Pakubuwono II

Pakubuwono II
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Name	Pakubuwono II
Title	Susuhunan of Mataram
Reign	1726 – 1749
Predecessor	Amangkurat IV
Successor	Pakubuwono III
Birth date	8 December 1711
Birth place	Kartasura, Mataram Sultanate
Death date	20 December 1749 (aged 38)
Death place	Surakarta, Mataram Sultanate
Issue	Pakubuwono III
House	Mataram Sultanate
Father	Amangkurat IV
Religion	Islam

Pakubuwono II. Pakubuwono II, born Raden Mas Prabasuyasa, was the Susuhunan of the Mataram Sultanate from 1726 until his death in 1749. His reign was a pivotal period of transition, marked by intense internal strife, rebellion, and the deepening political and military intervention of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Javanese affairs. His decisions, particularly during the Chinese War and the subsequent succession disputes, directly facilitated the partition of Mataram and solidified Dutch colonial supremacy in central Java.

Early Life and Accession

Pakubuwono II was born in the Kartasura palace on 8 December 1711, the son of Amangkurat IV. His early life was shaped within the volatile court politics of the declining Mataram Sultanate, which was increasingly under the influence of the Dutch East India Company. He ascended to the throne in 1726 following the death of his father, inheriting a kingdom burdened by factional rivalries among the priyayi (Javanese nobility) and heavy debts to the VOC. His accession was supported by the Dutch, who saw in the young ruler a pliable partner to secure their commercial interests and political stability in the region. The court itself had recently been relocated to Kartasura after the earlier destruction of the Plered capital, symbolizing the kingdom's instability.

Reign and Relations with the Dutch East India Company

The reign of Pakubuwono II was defined by a precarious and often contradictory relationship with the Dutch East India Company. Initially, he adhered to the treaties established by his predecessors, confirming Dutch monopolies over key commodities like sugar and coffee and ceding further territorial control, including the vital coastal region of Cirebon. However, his authority was constantly challenged by rebellious princes and regional lords, such as Pangeran Arya Mangkunegara, who opposed both his rule and the growing VOC dominance. The Company, represented by officials like Governor-General Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff, increasingly acted as the kingmaker, offering military support in exchange for greater concessions, which eroded the sovereignty of the Mataram court and entangled the kingdom in a cycle of dependency and debt.

Involvement in the Chinese War (1740–1743)

The most critical test of Pakubuwono II's rule was the Chinese War (also known as the Java War of 1741–1743), a major rebellion sparked by a VOC massacre of the Chinese community in Batavia in 1740. The conflict quickly spread to Java's interior. Initially, Pakubuwono II, seeking to break free from Dutch control, allied with the rebel forces led by the Chinese leader Singseh and the Javanese prince Mangkunegara. This bold move led to the sacking of the Kartasura palace in 1742. Facing military defeat, Pakubuwono II was forced to flee. He ultimately switched allegiance back to the VOC, which restored him to his throne in 1743 after a decisive Dutch victory. As punishment for his initial rebellion, he was compelled to sign a treaty ceding the entire north coast of Java (the Pasisir) and the region of Madura to the Company, a catastrophic loss of territory and revenue that permanently weakened the sultanate.

Succession Crisis and Treaty of Giyanti (1755)

The final years of Pakubuwono II's reign were consumed by a bitter succession crisis. His designated heir, the future Pakubuwono III, faced a formidable challenge from his younger brother, Mangkubumi, who was supported by anti-Dutch factions. This dynastic struggle erupted into the Third Javanese War of Succession (1749–1757). On his deathbed in December 1749, Pakubuwono II, under intense pressure from the VOC, reportedly transferred sovereignty of Mataram to the Dutch East India Company, a controversial act orchestrated by Governor-General Jacob Mossel. This transfer allowed the VOC to formally intervene as the arbiter of the kingdom's fate. The war continued after his death, ultimately leading to the Treaty of Giyanti in 1755, which was brokered by the Dutch. The treaty permanently partitioned the Mataram Sultanate into the rival courts of Surakarta, under Pakubuwono III, and Yogyakarta, under Mangkubumi, who became Hamengkubuwono I. This division, engineered by the VOC, ensured Dutch political and economic hegemony over central Java for the next century.

Legacy and Impact on Javanese-Dutch Relations

The legacy of Pakubuwono II is that of a monarch whose reign catalyzed the end of Javanese political independence. His strategic independence. His political independence. His disastrous. His strategic. His strategic. His failed. His disastrous alliance with the Netherlands Indies. His reign and Dutch Colonization of Southeast Asia and the Great War of Succession in Southeast Asia and Impact on Java|Dutch Colonization in Southeast Asia and Southeast Asia. The legacy of Southeast Asia and Dutch East India Company. His reign and Impact on Southeast Asia and Dutch Colonization of Southeast Asia and Impact on Javanese-Dutch Colonization in Southeast Asia and Impact on Javanese-Dutch Colonization in Southeast Asia and Dutch Colonization in Southeast Asia. The legacy of Java|Dutch East India Company (VOCII, and Impact on Javanese-Dutch Relations ==

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