Sultanate of Cirebon, An Islamic Sultanate in West Java

Sultanate of Cirebon

The Sultanate of Cirebon was an Islamic sultanate in West Java founded in the late fifteenth century. It is said to have been founded by Sunan Gunungjati, marked by his letter proclaimed Cirebon's independence from Pajajaran in 1482, although the settlement and the polity itself already established earlier in 1445. Sunan Gunungjati also established the Sultanate of Banten. It was one of the earliest Islamic states established in Java, around the same period with the Sultanate of Demak.
The sultanate court lay in the vicinity of the modern day city of Cirebon on West Java's north coast. Throughout sixteenth to seventeenth century, the sultanate thrived to be the region's center of trade and commerce, as well as served as an Islamic learning and dissemination center. The sultanate disintegrated into four royal houses, started in 1677. Today there are four kratons in Cirebon; Keraton Kasepuhan, Kraton Kanoman, Keraton Kacirebonan, and Keraton Keprabonan, each descends their own lineage and all are the descendants and remnants of the Cirebon Sultanate.
Most of the history of Cirebon Sultanate were found from local Javanese chronicle known as Babad. Some of notable chronicles that focused on the history of Cirebon are Carita Purwaka Caruban Nagari and Babad Cerbon. Foreign sources also mentioned Cirebon, such as Tomx Pires' Suma Oriental, written in 1512-1515. The later period of the sultanate documented from the colonial Dutch East Indies sources. Other than recording its own history, one of royal houses of Cirebon, especially Keraton Keprabonan led by Wangsakerta princes, also actively recording and researching the history of Java by collecting old manuscripts.
There are several suggestions about the origin of the name "Cirebon". According Sulendraningrat who based on the script Babad Tanah Sunda and Atja on Carita Purwaka Caruban Nagari script, Cirebon at 1st was a small hamlet built by Ki Gedeng Tapa, which eventually evolved into a bustling port village and named Caruban, because the port town was a melting pot settled by immigrants from various ethnic groups, religions, languages, customs, and livelihoods different to reside or trade.
Another popular opinion suggested that the town's name derived from rebon the Sundanese word for small shrimp. Initially most of the people's livelihood was as fishermen, then developed the work of fishing and collecting rebon along the coast as well as making shrimp paste, petis paste, and salt. Rebon is the main ingredients on making shrimp paste. From the term of water used for shrimp paste manufacture that is called cai rebon (Sundanese for: rebon water) which later became Cirebon.
With the support of the bustling harbor and natural resources from the hinterland, Cirebon and then became a big city and become one of the important port on the north coast of Java in both the shipping and trading activities on the islands of the archipelago as well as with the rest of the world. In addition, the Islamic Sultanate of Cirebon grow into the center to spreading Islam in West Java.
The coastal area around the port of Cirebon was known as a coastal village of Muara Jati, a part of Sunda kingdom as stated on travel records of Prince Bujangga Manik, a Hindu Sundanese hermit who visited some of the holy Hindu sites in Java and Bali between late 15th century, or early 16th century. In his lontar manuscripts. The border of the Sunda kingdom in the west is Sunda Strait and in the east is Cipamali river and Cisarayu river (present day Serayu River) in Central Java Province. At this time Muara Jati was located around 14 kilometers north from modern Cirebon, and later known as Singapura. The transformation from small Hindu coastal fishing village into thriving Muslim port began with the rule of Ki Gedeng Tapa.
Ki Gedeng Tapa was a wealthy merchant living in the village of Muara Jati. He was appointed as the port master of Muara Jati fishing village by Sunda king reside in Kawali, Galuh, located further inland south of Muara Jati. The Muara Jati was later called Singapura, located several kilometres north of modern Cirebon. The thriving port town attract Muslim traders. Ki Gedeng Tapa and his daughter, Nyai Subang Larang are said to be converted to Islam. Nyai Subang Larang studied at Quro pesantren (Islamic school) in Karawang area.
At that time the West Java region including Muara Jati were belongs to Sunda kingdom with its capital in Pakuan Pajajaran. Sunda King Prabu Jayadewata or Sri Baduga Maharaja or popularly known as King Siliwangi married to Nyai Subang Larang and have three child; Prince Walangsungsang born in 1423, Princess Rara Santang born in 1426, and Prince Kian Santang (Raden Sangara) born in 1428.
