My Old Town Kotagede

Kotagede also known as Pasar Gede is an area in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta. One of the old capitals of Mataram, the area now has an archaeological site which contains the remains of the kraton (palace), the royal cemetery, and royal mosque of Mataram, dated from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

The honorable name of this location in a higher and more respectful level of Javanese language (Kromo) is Pasar Gede.

There are many legends and local tales connects the site to the Mataram palace, however much of the physical remnants of the palace and the capital city are already destroyed. The only parts that remains quite intact are the Kota Gede royal mosque, the royal cemetery (precursor to Imogiri), and a few sections of the original palace walls.

The city lost its prestige when the center of power was shifted to Kartasura near modern Surakarta. The city further lost its political and cultural significance after replaced by Imogiri as the royal cemetery for the sultanates. Later sultanate of Mataram was split between Yogyakarta Sultanate and Surakarta.

The Royal Graveyard holds important graves that trace connections of Mataram with earlier kingdoms, and the placement of the graves within the covered area of the graveyard can be considered as a physical representation of 'silsilah' or genealogy of the rulers and their progenitors. It is guarded and maintained by Juru Kunci who are employed by the two palaces of Yogyakarta and Surakarta.

In mid-twentieth century, Kota Gede became synonymous with silverworks and silver handicrafts, since the area has become the home of silversmith in Yogyakarta. At the time of Indonesian independence in the 1940s, and after considerable promotion and publicity to the silverworks within this locality, Kota Gede gain popularity as the center of Javanese silver handicraft.

During the expansion of Yogyakarta city in the late twentieth century, Kota Gede was absorbed into Yogyakarta and has become merely a suburb within the city.

The Mataram Kingdom

I. A Brief History of the Mataram Kingdom

Sultanate of Mataram is the kingdom of Islam in Java that once stood in the 17th century. This royal dynasty led by a descendant of Ki Ageng Pemanahan dan Ki Ageng Sela, who claims to be a branch of the royal descendants of the Majapahit rulers. Its origin is a Duchy under the Sultanate of Pajang, centered on the "Earth Mentaok" given to Ki Ageng Pemanahan as a reward for his services. The first sovereign is the King Sutawijaya (Panembahan Senapati), son of Ki Ageng Pemanahan. Mataram kingdom in its golden ages ever unify Java and the surrounding land, including Madura. This country had been fighting against the VOC in Batavia to prevent the more powerful trading firm, but ironically, the Kingdom had to accept VOC's help at the last days before its collapse.

Mataram kingdom is an agrarian-based/agricultural, but the maritime power relatively weak. It left some traces of history that can be seen up to now, such as village Matraman in Batavia/Jakarta, Pantura's system rice fields in West Java, use hanacaraka in Sundanese literature, feudal politics in Pasundan, as well as some administrative boundaries of regions that are still valid today.

Early Period

Sutawijaya ascended the throne after he seized the territory after fight against Pajang and the death of Hadiwijaya, he has his crown and called as Panembahan Senopati. At that time, the territory was only in the vicinity of Central Java at this time, inherit the kingdom of Pajang. The central government was in Mentaok, an area located approximately in the east of Yogyakarta, in the south of Adisucipto Airport now. The palace location (the seat of the king) in the early days was lies in Banguntapan, and then moved to Kotagede. After he died (also buried in Kotagede), the power of the Kingdom passed to his son Mas Jolang, and he had a title as King Hanyokrowati.

King Hanyokrowati government did not last long because he died by accident while hunting in the forest of Krapyak. He therefore also called Susuhunan Seda Krapyak or Panembahan Seda Krapyak which means the King (who) died (at) Krapyak. After that, the throne switched briefly to the hands of the fourth son, he was Mas Jolang who called as Adipati Martoputro. Apparently, Adipati Martoputro had a nerve disease, so that the throne switch to the eldest son named Mas Jolang, who also called as Mas Rangsang. At this reign, the Kingdom of Mataram had their golden ages.

Sultan Agung

After accession to the throne, Mas stimuli have the title as King of Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo or known as Sultan Agung. At the time, Mataram expanded to seek influence in Java. Mataram territory includes the island of Java and Madura (approximately the combined Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java now). He moved the location of the palace to the Karta (Jw. "Kerta", then it appears as well as "Mataram Karta"). Occur due to friction in the control of trade between Mataram with VOC based in Batavia, then entered a coalition with the Sultanate of Mataram and Banten Sultanate Cirebon and is involved in several wars between Mataram against VOC. After his death (buried in Imogiri), he was succeeded by his son who holds Amangkurat (Amangkurat I).

Silverworks in Kotagede

Kotagede silver craft originated from the habit of courtiers Kotagede making consumer goods to meet the needs of the Mataram Palace to be used for jewelry or other equipment for the king and the kingdom as well as relatives. Location of the silversmiths exist in every corner of the Kotagede market untill in surounding of the Great Mosque former Islamic Mataram Palace. And almost all the way in Kotagede, there are dozens of shops, artisans and crafts cooperatives silver. If only the palace of Yogyakarta at the time, especially in the reign of Sultan Hamengkubuwono VIII was not interested in the results of silver metal craft in the town, it may not be as famous as the Kotagede circumstances such as now, a very wellknown accros the country with silver craft.

View of Kotagede, The Old Town