Java War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Java War
Date 1825-1830 Location Java Result Prince Diponegoro exiled to Magelang; Rebellion halted due to exile Casus belli Dutch decision to build a road across a piece of Prince Diponegoro's property that contained his parents' tomb.
Combatants
The Netherlands Pro-Netherlands Javanese	Rebellion forces of Prince Diponegoro
Commanders
General De Kock	Prince Diponegoro
Strength
50,000	100,000
Casualties
1,000	10,000

This article is part of the History of Indonesia series
Pre-colonial Indonesia (before 1602)
Srivijaya (3rd century–1400)
Sailendra (8th Century – 832)
Kingdom of Mataram (752–1045)
Kediri (1045–1221)
The Coming of Islam (1200–1600)
Singhasari (1222–1292)
Majapahit Empire (1293–1500)
Sultanate of Demak (1475–1518)
Mataram Sultanate (1500s to 1700s)
Dutch East Indies (1602–1945)
Anglo-Dutch Java War (1810–1811)
Padri War (1821–1837)
Java War (1825–1830)
Aceh War (1873–1904)
National Revival (1899–1942)
World War II battles (1941–1942)
Japanese Occupation (1942–1945)
Independence (1945–1965)
Declaration of Independence (1945)
National Revolution (1945–1950)
Asian-African Conference (1955)
Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (1962–1965)
New Order (1965–1998)
Overthrow of Sukarno (1965–1966)
Act of Free Choice (1969)
Reformasi (1998–present)
Revolution of 1998 (1996–1998)
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake (2004–present)
[Edit this template]

The Java War or Diponegoro War was fought in Java between 1825 and 1830. It started as a rebellion led by the illustrious Prince Diponegoro. The trigger was the Dutch decision to build a road across a piece of his property that contained his parent's tomb. Among other causes was a sense of betrayal by the Dutch felt by members of the Javanese aristocratic families, as they were no longer able to rent land at high prices. There were also some problems with the succession of the throne in Yogyakarta: Diponegoro was the oldest son, but as his mother was not the queen, he did not have any right to succeed his father.

The troops of Prince Diponegoro were very successful in the beginning, controlling the middle of Java and besieging Yogyakarta. Furthermore the Javanese population was supportive of Prince Diponegoro's cause, whereas the Dutch colonial authorities were initially very indecisive.

However, as the Java war prolonged, Prince Diponegoro had difficulties in maintaining the numbers of his troops.

The Dutch colonial army however was able to fill its ranks with troops from Sulawesi and later on with troops from the Netherlands. The Dutch commander, General De Kock, was able to end the siege of Yogyakarta on September 25, 1825.

Prince Diponegoro started a fierce guerilla war and it was not until 1827 that the Dutch army gained the upper hand.

It is estimated that 200,000 died over the course of the conflict, 8,000 being Dutch. The rebellion finally ended in 1830, after Prince Diponegoro was tricked into entering Dutch custody near Magelang, believing he was there for negotiations for a possible cease-fire, and exiled to Manado on the island of Sulawesi.

Because of the large number of European soldiers who perished in the war, the Dutch government decided to recruit African soldiers in Gold Coast, the so-called "Belanda Hitam" ("Black Dutchies").

[edit] See also

• Anglo-Dutch Java War

[edit] Sources

• Netherlands Java War 1825-1830
• Carey, P.B.R. Babad Dipanagara : an account of the outbreak of the Java War (1825-30) : the Surakarta court version of the Babad Dipanagara Kuala Lumpur: Printed for the Council of the M.B.R.A.S. by Art Printing Works, 1981. Monograph (Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Malaysian Branch); no.9.
• Sagimun M. D. Pangeran Dipanegara : pahlawan nasional [Jakarta] : Proyek Biografi Pahlawan Nasional, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1976. {In Indonesian)