Although Prince Walangsungsang was the first-born son of Sunda King, the prince didn't earned the right as a crown prince of Pakuan Pajajaran. This was because his mother, Nyai Subang Larang wasn't the prameswari. Another reason was probably because of his conversion to Islam, probably influenced by his mother, Subang Larang whom was a Muslim woman. At that time in 16th century West Java, the state's religion was the Sunda Wiwitan (Sundanese ancestral religion), Hinduism and Buddhism. It was his half brother, King Siliwangi's son from his 3rd wife Nyai Cantring Manikmayang, was chosen as crown prince, later ascended to the throne as King Surawisesa.
In 1442 Prince Walangsungsang married to Nyai Endang Geulis, daughter of Ki Gedheng Danu Warsih from Gunung Mara Api hermitage. Walangsungsang with his sister Rara Santang wondering around several hermitages to study spiritualism. In Gunung Amparan Jati they met an ulama Sheikh Datuk Kahfi from Persia. Walangsungsang, Rara Santang, and Endang Geulis, learn Islam from Sheikh Kahfi. The Sheikh ask the Prince to open a new settlement in the area Southeast from Gunung Jati. Walangsungsang was assisted by Ki Gedheng Danusela, Ki Gedheng Danu Warsih's younger brother. The new settlement was called Dukuh Alang-alang. By clearing forest, he established a new settlement on 1 Shura (Muharram) in 1358 (Javanese Islamic calendar), coincide with the 8 April 1445 CE.
People of this new settlement elected Danusela as their new kuwu later refer to as Ki Gedeng Alang-alang. He appointed Raden Walangsungsang as his deputy, titled as Pangraksabumi. However Ki Gedeng Alang-alang died two years later in 1447.
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. The coastal port village attract settlers from overseas as well as inland and forming a thriving new society in the village named Caruban, which means mixture in Sundanase to describe the compositions of its settlers. Two years after its establishment the record dated from 1447 shows the cosmopolitan composition of this thriving port town. According to this record the settlers of Caruban at that time was 346 people, composed from various ethnics background; 196 Sundanese, 106 Javanese, 16 Sumatran, 4 Malaccan, 2 Indian, 2 Persian, 3 Siamese, 11 Arabs, and 6 Chinese settlers.
After a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Prince Cakrabuana changed his name to a Muslim one, Haji Abdullah Iman. He built a thatched hut and a tajug pavilion called Jalagrahan, and expanded it as Pakungwati palace, today are pendopos located in front of Kasepuhan Palace, establishing his court in Cirebon. Thus he was considered as the founder of Cirebon. After the death of Cakrabuana grandfather, Ki Gedeng Tapa (Ki Gedeng Jumajan Jati), Cakrabuana receive inheritance; the Singapura settlement located north of Caruban were merged and incorporated into Caruban realm. The fortunes from inheritance was used to expand Pakungwati palace. His father King Siliwangi sent his envoy Tumenggung Jagabaya and Raja Sengara (Cakrabuana's younger brother), to bestow Prince Carkrabuana with the title Tumenggung Sri Mangana. Cirebon grew into a thriving port, yet Cakrabuana still loyal to his father and sent tribute to the main court of Sunda Pajajaran.
The early period of Cirebon Sultanate was commonly identified as Pakungwati period. It refer to Pakungwati palace, a Javanese style compound consists of series of pendopos enclosed within red brick walls and gates in typical Majapahit style of architecture. Pakungwati compound located north of Keraton Kasepuhan and today incorporated within Kasepuhan compound. During Pakungwati period, Cirebon Sultanate was a unified kingdom under one monarch. He was the 1st king of Cirebon, ruled from his palace Pakungwati and actively spread Islam to the people of Cirebon and West Java.
Meanwhile, Rara Santang during her hajj pilgrimage met Sharif Abdullah of Egypt and get married. She change her name to Syarifah Mudaim and in 1448 born a son Sharif Hidayatullah. In 1470 Syarif Hidayatullah went aboard to study at Mecca, Baghdad, Champa, and Samudra Pasai. Later he came home to Java. He learn from Sunan Ampel in East Java, served in Demak court, and later came back to Cirebon. He asked his uncle, Tumenggung Sri Mangana to establish Islamic school in Caruban or Carbon.
After his resignation in 1479 CE, Cakrabuana was succeeded by his nephew, Sharif Hidayatullah, the son of Nyai Rara Santang and Sharif Abdullah of Egypt. He married his cousin, Nyi Mas Pakungwati daughter of Cakrabuana and Nyai Mas Endang Geulis. He is popularly known with his posthumously name, Sunan Gunung Jati, with stylized name Tumenggung Sharif Hidayatullah bin Sultan Maulana Muhammad Sharif Abdullah, and also holding the title as Ingkang Sinuhun Kangjeng Susuhunan Jati Purba Panetep Panatagama Awlya Allah Kutubid Jaman Khalifatur Rasulullah. He ascend the throne as Sultan Carbon I reside in Keraton Pakungwati.
