Banten Girang

Banten Girang
Name	Banten Girang
Map type	Indonesia Java
Coordinates	-6.3333, 106.1500
Location	Serang Regency, Banten, Indonesia
Type	Settlement
Built	c. 10th–16th century
Abandoned	c. 1527
Epochs	Medieval to early modern period
Excavations	1988–1993
Archaeologists	Claude Guillot

Banten Girang (meaning "Upper Banten" in Sundanese) was a pre-Islamic fortified settlement located in the interior of West Java, which later became the nucleus for the powerful Sultanate of Banten. Its significance in the context of Dutch colonization in Southeast Asia lies in its role as the indigenous political and economic center that preceded and initially resisted European contact. The site's history illustrates the transition from a pre-colonial Hindu-Buddhist polity to a major Islamic sultanate, which became a primary target for Dutch commercial and imperial ambitions in the Java Sea region.

Historical Significance and Location

Banten Girang is situated on the banks of the Cibanten River, approximately 10 kilometers south of the later coastal capital of Banten. Its strategic inland location provided defensive advantages and control over the fertile river valley and overland trade routes connecting the Sunda Strait with the interior of Java. The site served as the capital of the Sundanese polity of Banten before its conversion to Islam and relocation to the coast. This early center was a crucial node in the pre-colonial networks of maritime Southeast Asia, dealing in pepper, rice, and other local products. Its eventual fall and the rise of the coastal sultanate directly set the stage for the VOC's later interventions.

Pre-Colonial Era and Sultanate of Banten

Prior to the 16th century, Banten Girang was a significant Hindu settlement, likely under the influence of the Sunda Kingdom centered in Pakuan Pajajaran. The turning point came with the arrival of Sunan Gunungjati, one of the Wali Sanga (Nine Saints) who spread Islam in Java. Around 1527, he conquered Banten Girang, leading to the Islamization of the region and the foundation of the Sultanate of Banten. The capital was moved to the coast at the mouth of the Cibanten River, establishing the port city of Banten, which would eclipse its inland predecessor. The first sultan, Maulana Hasanuddin, transformed the polity into a formidable Islamic state and a major entrepôt.

Dutch East India Company (VOC) Contact and Conflict

The prosperous Sultanate of Banten attracted European traders, including the Portuguese, British, and later the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC). Initial relations between Banten and the Dutch were commercial, but tensions escalated as the VOC sought to monopolize the pepper trade. The Dutch conquest was a protracted process. A pivotal moment was the Treaty of Banten in 1684, which followed Dutch military support for Sultan Haji in a succession dispute. This treaty effectively made Banten a vassal of the VOC, granting the company trade monopolies and expelling other European rivals, marking the end of Banten's independence.

Role in Regional Trade and Politics

As the precursor to the coastal sultanate, Banten Girang was part of the Sunda Strait's economic sphere. The later Sultanate of Banten became a central hub in the Indian Ocean trade network, connecting Melaka, Java, Sumatra, and the Maluku Islands. Its main export was pepper from Lampung in southern Sumatra, making it a key competitor to the Mataram Sultanate and the VOC-controlled Batavia. The sultanate's political maneuvering between the VOC, the English East India Company, and local powers like Cirebon defined much of western Java's 17th-century history.

Archaeological Findings and Site Description

Archaeological excavations at Banten Girang, notably led by French historian Claude Guillot in the late 20th century, have revealed a complex settlement. Findings include the foundations of Hindu temples, water cisterns, defensive earthworks, and a large quantity of local and imported ceramics, notably from China and Vietnam. These artifacts confirm its status as a wealthy, pre-Islamic trading and religious center that existed from roughly the 10th century until its abandonment in the early 16th century. The site provides crucial archaeological evidence of the cultural and economic landscape of West Java before the rise of the Islamic sultanates and the arrival of Europeans.

Integration into the Dutch Colonial Sphere

Following the 1684 treaty, the Sultanate of Banten was gradually integrated into the Dutch colonial empire. The VOC installed a Dutch Resident who exercised significant control over the sultanate's foreign policy and trade. Succession disputes, such as the Banten War (1750–1753) and the Java War (1825–30, which involved Bantenese fighters), were often exploited by the VOC and later the colonial government to tighten control. By the 19th mind-19th century, the sultanate was a mere protectorate. It was formally abolished by the colonial government in 1813, and its territory was fully incorporated into the Dutch East Indies following the Dutch colonial wars of the 19th century.

Legacy and Modern Relevance

Today, Banten Girang is a key archaeological site and a symbol of the region's layered history, encompassing its Sundanese Hindu origins, its Islamization, and its eventual subjugation by European colonialism. The site, along with the nearby ruins of the coastal Banten Lama (Old Banten) with its iconic Great Mosque and the Fort Speelwijk, forms a historical corridor. It is studied to understand the transition from pre-colonial Indonesian polities to the VOC-dominated colonial era. The story of Banten Girang and the Sultanate of Banten is a central narrative in the history of Dutch colonization in Southeast Asia, illustrating the initial resistance, strategic alliances, and eventual colonial subjugation of a major archipelagic power. Category:Archaeological sites in Indonesia Category:History of Banten Category:Indonesian history