Born as Raden Mas Darajat, he was the son of Amangkurat I, the last Mataram ruler based in Plered, from his second queen consort, Ratu Wetan.

Darajat was once appointed as a crown prince (Javanese: adipati anom) when a conflict between his father and Raden Mas Rahmat (later Amangkurat II of Mataram) occurred.

Rahmat was Prince Puger's half-brother, born in Ratu Kulon (the first queen consort of Amangkurat I).

But, when the Kajoran family was proven to support the Trunajaya rebellion in 1674, Amangkurat I was forced to draw the title from RM.

Prince Puger appeared to replace his half-brother to prove to his father that not all of Kajoran's family members were involved in the Trunajaya rebellion.

Eventually, on 28 November 1681, Sunan Ingalaga surrendered to Jacob Couper, a Dutch officer who helped Amangkurat II.

Amangkurat II successfully ascended to the throne because of Dutch assistance, but accompanied by a treaty that worsened the Kartasura-based Mataram Sultanate.

Amangkurat III's hostility toward his half-uncle severed when Raden Suryokusumo, son of Prince Puger, rebelled.

Rangga Yudanegara, Regent of Semarang, acted as a mediator of Prince Puger in requesting the Dutch East India Company for help.

Yudanegara's diplomacy skills successfully made the Dutch East India Company forgive Captain Tack's death.

The content of the Semarang Treaty which had to be signed by Prince Puger is, among others, the transfer of Eastern Madura to the Dutch East India Company.

On 6 July 1704, Prince Puger was appointed as a ruler styled Susuhunan Paku Buwana Senapati Ingalaga Ngabdurahman Sayidin Panatagama Khalifatulah Tanah Jawa, commonly abbreviated as Pakubuwana or Pakubuwono I.

One year later, Pakubuwono I, guarded by joint Dutch, Semarang, Western Madura, and Surabaya troops, moved to invade Kartasura.

Kartasura troops assigned to ambush them were led by Arya Mataram, Pakubuwono I's own younger brother.

The rule of Pakubuwono I was brought up to a new treaty with the Dutch East India Company as a replacement ever signed by Amangkurat II.

Sunan Pakubuwono I died in 1719, and was succeeded by his son, Amangkurat IV, whose reign was marked by the Second Javanese War of Succession.