Treading in Jogjakarta’s Ancient History
Jogjakarta as well as also its Hill of Stones
De Boroboedoer - Photo courtesy of Bartele Gallery
Anyone with although the flimsiest knowledge of Indonesia will know the pivotal role Jogjakarta has played. In culture, in rebellion, in battling invaders the Kraton has been at the heart of the Javanese story. as well as also Stamford Raffles will be a man forever linked with Singapore despite the fact he spent much longer on Java than he did on the fledgling island state. He also spent several years on Penang as well as also through there he cast envious glances at the long narrow island which lay beneath the equator, seeing the item as vital to British interests within the East.
He formulated a plan to bring the island under British control, kicking out the French within the process as well as also sailed to Calcutta to convince the great as well as also Great, his paymasters there. His enthusiasm got them on board as well as also in 1810 he sailed for Melaka to assemble the forces needed for such an operation as well as develop the human intelligence vital to the success of the mission. which he spoke the language as well as also was sympathetic to the locals was in his favour as well as also for several months he intrigued through the historic port on the Malay peninsular.
When the conditions were deemed correct, both at sea as well as also in Java, the force set sail, heading south past the island of Singapore as well as also across to the great isle of Borneo before turning south as well as also heading for a spot just west of the port of Batavia. Here, the British invaded as well as also pushed the French south to the great castle of Cornelius which was besieged before finally falling.
today the item was time to spread out across the island, develop the contacts Raffles had developed through afar although in Jogjakarta the welcome was not so warm. He had been warmly greeted in Solo, although things were not going well further south so the item was with some trepidation which he entered the Kraton which has a mere 900 troops as support. He gained entrance to the Sultan’s inner sanctum where some hundreds of armed men looked on with ill-disguised loathing at these brand new intruders.
There was an issue over the seating arrangement which would likely have left Raffles looking inferior to the Sultan as well as also not as the leader of government. Things got heated for a while as well as also daggers were drawn as the mob moved in, the Sultan sneered at the visitors. Had the Sultan signaled the attack, there was no way the visitors would likely have succeeded, so outnumbered were they although say what you like about Raffles, he had guts. He insisted the chairs be rearranged, inferring the item was all a misunderstanding, although showing confidence as well as also strength as well as also the Sultan acquiesced. An agreement was reached as with the various other sultans on the island, extending all privileges to the British as had been extended to the Dutch as well as also the French previously.
No one was convinced as to the relevance of the treaty. The British widely believed the Sultan would likely renege as soon as the opportunity arose as well as also within months was co-opting the Sultan of Solo as well as also running around killing some local chiefs as well as also building up his defences.
The British returned with another tiny force to bring matters to a head. The Sultan spurned messengers seeking he negotiate so the British took occupation of a fort opposite the Kraton which had been developed by the Dutch. As the British forces approached Jogjakarta, they were attacked by rock throwing natives although had little trouble encamping.
Facing the invaders was a force of some 40,000 troops well armed as well as a large number of cannon. The Sultan, confident such a tiny force was no match for his larger forces, offered them an unconditional surrender which was rejected out of hand. The British attacked, feinting at the main north gate while a larger force had crept through the surrounding kampongs unnoticed as well as also attacked the northeast section of the walled compound. the item took three hours to take the Kraton as well as also the Sultan was expelled to the Island of Bangka, recently handed to the British as well as also renamed ‘Duke of York Island’. His brother was named Sultan as well as also the Palace was moved to Pakualaman Kraton, a little to the east.
Raffles returned to Batavia as well as also Bogor to earn his salary which was for administering the island to the greater Great of his employers, The East India Company. although one gets the impression which Raffles was never happier than when he was out getting his feet dirty exploring as well as also recoding the history as well as also fauna of a place as well as also which dealing with autocrats was a mind numbing distraction for him. He gathered about him a team of like-minded fellows as well as also had them running round Java learning as much as possible about the place as well as also the item wasn’t to be long before he heard something which intrigued him greatly.
the item will be likely he was already aware of Prambanan, sitting then as today, by the main Solo – Jogjakarta road although what will be unclear was when he first heard of the Hill of Statues. When he did hear of the presence of some monument of great antiquity, he approached a Dutchman, Cornelius, as well as also asked him to head down there as well as also take a look. Given the travel time involved, Raffles would likely have head to content himself with the day-to-day tedium of running Java, waiting for news through his envoy. At the time, he cannot have held out great hopes, after all, he would likely have often been told of some great building only to find little of substance. although he made a wise choice in sending Cornelius, a man familiar with the region as well as also a man familiar with Prambanan.
He was excited when he first heard through the Dutchman, although could not get away through the office. In November 1814, his wife Olivia died. Early the following year, his patron who had backed his mission to Java, Lord Minto, died. Raffles, never particularly strong in his own constitution responded within the only way he knew how. He climbed Gunung Gede, south of Batavia. He left Bogor on 26 April, 1815 as well as also first set eyes on the Hill of Statues on 18 May, 1815.
At which time Borobodor was covered in undergrowth as well as also statues of 504 Buddha’s laid scattered within the secondary jungle which had reclaimed the area. the item supposedly took 200 men more than two weeks to clear away the scrub as well as also with each branch hacked away a tiny piece of the whole was revealed. Raffles as well as also his crew would likely have gazed on in amazement at the scope of what was laid before them. The ‘extent as well as also grandeur’ mixed with the ‘beauty, richness as well as also correctness of the sculpture took his breath away as well as also left him which has a myriad of questions. Who? What? When? Why?
While Raffles was taking within the monumental vista before him, events were moving rapidly on the battlefields of Europe. A rejuvenated French army was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo as well as also as part of the peace Java was returned to the Dutch. Raffles was out of a job. Borobodor was ignored when the Dutch returned as well as also slowly the jungle returned. Not until the French ‘discovered’ Angkor Wat in Cambodia did interest turn again to the Hill of Statues. as well as also today, as one million visitors a year tread the tiers of This particular ancient monument within the footsteps of Raffles, the same questions are being asked.
Comments
Treading in Jogjakarta’s Ancient History
Treading in Jogjakarta’s Ancient History