Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c14.t5: 1. Babad Tanah Javi

Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champā; Vol. II: Suvarṇadvīpa) v2.c14.t5

Language: English

1. Babad Tanah Javi

v2.c14.t5.1

¹ A summary is given by Brandes (Par., pp. 211 ff.)

'Bravijaya, the last king of Majapahit, married a princess of Cempa. A sister of the queen was married to a Muslim and had two sons, Rahmat and Santri. Now this Muslim converted the queen to Islamic faith and sent his two sons to her. Rahmat married the daughter of a chief (Tumenggung) of Vilvatikta, while his brother Santri married the daughter of Arya Teja, the chief of Tuban. The two brothers settled respectively at Ngampel (Surabaya) and Gresik. Rahmat became afterwards celebrated as the first apostle of Islam in Java, made many proselytes, and constructed the first mosque ever built in Java.²

v2.c14.t5.3

² Crawfurd—History of the Indian Archipelago, Vol, II, p. 309.

v2.c14.t5.4

'King Bravijaya had a second queen, a rākṣasī (monster), by whom he had a son Arya Damar. Arya Damar was sent by his father to govern Palembang and was accompanied there by the third queen, a Chinese. This Chinese queen bore a son, Raden Patah, to king Bravijaya, and another, Raden Usen, to Arya Damar. Raden Patah and Raden Usen went to Java. Patah married the granddaughter of Rahmat and settled at Bintara (Demak). Raden Usen went to the king of Majapahit, who made him the chief of Terung, and appointed him as commander of his forces. The king also sent for his son Raden Patah and made him governor of Bintara.

v2.c14.t5.5

'In the meanwhile came a certain Seh Walilanang to Surabaya, and a princess of Balambangan bore him a son, known later as Sunan Giri. Sunan Giri became a pupil of Rahmat and married his daughter.

v2.c14.t5.6

'By the patronage of these and other chiefs, related to them, the new faith spread rapidly. Now king Bravijaya sent his minister (pati) Gajah Mada against Sunan Giri. The latter frightened away his enemy by a show of miraculous power. After the death of Giri royal forces came again and dug up his tomb. But a swarm of bees arising therefrom drove back the royal force. Raden Patah, instead of joining his father, now formed a coalition with the other Muhammadan chiefs, and proceeded against Majapahit. King Bravijaya died, and the suzerainty of Majapahit passed over to Demak after a rule of forty days by Giri. Thus Raden Patah became the first Sultan of Demak.'