The discussions about the Giyanti Agreement or the
Mangkubumen War, which erupted roughly three hundred years ago in Java, revolve
around three key figures: Raden Mas Said (later titled Prince Mangkunegara I),
Prince Mangkubumi (later Sultan Hamengku Buwana I), and Susuhunan Pakubuwana II
of the Surakarta Palace. One of these figures, Prince Mangkunegara I, is
extensively chronicled in the magnum opus of historian Merle C. Ricklefs, “Sambernyawa:
The Story of the Struggle of an Indonesian National Hero, Prince Mangkunegara I
(1726–1795)” (2021). However, this book also reveals several “minor” yet
significant figures from the Giyanti period, one of whom is Prince Tirtakusuma.
Prince Tirtakusuma, often referred to in Javanese
philological sources as Prince Pancuran, nearly ascended to rule the Mataram
Islamic Kingdom. According to Babad Panambangan, Tirtakusuma’s real name was
Raden Mas Ngali. He was the son of Prince Mangkunegara Sepuh, the son of Sunan
Amangkurat IV, and a Madurese princess named Raden Ayu Rana Asmara. As the
eldest son, Mas Ngali played a pivotal role in the life of his half-brother,
Raden Mas Said.
Around 1728, following the death of his beloved wife, R.A.
Wulan (the mother of R.M. Said), Prince Mangkunegara Sepuh fell into deep
melancholy. Concurrently, Sunan Pakubuwana II, feeling threatened by the
charismatic and beloved Mangkunegara Sepuh, conspired with Patih Danureja to
trap him. They slandered Mangkunegara Sepuh, accusing him of seducing one of
the Sunan’s concubines. Consequently, the Sunan requested the VOC (Dutch East
India Company) to exile Mangkunegara Sepuh off Java Island, a request that was
initially declined by the company. As a compromise, Mangkunegara Sepuh was
exiled to Batavia under VOC house arrest and allowed to bring only one wife,
one son, and several followers. Thus, Mas Ngali, the eldest son, accompanied
his father to Batavia in 1728.
In Batavia, young Mas Ngali was separated from his siblings
and served his father. Misfortune struck again when Mangkunegara Sepuh was
exiled to Sri Lanka, while Mas Ngali was ordered to remain in Batavia. Renamed
Tirtakusuma, the young prince was placed in Pancuran, now known as Pancoran in
South Jakarta. Here, Prince Tirtakusuma frequently attempted to return to his
homeland but was continuously thwarted.
Tirtakusuma’s longing to return to Mataram was exploited by
the VOC to intervene in the kingdom’s politics. The 1743 treaty between the VOC
and Mataram Kingdom marked the beginning of this exploitation. The VOC offered
assistance to Sunan Pakubuwana II, whose palace had been captured by rebels, in
exchange for the northern coastal region of East Java. This offer was a trap,
aiming to depose Pakubuwana II if he refused. Surprisingly, Pakubuwana II
accepted, thwarting the VOC’s plan to install Tirtakusuma as a puppet king.
Following the Panaraga Agreement, Tirtakusuma actively
corresponded with Raden Mas Said, who was involved in the Geger Pacinan
rebellion. According to the Babad Giyanti and Babad Panambangan, Tirtakusuma
repeatedly urged his brother to cease rebelling against Mataram and the
Company. Ricklefs (2021) notes that Tirtakusuma’s closeness to his brother was
exploited by the VOC, who sent negotiation letters to R.M. Said, often
including personal letters from Tirtakusuma.
The VOC’s strategy peaked on May 11, 1753, when they
attempted to return the body of Prince Mangkunegara Sepuh to R.M. Said. Prince
Tirtakusuma accompanied the funeral procession as a “negotiation dowry.” During
the negotiations in Semarang, R.M. Said insisted on becoming the King of
Mataram and demanded the return of his father’s body and his brother
Tirtakusuma. The VOC only agreed to return the body, as Tirtakusuma himself
refused to reunite with his brother, opting to stay in Semarang.
While Ricklefs suggests Tirtakusuma’s reluctance indicates
loyalty to the VOC, the Babad Giyanti offers a different perspective.
Tirtakusuma once warned his brother, “Do not negotiate with the company; do not
be like me, who was deceived; do not be like me, who has been bewitched by the
company.” This suggests Tirtakusuma remained loyal to R.M. Said and distanced
himself to support his brother’s rebellion.
Four years after Tirtakusuma’s move to Semarang, R.M. Said
ascended the throne as Adipati Arya Mangkunegara I and established the
Mangkunegaran Principality. Tragically, Tirtakusuma did not live to see his
brother’s success, having passed away in Semarang a few years earlier.
The story of Prince Tirtakusuma, often overshadowed by the
more prominent figures of the Giyanti period, reveals the complexities and
human dimensions of historical events. His life, marked by exile, political
manipulation, and unwavering loyalty, adds depth to our understanding of this
tumultuous era in Javanese history.
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