||||
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| Capital | Palembang | ||||||||
| Common languages | Malay, Javanese | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Sultan | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1659 | ||||||||
• Abolished by the Dutch East Indies | 7 October 1823 | ||||||||
| Currency | Palembang pitis, Spanish real | ||||||||
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| Today part of | 
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History
Sultan Muhammad Bahauddin (reigned 1776–1803) had Kuto Besak's palace built. In 1821, the Dutch attack Palembang again and take the city. The sultanate is dissolved and the fort of Kuto Tengkuruk shaved. The Dutch have built in its place an administrative residence which is now the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II museum.
Establishment and early records
According to the story of Kidung Pamacangah and Babad Arya Tabanan[1] it was said that a figure from Kediri named Arya Damar who was a "regent of Palembang" joined Gajah Mada, ruler of Majapahit in conquering Bali in 1343. Historian C.C. Berg thought that Arya Damar is identical with Adityawarman.[2] The name Palembang was also mentioned in Nagarakretagama as one of the conquered land of Majapahit. Gajah Mada also mentioned the name Palembang in Pararaton as one of the regions that he conquered.[2]
A Chinese chronicle Chu-fan-chi written in 1178 by Chou-Ju-Kua recorded the name Pa-lin-fong, an obvious corruption of the word Palembang. Around 1513, Tomé Pires an adventurer from Portugal mentioned Palembang, a kingdom which is led by a patron who was appointed from Java who was then referred to the Sultanate of Demak and participated in the invasion of Malaka which was then controlled by the Portuguese. In 1596, Palembang was attacked by the Dutch East India Company. In 1659, the name Sri Susuhunan Abdurrahman was recorded as sovereign of the Palembang Sultanate. Records of connection with the VOC has been mentioned since year 1601.[3]
Kraton Kuto Gawang
In the beginning of the 17th-century, Palembang became one of the centers of Islam in Indonesia. The sultanate was founded by Ki Gede ing Suro, a nobleman from Demak Sultanate, who takes refuge during the troubles following the death of Sultan Trenggana. On the north bank of the Musi River, he establish a kraton, the Kuto Gawang. The Kuto Gawang is located in present 2-Ilir Administrative Village, in what is now the complex of PT Pupuk Sriwijaya fertilizer company. It was located quite strategically on the riverfront of the Musi. The kraton of Kuto Gawang was surrounded with square-shaped fortification made of 30 centimetres (12 in) thick ironwood and ulin wood. It is about 290 Rijnlandsche roede (1093 meters) in length and width. The height of the wooden ramparts is more than 24 feet (7.3 m). The kraton stretches between Plaju and Pulau Kemaro, a small island located in the middle of the Musi.[4]
The city of Kuto Gawang was sketched by Joan van der Laen in 1659. The sketch shows a fortified city facing the Musi River with the Rengas River running through the middle part of the city from north to south. The Taligawe River is located to the east of Kuto Gawang, while to the west is Buah River. In the middle of Kuto Gawang is a tall palace building (or the mosque?), located to the west of Rengas River. The kraton had three stone bastions. Foreigners, e.g. the Chinese and Portuguese, settled on the opposite side of the Musi River, to the west of the mouth of Komering River (present Seberang Ulu, Plaju).[4]
In 1659, the Dutch of the Dutch East India Company took Kuto Gawang and destroyed it. The Susuhunan (king) Abdurrahman moves his court to Beringin Janggut.[4]
Kraton Beringin Janggut
After the Kuto Gawang Palace was destroyed by the Dutch East India Company in 1659, Susuhunan Abdurrahman's moved the court to Kraton Beringin Janggut, which is located in the vicinity of the Old Mosque (now Jalan Segaran). There is no written record of how is the shape, the size, or the existence of Beringin Janggut.[4]
