Page 96 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

the former political elite of Malacca, established in the early 16 century establishment of the Sultanate of Demak the Javanese historical tradition in the Gresik Harbor in 1930.
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who pushed the king’s conversion to and it was the first Islamic kingdom had significant consequences for the mosque of Demak was a sacred place Source: Atlas Pelabuhan-
Islam around 1514 and 1521. Unlike the in the island. Like in Sumatra, the history of Islam in Java. This is not only its existence strengthened the image of Pelabuhan Bersejarah
sultanate of Perak, Brunei established establishment of Demak was an because Demak was the first Islamic Demak as the protector of Islam in Java. di Indonesia (Atlas of
itself as an empire as it had also been important hallmark in the process of the kingdom in Java and thus considered In addition, the Demak Mosque was the Historical Harbors in
deeply engaged in international maritime Islamization of Java that, previously, had responsible for the end of the Hindu- the gathering place of the “wali sanga” Indonesia), 2013. (Cek di
trade. Chinese sources noted that two only seen Muslim trading communities in Buddhist Majapahit era. Demak had who are considered responsible for the KITLV).
kingdoms were the forerunners of the the centers on the north coast of Java, indeed actually played a major role spread of Islam in Java.
kingdom: the Vijayapura and P’o-ni. such as Tuban, Gresik, Giri, and so in the Islamization process of the The advent of Demak as the leading
Since the 5 century, Chinese traders forth. Because of insufficient historical Javanese. Soon after having been solidly Islamic kingdom in Java was immediately
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had often visited these two kingdoms. data, historians disagree about Demak’s established as a kingdom, the Demak followed by the establishment of other
Chinese sources noted that the kingdom founding process. The year 1478 has rulers immediately conquered various Islamic kingdoms, especially Banten
of P’o-ni continued to grow up to the already been considered as the time of regions in Java. Up to the middle of the and Cirebon. The rulers of Demak
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15 century when it stood under the the establishment of Demak, although 16 century, the kingdom had taken indeed played important roles in the
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protection of the Chinese Emperor. it was Javanese mythology that drew control of most of the eastern parts of early process of the establishment of
Since the 16 century this kingdom had the dividing line in history, marking Java: Tuban (1527), Madiun (1429-1530), both kingdoms. Sheikh Nurullah, also
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become the Islamic kingdom of Brunei the boundaries between the ancient Surabaya, Pasuruan (1530), Gunung known as Sunan Gunung Jati, was
after having had close contact with Hindu-Buddhist era as represented by Penanggungan, which had become the responsible for the establishment of the
Muslim traders. Majapahit and the new Islamic era of last basis of Hindu-Buddhist power in Sultanate of Banten, and later of that of
Demak. The first ruler of Demak was 1543, Kediri (1549), and the final target
According to local tradition, at that time Raden Patah who was a descendant Blambangan and Panarukan in 1546. Cirebon. He was a member of Demak
the Johor rulers offered a set of splendid of the Majapahit king and a Chinese political elite who was sent by Demak to
royal gifts to the Muslim ruler of Brunei, princess, who had been presented to him The Kingdom of Demak started to open up new settlements in West Java,
as they had been given privileges in by the king of Palembang. In Javanese flourish during the reign of Sultan the area that became the basis of the
some areas along the north-west coast traditional historiography, Raden Patah’s Trenggana who ruled from around 1504 establishment of Banten and Cirebon
of Borneo. In line with the Islamization genealogy is explained in such a way until 1546. He had a very important in 1525. De Graaf and Pigeaud, noted
of Brunei, social transformation also that it leaves the strong impression that role in the expansion of the sultanate’s that Nurullah expelled the Regent of
took place among the people. They the sultanate was a direct heir of the territory to the above mentioned regions. Pajajaran the Hindu Kingdom soon after
evolved into a society that adopted many Hindu empire of Majapahit. In fact, he died while waging battle in he assumed power in Banten. Along
Malaccan-Malay cultural traditions, even Despite the many legendary and Panarukan, it was the time when tried with the Islamization process of the local
to expand his territory. Indeed, it was,
community, Nurullah then expanded
though ethnically they belonged to the mythological elements in Javanese during the reign of Trenggana, Demak his territory by seizing the harbor city
Bisaya tribe, an ethnic tribe in Borneo.
traditional sources, the most important grew into a leading empire and acted of Sunda Kelapa from Pajajaran, and
In Java the Sultanate of Demak was thing to explain here is that the as the center of Islamization in Java. In he renamed it Jayakarta, or Jakarta as

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