Jejak Mataram Islam di Yogyakarta, by V. Wiratna Sujarweni

Sujarweni has produced several meticulously researched works about ancient temples and the Mataram Kingdom.In essence, the book under review, whose title translates as Traces of Islamic Mataram in Yogyakarta, offers a critical review of the history of Islamic civilization in Yogyakarta.Mataram, an Islamic kingdom in Indonesia, endures both in Surakarta (through the Kasunanan Surakarta Palace and the Mangkunegaran Palace) and Yogyakarta (through the Yogyakarta Sultanate Palace and the Pakualaman Palace).The book resonates with the views of Merle Ricklefs, which, like Sujarweni, examines the long history of establishing Islamic kingdoms in the archipelago.As characterized by Van Bruinessen (2020: 461-464), "[t]he adoption of Islam by the Javanese did not mean that they shed their previous beliefs and practices … Ricklefs began thinking of an ambitious new project that would trace the process of Islamization and the associated cultural and political struggles from the beginnings of Mataram to the present day."More specifically, the present book examines traces of Islamic history that developed in the city of Yogyakarta, delving into the origins of the Yogyakarta Sultanate and the Pakualaman kingdom, which continue to endure as cultural heritage today.An essential aspect of this book's introduction (Chapter 1) is the fragmentation of Mataram's power, which was set in motion by the kingdom of Demak Bintoro as Java's first Islamic kingdom (p.8).This kingdom was still part of the Duchy of the Majapahit (then ruled by Brawijaya).The Demak Kingdom did not last long (1478 to 1549): after Raden Patah came to power and died, there were only two successors, Pati Unus and Sultan Trenggono (p.9).Over time, the kingdom faced upheaval with the emergence of Arya Penangsang, who sought to rule.A competition, organized by Joko Tingkir, offered the area of Alas Mentaok as a prize to whoever could defeat Arya Penangsang.Ki Ageng Pemanahan emerged victorious, with assistance from Ki Juru Mertani and his son Danang Sutawijaya, after which the kingdom was moved from Demak to Pajang.Chapter 2 discusses the period when Islamic Mataram took control of the Pajang Kingdom.Initially based in Kotagede, Islamic Mataram was later moved by Sultan Agung to Kerto, Yogyakarta, for reasons of strategic warfare.The seat of government moved several times, from Pleret to Kartosuro and eventually to Surakarta because of war-induced damage.Due to cunning Dutch maneuvers, the Islamic Mataram kingdom based in Surakarta was divided into two: the Kasunanan of Surakarta ruled by Pakubuwana and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta ruled by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana, as stipulated in the Giyanti agreement.