Lombok Kingdom

1. History

a. Origin         

The major obstacle to writing the history of certain kingdoms is the limitation of information availability. The same is true about Lombok Kingdom. One of reliable sources on Lombok Kingdom history is Babad Lombok (Lombok Chronicle) which only asserted the existence of the Kingdom.

There are some versions about the eldest kingdom had ever been in Lombok Island. According to the Babad Lombok, Laek Kingdom was the first kingdom existed, meanwhile Babad Suwung mentioned that Suwung Kingdom which was ruled and established by Batera Indera King was the first. Opinions on what Kingdom after the fall of Suwung is still debatable.  

It can be said that Laeq which located in Sambalia district, East Lombok, Indonesia, was the first Kingdom established in Lombok (noted that it is not the only version). Afterward, waves of mass migration from Laek to present Aikmel, Sembalun village (adjacent to Rinjani Mountain) increased and established new Kingdom named Pamatan Kingdom.  The eruption of Rinjani Mountain which devastated its surrounding villages forced the local people to evacuate to the safe places. Hence, this occurrence marked the end of the Pamatan Kingdom. 

The Suwung Kingdom which located in present Perigi area emerged after the fall of Pamatan which followed by Lombok Kingdom.  The attack of Majapahit in 1357 C.E resulted in the bitter defeat of Lombok Kingdom. Raden Maspahit who ruled Lombok Kingdom escaped and built new Kingdom ‘Batu Parang‘ after Majapahit returned to Java Island. The kingdom is well known as Selaparang.      

Selaparang Kingdom period was divided into two phases; the first was Hindu period which begun from the 13th century and ended after the Majapahit expansion in 1357 C.E.; the second was Islam period which commenced from the 16th century and ended after the attack of joint forces Karang Asem Kingdom, Bali and Banjar Getas in the 18th century (1740 C.E)

According to Lalu Djelenga, the reliable historical records on Kingdoms in Lombok Islands can be traced following the coming of Majapahit expedition in 1343 C.E. Gajah Mada who was obsessed  to unify Nusantara (Malay Archipelago) appointed Mpu Nala to carry out the expedition under Majapahit support. In 1352, Gajah Mada visited Lombok in a journey for observing the conquered territory of Majapahit.   

The Majaphit expedition conquered several kingdoms such as Gelgel Kingdom in Bali, and four Kingdoms in Lombok namely Bayan Kingdom in the west, Selaparang Kingdom in east, Langko Kingdom in the middle and Pejanggik Kingdom in South. Besides these big kingdoms, there were other small Kingdoms such as Parwa and Sokong Samarkaton and villages such as Pujut, Tempit, Kedaro, Batu Dendeng, Kuripan, and Kentawang. Those Kingdoms which were under the Majapahit rule became independent territory after the fall of Majapahit .

Amidst those kingdoms, Lombok Kingdom was the famous, well-known and rapid developing Kingdom. The central Kingdom was in a strategic area called Labuhan Lombok (Lombok gulf). This area which had numerous of water resources became the flourishing trade route and was frequently visited by traders form Nusantara such as Palembang, Banten, Gresik, and Sulawesi.

b. Islam in Lombok

According to the Babad Lombok, Islamization in Lombok was initiated by Raden Paku/Sunan Ratu Giri who came from Gresik, East Java, Indonesia. He intended to spread Islamic teachings all over Nusantara. In Lombok, the islamization process was conducted by Sunan Giri‘s son named Princess Prapen. He came to the Lombok Island in the period of Prabu Rangkaseri who took the Lombok reign after the death of Prabu Mumbul.

Princess Prapen carried out Islamization process in Lombok through weapon force. After succeeding in converting people in Lombok into Islam, he continued his mission by making a journey to Bima and Sumbawa. Soon after Prapen left Lombok, majority of Lombok people converted to paganism. It was so since most of women in Lombok still held their original religion and convincingly influenced their family to go back to the paganism.       

However, after completing his mission successfully in Sumabawa, and Bima, princess Prapen planned to reislamize Lombok society. Along with support of Raden Sumulya and Raden Salut, he organized new dakwah (Islamic promulgation) movement. Eventually, he succeeded in bringing Islam in all over Lombok Island except in few places. People who rejected to convert to Islam moved out of islands and lived in foot hills or became alienated people.   

Besides islamization, another event occurring during the period of Prabu Rangkaseri was the move of central kingdom from Labuhan to Selaparang. It was under the initiative of Patih Banda Yuda and Patih Singa Yuda who noticed that Selaparang area was more strategic than Labuhan. This move consequently influenced the naming of Kingdom which was changed later into Selaparang Kingdom. It is assumed that the second period (Islam Period) deemed above was this event; the move of central Kingdom.