In 1482 Sharif Hidayatullah sent letter to his grandfather King Siliwangi, with statement that Cirebon refusing to pay tribute to Pajajaran. Previously Cakrabuana always paid Pajajaran tribute to acknowledge Sunda overlordship over Cirebon. By doing this Cirebon proclaimed itself as a sovereign independent state. The Cirebon independence proclamation was marked with Chandrasengkala Dwa Dasi Sukla Pakca Cetra Masa Sahasra Patangatus Papat Ikang Sakakala, corresponds with 12 Shafar 887 Hijri or 2 April 1482 CE. Today the day marked as the anniversary of Cirebon Regency.
First the king of xumda with his great city of Dayo, the town and lands and port of Bantam, the port of Pomdam (Pontang), the port of Cheguide (Cigede), the port of Tamgaram (Tangerang), the port of Calapa (Kelapa), and the port of Chemano (Chi Manuk or Cimanuk), this is Sunda, because the river of Chi Manuk is the limit of both kingdoms. Now comes Java and we must speak of the kings within the hinterland. The land of Cheroboam (Cherimon), the land of Japura, the land of Locarj (Losari), the land of Tateguall (Tegal), the land of Camaram (Semarang), the land of Demaa (Demak), Tidumar (Tidunan), the land of Japara (Jepara), the land of Ramee (Rembang), the land of Tobam (Tuban), the land of Cedayo (Sedayu), the land of Agasij (Grisee or Gresik), the land of Curubaya (Surabaya), the land of Gamda, the land of Blambangan, the land of Pajarucam (Pajarakan), the land of Camtx, the land of Panarunca (Panarukan), the land of Chamdy, and when its ended we will speak of the great island of Madura.
According to Tome Pires report, Cirebon was identified as Cheroboam or Cherimon. In 1515 Cirebon was no longer under the authority of Hindu Sunda kingdom, but rather identified as Java north coast port. It refer to Cirebon has been established as a Muslim state, just like those of Demak and Gresik.
After the news of the Portuguese-Sunda alliance in 1522 became known, Gunungjati nevertheless asked Demak sultanate to send troops to Banten. It was likely his son, Hasanudin, who commanded this military operation in 1527, just as the Portuguese fleet was arriving of the coast at Sunda Kelapa, to capture these towns.
Sunan Gunungjati had Hasanudin named king of Banten by the Sultan of Demak who, in turn, offered Hasanudin his sister’s hand in marriage. Thus a new dynasty was born at the same time as a new kingdom was created. Banten was the capital of this kingdom, held as a province under Sultanate of Cirebon.
During the reign of Sharif Hidayatullah or Sunan Gunung Jati, Sultanate of Cirebon enjoyed a rapid growth and rose to become a prominence kingdom in the region. The thriving coastal port city become the center of trade as well Islamic learning and dissemination. The port town attract traders from Arabia to China. Sunan Gunung Jati is believed to be the founder of the dynasty that ruled both the Sultanate of Cirebon and Banten. He also credited as the proselytizer of Islam in West Java. Ulamas from his court and mosque spreading the messange of Islam to inland Majalengka, Kuningan, Kawali, as well as the neighboring coastal ports of Sunda Kelapa, and Banten.
Large numbers of foreign traders come to establishes trade relations with Cirebon. Chinese Ming Dynasty in particular, establishes closer relations signify by the visit of Ming dignitary Ma Huan. The ties between China and Cirebon grew much closer when Sunan Gunungjati took the hands Princess Ong Tien â€" the daughter of Chinese Emperor â€" in marriage during his visit to China. With this dynastic marriage, the Chinese Emperor wishes to establish close relations and strategic alliance with Cirebon. Apparently it is advantageous for Chinese interest in the region as well as Cirebon economic interest, as the city welcomes Chinese traders and businesses. After married to Sunan Gunungjati, Princess Ong Tien change her name to Nyi Rara Semanding. The Emperor of China brought his daughter some treasures, most of these relics that Ong Tien has brought from China still exist and stored in the museums of Cirebon royal houses. The close relations between China and Cirebon has made Cirebon a popular destination for Chinese immigrants in coming years to seek a better life in Indonesia, thus established Chinese Indonesian community. Cirebon Pecinan is among the oldest Chinese settlement in Java. Chinese influences can be seen in Cirebon's culture, most notably the Cirebon batik megamendung pattern that resembles Chinese cloud imagery.

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