 | Gajah Mada: Encyclopedia II - Gajah Mada - Sumpah Palapa
Gajah Mada - Sumpah Palapa
It was said that during his appointment, Gajah Mada made his famous oath, Sumpah Palapa. It was stated on Pararaton (Book of Kings), an ancient account on Javanese history:
“ Sira Gajah Mada pepatih amungkubumi tan ayun amukita palapa, sira Gajah Mada : Lamun huwus kalah nusantara ingsun amukti palapa, lamun kalah ring Gurun, ring Seram, Tanjungpura, ring Haru, ring Pahang, Dompo, ring Bali, Sunda, Palembang, Tumasik, samana ingsun amukti palapa “
"Gajah Mada, he the prime minister, said he will not taste any spice, said Gajah Mada : As long as I not unify Nusantara, I will not taste any spice. Before I conquer Gurun, Seram, Tanjungpura, Haru, Pahang, Dompo, Bali, Sunda, Palembang, Tumasik, I will never taste any spice."
This oath is often interpreted that Gajah Mada will never taste any earthly happiness if he not yet conquer the entire archipelago for Majapahit.
Even his closest friends were at first doubtful of his oath. But nonetheless, Gajahmada was serious in pursuing his dream to unify Nusantara under the glory of Majapahit. Soon he conquered the surrounding teritory of Bedahulu (Bali) and Lombok (1343). He then sent the Navy westward to attack the remnant of thallassocrathic kingdom of Sriwijaya in Palembang, and installed Adityawarman, a Majapahit Prince as vassal ruler in Minangkabau, West Sumatra.
He then conquered the first Islamic sultanate in Indonesia, Samudra Pasai, and another state in Swarnadwipa (Sumatra). Gajah Mada also conquered Bintan, Tumasik (Singapore), Malaya, and also Kalimantan.
His conquest continued in the reign of Thribuwana Tunggadewi's son, Hayam Wuruk (ruled 1350-1389), expanding eastward into Logajah, Gurun, Seram, Hutankadali, Sasak, Makassar, Buton, Banggai, Kunir, Galiyan, Salayar, Sumba, Muar (Saparua), Solor, Bima, Wandan (Banda), Ambon, Timor, and Dompo.
He thus effectively brought the archipelago under Majapahits's control, which spanned not only today's Indonesia, but also Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and southern Philippines.
It was on Gajah Mada's reign that famous muslim traveller, Ibn Batutta visit Indonesian archipelago around 1345.
However, one accident - a very tragic one, ended his glorious career and made him lose the king's favour.
Other related archives1309, 1319, 1328, 1329, 1331, 1343, 1345, 1350, 1364, 1364 deaths, 1389, Ambon, Bali, Bintan, Brunei, Buton, East Java, Gurun, Hayam Wuruk, Ibn Batutta, Indonesia, Indonesian National Revolution, Indonesian people, Javanese, Kalimantan, Kidung Sunda, Lombok, Majapahit, Makassar, Malaya, Malaysia, Minangkabau, Nusantara, Pahang, Palembang, Philippines, Samudra Pasai, Sasak, Seram, Singapore, Soekarno, Solor, Sriwijaya, Sumatra, Sumba, Sunda, Tanjungpura, Timor, Tumasik, Universitas Gadjah Mada, West Java, West Sumatra, Yogyakarta, archipelago, battle, minister, prime minister, satellite, spices, suicide, telecommunication, thallassocrathic
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Sumpah Palapa", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