Historically, Lombok Kingdom developed significantly so Gelgel Kingdom in Bali felt unsecured. Since Gilgel Kingdom assumed to be the heritage of Majapahit, they attacked Lombok Kingdom (Selaparang) in 1520 C.E. However, it ended in failure.  

c. The Coming of The Dutch Colonialism

The coming of the Dutch was intended for both dominating the trade route in Nusantara and spreading Christianity. To realize those intentions, the Dutch waged several wars against Nusantara Kingdoms and controlled the north trade route. The Dutch colonialism character which tried to take over the trade had engendered the fighting spirit of Gowa Kingdom in Sulawesi, Indonesia. In order to protect the south trade route from the Dutch, Gowa took measures by controlling Sumbawa and Selaparang Islands. In addition, Gowa expanded the territory to West Flores, Indonesia and established Mangarau Kingdom to prevent the spread of Christianity.             

The Gowa expansion prompted the enormous worry of Gelgel Kingdom over their territory. To avert Gelgel from being used by Dutch, both kingdoms negotiate and eventually arrived at bilateral agreement in 1624 C.E called Sagining treaty. The treaty regulated the prohibition of Gelgel to conduct agreement with the Dutch and liberating Selaparang from Gowa. However, it did not last long since both sides violated treaty.      

To compete with Gelgel power that established mutual cooperation with Dutch, Gowa enlarged its cooperation to Java particularly with Mataram Kingdom. The war between Gowa and the Dutch outbreak in Lombok for seizing domination over Lombok Kingdom. In this war, Gowa that experienced bitter loose were imposed to sign a treaty in Bungaya. Bungaya is the palace in Gelgel Kingdom center, Klungkung, Bali, Indonesia. This treaty which was conducted in Bali showed the close interaction between Gelgel and the Dutch.    

As the consequence, Gowa were obliged to pull out from Lombok, Sumbawa, and Bima . In this phase, Gelegel tried to make use of the opportunity by attacking Selaparang. However, Gelgel failed in conquering Selaparang for the second time.

In 1622 C.E, two kingdoms established in Lombok Island; Pagutan Kingdom, and Pagesangan Kingdom. These Kingdoms became serious threat to the Selaparang Kingdom. Hence, small amount of military forces were deployed in the border area under the command of Patinglaga Deneq Wirabangsa to anticipate the possible attack.

As a matter of fact, the fall of Selaparang was not caused by these small Kingdoms but by an expedition carried by Karang Asem Kingdom in 1672 C.E. Selaparang palace were devastated and royalties all were killed. Thus, the Karang Asem Kingdom became the only ruler in Lombok Island.

2. Genealogy

In the process of data collecting

3. Kingdom Period

In the process of data collecting

4. Kingdom Territory

Since the Lombok Island was small and the other Kingdoms existed within were numerous, Lombok Kingdom territory was not vast.  

5. Kingdom Structure

In the process of data collecting

6. Socio-cultural life

Under the rule of Prabu Rangkasari, the Lombok Kingdom reached its glorious period, cultural life developed, most educated people from Selaparang mastered Kawi Language that constituted the proliferating language in Nusatara. In addition, creation of new Aksara (letters of alphabet) called Aksara Sasak or Jejawen showed the advancement of literature in the Lombok Kingdom

Educated people of Lombok had done many enormous works on several disciplines. During this period, many ancient Javanese literatures were translated, composed, and transcribed in Lontar Sasak (palm leaves). Of these Lontar are Kotamgama, Lapel Adam, Menak Berji, and Rengganis. Sufi (Islamic mysticism) Walisongo thoughts were adapted and rewrote that which can be seen in Lontar titled Jatiswara, Lontar Nursada, and Lontar Nurcahya. Besides those literatures and Sufi thoughts, Hikayat-Hikayat Melayu (Malay Folklores) were also transcribed such as Lontar Yusuf, Hikayat Amir Hamzah, and Hikayat Sidik Anak Yatim.  

Comprehensive study on those lontar can reveal socio cultural and political life of Lombok society. The Lontar Kamgama for instance inscribed characteristics and personality of leaders; Danta, Danti, Kusuma, and Warsa. Danta means ivory which is deemed here as something that cannot be set up after being out, Danti means spittle which is deemed here as something spilt can be taken, Kusuma means flowers which is deemed here as a flower can not blossom twice, Warsa means rain which is deemed here as water rain can not become cloud. All of these words points to the exemplary character of good leaders in that they should be aware about what they are saying, or doing. Although Selaparang Kingdom had emerged, developed and then collapsed, the remains of literature records show that the cultural life of this kingdom was well developed.  

Credit photo : www.tripalbum.net

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