Panembahan Senopati - The First King of Mataram Sultanate or Kingdom _{Wikipedia Panembahan Senopati}

On Java Island, situated in the history of ancient kingdoms, the ancient Mataram Hindu, Kediri, Singasari, Majapahit, Demak, Pajang, and the last was Mataram Islam. Why do all the kingdoms not exist today? It is because those kingdoms failed in transferring leadership succession. The succession of Javanese rulers is full of bloody history among the kings, sons, and siblings.

The territory of Mataram Kingdom or Sultanate

The fall of Majapahit was under the ruler Brawijaya V. The fall of Majaphit was because of a fight between a new Islamic Kingdom, Demak Bintoro. The Demak King was Raden Patah. He was the son of Brawijaya V. Majapahit was fallen by the son of the king.

Joko Tingkir was one of the descendents of Brawijaya V. He was the son of Ki Ageng Pengging. He became the ruler of Pajang. Pajang was an otonom under the Demak Kingdom. After Sultan Trenggono died, Jaka Tingkir relocated Demak to PaJang., Jaka Tingkir was the son-in-law of Sultan Trenggono, King of Demak. His decision caused anger of other Trenggono's children and son-in-laws. Aryo Penangsang was the grand son of the first Demak Sultanate founder , Raden Patah. So, he was still descendant of Brawijaya V. He did not aggree with Jaka Tingkir decision because Jaka Tingkir was only a son-in-law. Finally, there was a war between Jaka Tingkir and Aryo Penangsang. Aryo Penangsang was the otonom leader under Pajang sultanate in Jipang.

In the war, Pajang was helped by Sutawijaya. Sutawijaya was a descendant of Brawijaya V too. The Pajang king gave the present Sutawijaya Mentaok forest. Sutawijaya and his followers built Mentaok forest, a small city under the Pajang kingdom. Sutawijaya rebelled against Pajang. He won the war, and Mentaok became a new kingdom named Mataram. Mataram is in Yogyakarta today.

Before Mataram became a city, there was an area that existed. The name was Mangiran. The leader was Ki Ageng Mangir. Ki Ageng Mangir IV, or Bagus Wanabaya, was still the descendant of Brawijaya V.
The advisor of the Mataram kingdom told King Panembahan Senapati that the Mangiran area would be a threat to Mataram because the area grew fast. Ki Ageng Mangir III had more followers than Panembahan Senopati.
Panembahan Senopati decided to conquer Mangiran, but the advisor said that Mataram’s power would not be able to conquer Mangiran. Finally, Ki Juru Mertani, the head of the advisors, proposed a political trick. It was called " Rantai Emas", or "Gold Chain".

The Gold Chain was a political strategy of Javanese rulers to conquer areas that were stronger or had the same power. The gold chain was a strategy to send the princess of Mataram to Mangiran. The princess had the task of attracting Ki Ageng Mangir to marry her. In the Javanese culture, a son-in-law should follow the rules of the father-in-law.

Panembahan Senopati sent Princess Pembayun. She was a beautiful young girl. Ki Ageng Mangir fell in love with her and married her. However, Princess Pembayun fell in love with Ki Ageng Mangir. She had forgotten her task from her father to kill Ki Ageng Mangir.

Panembahan Senopati invited Ki Ageng Mangir to Mataram Palace with his daughter. In Javanese culture, attending an invitation from a king means defeat. Ki Ageng Mangir finally came to Mataram Palace because he was tied by the gold chain.

In the palace, Ki Ageng Mangir was killed by one of Panembahan Senopati’s sons or helpers. In other versions, Panembahan Senopati did not want to kill Ki Ageng Mangir, but his helpers did. One of Ki Ageng Mangir's brothers vowed revenge on the killer of Ki Ageng Mangir. Raden Ronggo was accused of being the killer of Ki Ageng Mangir. He was attacked by a spear and died. After that, Mangiran was united into the Mataram kingdom.

Princess Pembayun was secured because she was pregnant of Ki Ageng Mangir’son. And the descendant of Ki Ageng Mangir was not cut. Mataram achieved its glory under the rule of Sultan Agung , the third Mataram king or Sultan. One of the descendants of Ki Ageng Mangir was named Utari. In Javanese history, when Mataram attacked VOC in Batavia, or Jakarta today, Utari was a woman intelligent agent that aided Sultan Agung. Utari killed JP Coen with poison, but the Dutch said that JP Coen died of malaria.

The Movie of Sultan Agung - The Ruler of Mataram Sultanate III Attacking VoC in Batavia*

Conclusion

Gold Chain is a kind of intelligent and political strategy of Javanese rulers to conquer an area that has the same or stronger power.
The succession of Javanese rulers was bloody among the descendants of Brawijaya V.
^{Refferences : https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Agung_dari_Mataram
https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki_Ageng_Mangir}