Amangkurat II

Amangkurat II
Tirto (maker, from Gresik) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Amangkurat II
Title	Susuhunan of Mataram
Reign	1677–1703
Predecessor	Amangkurat I
Successor	Amangkurat III
Birth date	1647
Death date	1703
Dynasty	Mataram Sultanate
Father	Amangkurat I
Mother	Ratu Kulon
Religion	Islam

Amangkurat II. Amangkurat II was the Susuhunan (monarch) of the Mataram Sultanate in central Java from 1677 until his death in 1703. His reign is a pivotal chapter in the history of Dutch Colonization in Southeast Asia, defined by a fateful military alliance with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) to secure his throne. This alliance fundamentally transformed Mataram from a powerful indigenous empire into a vassal state dependent on European military and political support, setting a precedent for subsequent Dutch colonial expansion across the Indonesian archipelago.

Accession and Early Reign

Amangkurat II, born Raden Mas Rahmat, ascended to the throne under conditions of extreme crisis. His father, Amangkurat I, had presided over a period of internal strife and brutal purges that severely weakened the Mataram Sultanate. Following a massive rebellion led by the Madurese prince Trunajaya, the royal capital of Plered was sacked in 1677. Amangkurat I died during the ensuing flight, and his son was proclaimed sovereign in exile. The new Susuhunan's authority was tenuous, his kingdom fractured, and his treasury depleted. His early reign was consumed by the immediate struggle for survival against Trunajaya's forces, which controlled much of Java and threatened to extinguish the Mataram dynasty entirely. This dire predicament forced Amangkurat II to seek external assistance, a decision that would irrevocably alter the balance of power in the region.

Alliance with the Dutch East India Company

Facing annihilation, Amangkurat II turned to the Dutch East India Company, the dominant European commercial and military power in the archipelago. In 1677, he negotiated a treaty with VOC Governor-General Joan Maetsuycker and his successor, Rijklof van Goens. This agreement, formalized at times in the coastal VOC stronghold of Surabaya, was profoundly consequential. In exchange for Dutch military support to crush the Trunajaya rebellion, Amangkurat II granted the VOC extensive concessions. These included significant territorial cessions, most importantly the port of Semarang, which became a key Dutch base. He also granted the Company a monopoly on the sugar trade in certain regions and promised to reimburse the costs of the military campaign. This treaty marked the beginning of direct, sustained VOC political and military intervention in the interior of Java, moving beyond their previous coastal trading posts.

The Trunajaya Rebellion and Dutch Intervention

The alliance was immediately tested in the protracted conflict against Trunajaya. VOC forces, under commanders like Cornelis Speelman, played a decisive role in a series of campaigns. The combined Dutch-Mataram army achieved a critical victory at the Battle of Kediri in 1678, where Trunajaya's fortified capital was captured. The rebellion was gradually suppressed, and Trunajaya was eventually captured and executed in 1680. However, the victory came at a steep price for Mataram's sovereignty. The Dutch intervention was not an act of charity but a calculated investment. The VOC meticulously recorded all expenses for troops, ships, and supplies, which were then presented as a debt to the Mataram crown. This massive financial obligation, coupled with the territorial concessions, made Amangkurat II financially and politically beholden to his European allies, effectively cementing Dutch leverage over the Javanese court.

Reign as a Dutch Vassal

Following the defeat of Trunajaya, Amangkurat II's reign was characterized by his subordination to the Dutch East India Company. He moved his court to the new capital of Kartasura, a location more accessible to Dutch influence from their coastal holdings. His primary task became consolidating his fragile authority, often relying on Dutch support to quell subsequent internal challenges, including from his own brother, Pangeran Puger. The VOC maintained a resident at his court to oversee their interests and ensure compliance with treaties. Amangkurat II's ability to act independently was severely constrained; major policy decisions, especially concerning trade and foreign relations, required Dutch acquiescence. His reign thus established the model of indirect rule, where the VOC propped up a cooperative indigenous ruler to maintain stability and secure economic privileges, a template later applied elsewhere in the Dutch East Indies.

Legacy and Historical Assessment

The legacy of Amangkurat II is complex and largely viewed through the lens of the decline of Javanese political independence. Historians such as M.C. Ricklefs have assessed his reign as the critical juncture where the Mataram Sultanate transitioned from a major regional power to a client state. While he preserved the dynasty and the ceremonial structure of the kingdom, he did so by mortgaging its sovereignty. His alliance with the VOC provided a temporary solution to an existential threat but initiated a long-term process of colonial encroachment. The debts and concessions he agreed to bound his successors, including Amangkurat III and Pakubuwono I, ever tighter into the Dutch imperial system. Consequently, Amangkurat II is often remembered not as a restorer of glory, but as the monarch under whom the foundations for formal Dutch colonial rule in Java were decisively laid, shaping the political trajectory of the island for centuries.