Majapahit

[5] At its greatest extent, following significant military expansions, the territory of the empire and its tributary states covered almost the entire Nusantara archipelago, spanning both Asia and Oceania.

Established by Raden Wijaya in 1292, Majapahit rose to power after the Mongol invasion of Java and reached its peak during the era of the queen Tribhuvana and her son Hayam Wuruk, whose reigns in the mid-14th century were marked by conquests that extended throughout Southeast Asia.

[11]: 18  Composed by Mpu Prapanca, it provides a primary historical account of Majapahit court during the reign of King Hayam Wuruk, as well as detailed information about the East Javanese countryside and a summary of Singhasari history.

[26] The report was composed and collected in Yingya Shenglan, which provides valuable insight on the culture, customs, and also various social and economic aspects of Java (爪哇, chao-wa) during Majapahit period.

It was not clear what motivated Jayanegara's wish – it might have been his way to ensure his claim to the throne by preventing rivals from being his half-sisters' suitors, although in the later period of the Majapahit court the custom of marriage among cousins was quite common.

Ibn Battuta recorded a story about a country called Tawalisi which oppose the king of China (Yuan dynasty) and waged war with him using numerous junks until he made a peace on certain conditions.

In 1355,[44] Hayam Wuruk launched the third invasion of Dayak Ma'anyan kingdom of Nan Sarunai, which at the time was led by Raden Anyan or Datu Tatuyan Wulau Miharaja Papangkat Amas.

[11]: 19  Although the Majapahit rulers extended their power over other islands and destroyed neighbouring kingdoms, their focus seems to have been on controlling and gaining a larger share of the commercial trade that passed through the archipelago.

Kertabhumi managed to stabilize this situation by allying with Muslim merchants, giving them trading rights on the north coast of Java, with Demak as its centre and in return asked for their loyalty to Majapahit.

Majapahit's territories were roughly divided into three types: the palace and its vicinity; the areas of east Java and Bali which were directly administered by officials appointed by the king; and the outer dependencies which enjoyed substantial internal autonomy.

[82]: 87 [80]: 459 [83]: 322 In Yingya Shenglan – a record about Zheng He's expedition (1405–1433) – Ma Huan describes the culture, customs, various social and economic aspects of Chao-Wa (Java) during Majapahit period.

They wore clothing on the upper body and wrapped unstitched fabrics around the bottom part,[note 13] Men from a boy aged three to elders slipped pu-la-t'ou (dagger) in their belt.

They spend all their time in pleasures, the retinues had so many lances in holders of gold and silver, so richly inlaid, with so many harriers, greyhounds and other dogs; and they have so many pictures painted with images and hunting scenes.

[86] The literature of Majapahit was the continuation of Javanese Kawi Hindu-Buddhist scholarly tradition that produces kakawin poem that has been developed in Java since the 9th century Medang Mataram era, all the way through Kadiri and Singhasari periods.

Notable Javanese literary works dated from an earlier period, such as Kadiri's 11th century Kanwa's Arjunawiwaha, 12th-century Dharmaja's Smaradahana, Sedah's Bharatayuddha, Panuluh's Hariwangsa also popular Panji cycles are continuously preserved and rewritten by Rakawi (Hindu-Buddhist poet or scholar) in Majapahit era.

The large split gate of Wringin Lawang located at Jatipasar, Trowulan, Mojokerto, East Java, is one of the oldest and the largest surviving candi bentar dated from Majapahit era.

According to the manuscript Kidung Sorandaka, it was said that Demung Sora, a minister of Majapahit court, was sentenced to death penalty under the Astadusta provisions for his crime on killing Mahisa Anabrang.

In Nagarakretagama Canto 14 more lands are noted: Kadandangan, Landa, Samadang, Tirem, Sedu (Sibu in Sarawak), Barune (Brunei), Kalka, Saludung (Serudong River in Sabah[104]), Solot (Sulu), Pasir, Barito, Sawaku, Tabalung, and Tanjung Kutei.

