3 4 2 SEQU EL OF JAVANESE H ISTO IH f.
with the kingdom of Bantam, then the principal
emporium of the east for pepper, in those times the
staple of European commerce.
In 1612 they removed to Jacatra, obtaining permission
from the prince of that place to settle there.
Here they conducted their trade peaceably for five
or six years, but at last broke with the prince who
had afforded them protection, subdued his country,
and built Batavia in the yearof Salivana 1561, (A. D.
1619,)on the ruins of his capital. It was in this year
that the Sultan of Mataram, incensed at the piratical
conduct of the Dutch at Japara which they had destroyed,
and their violence and usurpations at Jacatra,
sent on the invitation of the Pangeran of the
latter place, a numerous force levied from almost
every province of Java to expel them from the
country. The result of this expedition, probably the
most numerous and powerful which Java had ever
seen, consisting of troops accustomed to conquer, and
acting under the orders of a victorious monarch,
will give us a just impression of the military character
of the Javanese. They were defeated by a
handful of Europeans,—after three assaults were
unable to capture an ill constructed and half finished
redoubt, and, losing the best part of- their numbers
chiefly by famine and sickness, at last retired discomfited
and disgraced.
Upon this occasion they arrested the progress of
the conquests of the kings of Mataram, and so far
SEQU EL OF JAVANESE HISTORY. 34&
may be said to have influenced the domestic poli-
tics of the Javanese; yet without their interference,
the temporary empire of Mataram was about to
tumble td pieces in the subsequent' reign, through
the unsupportable tyranny and misgovernment of
the succeeding prince, as we have already seed*.
—A. S. 1551. (A. D. 1629.)—They had made
their peace with the Great Sultan, and sent a mis'-
sion to Mataram, and took some share in the disputes
of his vicious successor against his subjects ;
but it was not until A. S. 1600, in the reign of the
Susuhunan Mangkorat, that they took a great, and
finally a leading part in the affairs of JaVa;
When that prince succeeded his father, the country
was throughout in a state of anarchy and rebellion.
The Madurese Truna Jaya, aided by
a band of fugitives from Celebes, at first got possession
of the eastern and central districts, including
the capital; but, from the latter, he was driven
by the younger son of the late Sultan, Pangeran
Pugar, who, taking possession of the seat of government,
set up the standard of independence.
The legitimate heir, who took the spiritual distinction
of Susunan, called in the Dutch, and a large
force under Admiral Speelman having been sent to
his assistance, he was, after a tedious struggle, placed
upon the throne at Cartasura, the seat of government
having been changed from , Mataram. He
died in the year A. J. 162 7, (A. D. 1703,) after