The area of the Kraton Beringin Janggut was surrounded with a network of canals: the Musi River to the south, Tengkuruk River to the west, Penedan canal to the north, and Rendang or Karang Waru River to the east. The Penedan canal was connected with Kemenduran, Kapuran and Kebon Duku canals. The network of canals was the main mode of transportation for people during this period of the Palembang Sultanate.[4]
Kraton Kuto Tengkuruk
During the reign of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I, the 50 hectares Kuto Tengkuruk became the main center of the Palembang Sultanate. Kraton Kuto Tengkuruk was bordered with Kapuran River (now Pasar Cinde) to the north, Tengkuruk River to the east (in what is now the complex of Pupuk Sriwidjaja Palembang), River Musi to the south, and Sekanak River (now Lambidaro River in 36 Ilir) to the west. The landmarks of Kraton Kuto Tengkuruk were the domed Great Mosque and the palace proper of Kuto Batu / Kuto Tengkuruk.[4]
Kraton Kuto Besak
During the reign of Sultan Muhamad Bahaudin (1776–1803), the Kraton Kuto Besak was built. Kuto Besak still exists today. It is the largest kraton the Palembang Sultanate ever built. Kuto Besak was located to the west of Kuto Tengkuruk. Kuto Besak has a length of 288.75 meters, width of 183.75 meters, height 9.99 meters, and wall thickness of 1.99 meters long east-west direction (upstream-downstream Musi). In every corner of the fortification wall are bastions. The portal to the fortified city is located on the eastern, southern, and western sides. The southern portal is the main gate, known as Lawang Kuto. The secondary portals are known as Lawang Buratan, however only one portal still exists to the west of the Kuto Besak.[4]
Following The Palembang War of 1821 and the dissolution of the Sultanate institution on 7 October 1823, the Kuto Tengkuruk was razed to the ground. On top of the destroyed Kuto Tengkuruk, under the order of van Sevenhoven, a new building was constructed and was established as the residence of the Regeering Commissaris. The building is now Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum.[4]
The sultanate today
In 2003, the Palembang Custom Community Council inducted Raden Muhammad Syafei Prabu Diraja as Sultan of Palembang Darussalam with the title of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin III. The coronation took place in Lawang Kidul Mosque, near the tomb of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I (reigned 1724–1756).[5]
The Sultans of Palembang
- Sri Susuhunan Abdurrahman (1659–1706)
- Sultan Muhammad Mansyur Jayo Ing Lago (1706–1718)
- Sultan Agung Komaruddin Sri Teruno (1718–1724)
- Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I Jayo Wikramo (1724–1757)
- Sultan Ahmad Najamuddin I Adi Kusumo (1757–1776)
- Sultan Muhammad Bahauddin (1776–1803)
- Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II (1804–1812, 1813, 1818–1821)
- Sultan Ahmad Najamuddin II (1812–1813, 1813–1818)
- Sultan Ahmad Najamuddin III (1821–1823)
- Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin III, Prabu Diradja Al-Hajj (2003–2017)[5]
- Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin IV, Djaya Wikrama RM Fauwaz Diradja (2017-now)(mohamad Rosmawe mohamad)
References
- Darta, A.A. Gde, A.A. Gde Geriya, A.A. Gde Alit Geria, (1996), Babad Arya Tabanan dan Ratu Tabanan, Denpasar: Upada Sastra.
- Berg 1985.
- Kartodirdjo, Poesponegoro & Notosusanto 1975, p. 46.
- "Kuto Besak Fort". Melayu Online. Melayu Online. 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- "Latar Belakang". Kesultanan Palembang Darussalam. Kesultanan Palembang Darussalam. 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
Cited works
- Berg, C.C. (1985). Penulisan Sejarah Jawa. Jakarta: Bhratara.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Kartodirdjo, Sartono; Poesponegoro, Marwati Djoened; Notosusanto, Nugroho (1975). Sejarah nasional Indonesia: Jaman pertumbuhan dan perkembangan kerajaan-kerajaan Islam di Indonesia. Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)