Majapahit did not performed direct administration of its overseas possessions, they did not maintain permanent military occupation, and did not imposes its political and cultural norms over a wide area; thus it is not sufficiently considered an empire in a traditional sense.

[143][144] Haiguo Guangji (海国广记) and Shuyu zhouzi lu (殊域周咨錄) recorded that Java is vast and densely populated, and their armored soldiers and hand cannons (火銃—huǒ chòng) dominated the Eastern Seas.

[145]: 755 [146][147] Tomé Pires' 1513 account tells the army of Gusti Pati (Patih Udara), viceroy of Batara Vojyaya (probably Brawijaya or Ranawijaya), numbered 200,000 men, 2,000 of which are horsemen and 4,000 musketeers.

Majapahit navy personnel were large, as noted Nagarakretagama canto 16 stanza 5:[157][158]: 17, 148, 281 [159] irika tang anyabhumi sakhahemban ing Yawapuri, (Then 'Anyabhumi' [other lands] everywhere were all united in the Javanese kingdom,) amateh i sajna sang nrpati khapwa satya ring ulah, (obey every command of the king.

All are faithful in attitude,) pituwi sing ajñalanghyana dinon wiśirnna sahana, (even though there were treaty violators, they were attacked by expeditionary forces and were all destroyed,) tekap ikang watek jaladhi mantry aneka suyaśa.

Duarte Barbosa mention places and route which the Majapahit ships visited, which include Maluku Islands, Timor, Banda, Sumatra, Malacca, China, Tenasserim, Pegu (Bago), Bengal, Pulicat, Coromandel, Malabar, Cambay (Khambat), and Aden.

[53]: 107  Although its political power beyond the core area in east Java was diffuse, constituting mainly ceremonial recognition of suzerainty, Majapahit society developed a high degree of sophistication in both commercial and artistic activities.

Other than Javanese sources, some regional legends mentioning Majapahit kingdom or its general Gajah Mada also can be found; from Aceh, Minangkabau, Palembang, the Malay Peninsula, Sunda, Brunei, Bali to Sumbawa.

[179] In West Java, the Pasunda Bubat tragedy caused a myth to revolve around Indonesians, which forbids marriage between a Sundanese and a Javanese, as it would be unsustainable and only bring misery to the couple.

These tales remained a popular theme in Javanese culture of later period during Mataram Sultanate, and often became the source of inspiration for wayang shadow puppet performance, ketoprak and topeng dance drama.

The Panji tales, in particular, have spread from East Java to become a source of inspiration for literature and dance drama throughout the region, as far as the Malay Peninsula, Cambodia and Siam where he is known as Raden Inao or Enau (Thai: อิเหนา) of Kurepan.

Jero Wacik, the Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism stated that the Majapahit Park would be built on the site and completed as early as 2009, to prevent further damage caused by home-made brick industries that developed in the surrounding area.

