THE FOUNDING OF THE MAJAPAHIT EMPIRE

This is a short play about the very dramatic and often tumultuous events that led to the founding of the Majapahit Empire.

I have written this for the celebration of the the very first Asian Studies Week of our college slated next week. It is to be demonstrated in Bahasa Melayu, with translation by the narrator.

The Mongols of the Great Kublai Khan became part of this historic event, bringing more drama and color to the play.

(From Wikipedia)
Majapahit was an archipelagic empire based on the island of Java from 1293 to around 1500. Majapahit reached its peak of glory during the era of Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked by influence, including trade empires, which extended through Maritime Southeast Asia.

After defeating Srivijaya in Sumatra in 1290, Singhasari became the most powerful kingdom in the area. Kublai Khan, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and the Emperor of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, challenged Singhasari by sending emissaries demanding tribute. Kertanegara, the last ruler of Singhasari, refused to pay the tribute. In 1293, Kublai Khan sent a massive expedition of 1,000 ships to Java.

By that time, Jayakatwang, the Adipati (Duke) of Kediri, a vassal state of Singhasari, had usurped and killed Kertanagara. After being pardoned by Jayakatwang with the aid of Madura’s regent, Arya Wiraraja; Raden Wijaya, Kertanegara’s son-in-law, was given the land of Tarik timberland. He then opened that vast timberland and built a new village there. The village was named Majapahit, which was taken from a fruit name that had bitter taste in that timberland (maja is the fruit name and pahit means bitter). When Mongolian Yuan army sent by Kublai Khan arrived, Wijaya allied himself with the army to fight against Jayakatwang. Once Jayakatwang was destroyed, Raden Wijaya forced his allies to withdraw from Java by launching a surprise attack.[10] Yuan’s army had to withdraw in confusion as they were in hostile territory. It was also their last chance to catch the monsoon winds home; otherwise, they would have had to wait for another six months on a hostile island.

In AD 1293, Raden Wijaya founded a stronghold with the capital Majapahit. The exact date used as the birth of the Majapahit kingdom is the day of his coronation, the 15th of Kartika month in the year 1215 using the Javanese çaka calendar, which equates to November 10, 1293. During his coronation he was given formal name Kertarajasa Jayawardhana.

                                                              <strong>  ACT ONE </strong>

(A troop of Mongolian warriors just arrived in Sisanghari, seeking tribute in favor of Kublai Khan. About ten men is about to approach the group of King Kertanagara to demand tribute.)

OGEDEI: I am Ogedei, loyal warrior of the Great Kublai Khan, we come here to your kingdom to demand tributes for our great leader.

KERTANAGARA: I am aware now of your purpose for coming here, but I as the leader of the Sisanghari Kingdom, will not submit to your proposals and we shall not pay tribute to you!

RADEN WIJAYA: Yes, you hear the king, my father in law, we shall not become your vassals!

OGEDEI: We have stated our demands and warnings, the Great Kublai Khan will surely be angry and he will send 1,000 ships to punish you. I shall return.

(The Mongolian troops went away disappointed)

                                                            <strong>     ACT TWO </strong>

(Meanwhile, Jakatwang was not in agreement with Kertanagara and planned to overthrow him.)

JAKATWANG: I am Jakatwang. I have my own men, For we are not satisfied with your rule, I have come to fight you!

KERTANAGARA: In that case, be prepared to take arms and fight me!

RADEN WIJAYA: You certainly have evil motives.

JAKATWANG: We will fight to the end!

(Jakatwang and his men attacked and killed Kertanagara while Raden Wijaya was able to escape. Raden Wijaya fled to a village named Majapahit, after a bitter fruit found there.)

                                                           <strong> ACT THREE</strong>

(Raden Wijaya arrived at Majapahit and founded the Kingdom of Majapahit there.)

RADEN WIJAYA: What unusual fruit is this?

ARYA WIRAJAY: It is called Majapahit your honor.

RADEN WIJAYA: I shall call my new kingdom, Majapahit! And I shall avenge the death of Kertanagara!

(Raden stood up and shouted this declaration.)

The group of Mongolian warriors arrived at the stage.

OGEDEI: We have come back with 1000 ships and ten thousand men. We have come back to subdue the Kingdom of Sisanghari!

RADEN WIJAYA: Kertanagara is dead. But I will help you fight Jakatwang in Sisanghari for he has killed my beloved father-in-law and he is now my enemy.

OGEDEI: If that’s the case, we shall vanquish him together and you shall lead us to him.

                                                                      <strong>   ACT FOUR</strong>

Act Four consists of fighting merely as the Mongolian warriors and Raden Wijaya warriors have combined to attack Jakatwang. Jakatwang was killed in the fight as the Mongols and Raden Wijaya came out victorious.

OGEDEI: Now we have subdued and defeated Jakatwang, the Kingdom of Sisanghari is now our vassal kingdom and shall pay tribute to our great leader Kublai Khan.

RADEN WIJAYA: No, you are mistaken. I have planned to become ruler of all Majapahit and Sisanghari and in fact I have planned this ambush of your warriors.

(Raden Wijaya and his warriors then attacked the Mongols and many Mongols were killed and the rest fled away.)

RADEN WIJAYA: I am now the great ruler of Sisanghari and Majapahit kingdom, and I shall then establish the great Majapahit Empire to rule over many lands and over many kingdoms!

                                                  <strong>      END OF PLAY!</strong>