A maja fruit growing near Trowulan. The bitter-tasting fruit is the origin of the kingdom's name.
''Deśarvarṇana'' palm-leaf manuscript in the National Library of Indonesia collection.
Wayang klithik puppet of Raden Damar Wulan – the hero of Majapahit kingdom
Painting of a 14th-century Yuan junk . Similar ships were sent by the Yuan in their naval armada.
King Kertarajasa portrayed as Harihara , amalgamation of Shiva and Vishnu . Originally located at Candi Simping, Blitar , today it is displayed in National Museum .
Golden image of a mounted rider , possibly the Hindu god Surya , within a stylised solar halo . Below is a conch flanked by two nagas . 14th-century Majapahit art, National Museum Jakarta .
The statue of Parvati as mortuary deified portrayal of Tribhuwanottunggadewi , queen of Majapahit, mother of Hayam Wuruk
Rough estimations of Majapahit's conquest of the Indonesian archipelago ( Nusantara ) in the 13th century, its decline and its eventual fall in the early 16th century. The existing historical records from several sources [ note 6 ] only partially describe the years listed and thus are subject to revisions.
The terracotta figure popularly believed by Mohammad Yamin as the portrait of Gajah Mada , collection of Trowulan Museum . His claim, however, is not backed by historical background.
Gajah Mada inscription , dated 1273 Saka (1351 AD), mentioned about a sacred caitya building dedicated by Gajah Mada for the late King Kertanegara of Singhasari.
Bronze cannon, called cetbang , Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York, from c. 1470–1478 Majapahit. Note the Surya Majapahit emblem on the bronze cannon.
The route of the voyages of Zheng He's fleet, including Majapahit ports
The mortuary deified portrait statue of Queen Suhita (reign 1429–1447), discovered at Jebuk, Kalangbret, Tulungagung, East Java, National Museum of Indonesia
Demak was the earliest Islamic polity in Java that replaced Majapahit.
An armored horse rider, two armored warriors, and a noble figure. From Penataran temple, ca. 1347.
Jawi Temple , a syncretic Hindu-Buddhist temple of Shiva-Buddha cult, dated from late 13th century Singhasari kingdom, which later renovated and preserved during the Majapahit period
Gold figure from the Majapahit period representing Sutasoma being borne by the man-eater Kalmasapada
Palm leaf manuscript of Kakawin Sutasoma , a 14th-century Javanese poem
Bas reliefs of Tegowangi temple, dated from Majapahit period, demonstrate the East Javanese style.
Pair of door guardians from a temple, Eastern Java, 14th century, Museum of Asian Art, San Francisco
The stepped terraces, pavilions, and split gates of Cetho temple complex on mount Lawu slopes
Majapahit terracotta piggy bank , 14th or 15th century Trowulan , East Java (collection of National Museum of Indonesia , Jakarta )
Ancient red-brick canal discovered in Trowulan. Majapahit had a well-developed irrigation infrastructure.
Majapahit core realm and provinces ( Mancanagara ) in eastern and central parts of Java, including islands of Madura and Bali
The extent of Majapahit's influence under Hayam Wuruk in 1365 according to Nagarakretagama
A 1.79 kilogram, 21-karat Majapahit period gold image discovered in Agusan , Philippines , copied Nganjuk bronze images of the early Majapahit period, [ 103 ] signify Majapahit cultural influence on southern Philippines.
Asia in the early 14th century
14th-century gold armlets and rings in East Javanese Majapahit style, found at Fort Canning Hill, Singapore , suggests that Tumasik or Singapura was within Majapahit sphere of influence.
Adityawarman , a senior minister of Majapahit depicted as Bhairava. He established the Pagaruyung Kingdom in Central Sumatra.
On centre bottom row (no. 8) is a Yǒng-Lè Tōng-Bǎo (永樂通寶) cash coin cast under the Yǒng-Lè Emperor (永樂帝) of Ming dynasty. These were cast in great quantities and used by Ashikaga , Ryukyu , as well as Majapahit.
Pura Maospahit ("Majapahit Temple") in Denpasar , Bali, demonstrate the typical Majapahit red brick architecture.
The Majapahit style minaret of Kudus Mosque
Bas relief from Candi Penataran describes the Javanese-style pendopo pavilion, commonly found across Java and Bali.
The Kris of Knaud , one of the oldest surviving kris, is dated to Majapahit period.
The high reliefs of Gajah Mada and Majapahit history depicted in Monas has become the source of Indonesian national pride of past greatness.
Gajah Mada statue in front of Telecommunication Museum in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah , Jakarta. Palapa , Indonesia's first telecommunication satellite launched on 9 July 1976 was named after Palapa oath .
Genealogy diagram of the Rajasa dynasty , the royal family of Singhasari and Majapahit. Rulers are highlighted with period of reign.
Theatrical performance depicting the Mongol invasion of Java, performed by 150 students of Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta . The history of Majapahit continues to inspire contemporary artists.