Raden Hamengkubuwono
Early life and education
Born as Gusti Raden Mas Dorodjatun, in Sompilan, Ngasem, Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono IX was the ninth son of Prince Gusti Pangeran Puruboyo —later titled Hamengkubuwono VIII— with his consort, Raden Ajeng Kustilah.[1][2]
When he was four, he was sent away to live with the Mulder family, a Dutch family which lived in the Gondokusuman area. While living with the Mulder family, Hamengkubuwono IX was called by the name Henkie which was taken from the name of Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands.[3][4]
He spent his school years in Yogyakarta, starting from Frobel School (kindergarten), and continuing to the Eerste Europe Lagere School which then moved to Neutrale Europeesche Lagere School. After completing his basic education, he continued his education at Hogere Burgerschool Semarang for a year before moving to Hogere Burgerschool Bandung.[3]
In 1930, he and his older brother, BRM – later known as Prabuningrat, after Hamengkubuwono IX's coronation – moved to the Netherlands. He started school at the Lyceum Haarlem, Netherlands. He was often called Sultan Henk when studying at the school.[3] After graduating in 1934, Hamengkubuwono IX and his older brother moved to Leiden, entering the college Rijksuniversiteit Leiden – Leiden University today – and took up the study of Indology, study of the colonial administration in the Indies.
However, he didn't finish his education and had to return to his native land in 1939, following the start of World War II.[5]
After arriving in Batavia from the Netherlands in October 1939, Hamengkubuwono IX was picked up by his father directly at the Hotel des Indes. When an autonomous ruler was in Batavia, generally there were many agendas of activities that had to be fulfilled. One of the events attended by the royal family with Hamengkubuwono IX in Batavia was an invitation to dinner at the Palace of the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies.[6] While preparing to attend the invitation, Hamengkubuwono IX was pinned with Kyai Jaka Piturun's keris by his father.[7] This keris is generally passed on to the son of the ruler who is desired to become the crown prince. Therefore, this indicated that Hamengkubuwono IX would become the heir to the throne of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.[8][9]
After attending the three-day agenda in Batavia, the royal family, and Hamengkubuwono IX returned to Yogyakarta using the Eendaagsche Express train. On the way, his father fell ill and became unconscious. Arriving in Yogyakarta, the Sultan was immediately rushed to the Onder de Bogen Hospital and treated until the end of his life on 22 October 1939. Hamengkubuwono IX as crown prince then gathered his brothers and uncles to discuss who would become the next Sultan. All of his relatives agreed to appoint Hamengkubuwono IX as the next Sultan.
Hamengkubuwono IX was crowned as Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX on 18 March 1940, the effective date of the political contract with the Dutch East Indies Government. Governor Lucien Adam crowned him for two titles at once. The first title is the title of Prince Adipati Anom Hamengku Negara Sudibya Raja Putra Narendra Mataram, his title as Crown Prince. After that, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana IX was crowned with the title Sampéyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kangjeng Sultan Hamengkubuwana Sénapati ing Ngalaga Abdurrahman Sayidin Panatagama Kalifatullah Ingkang Jumeneng Kaping Sanga.[10]
During his coronation speech, Hamengkubuwono recognized his Javanese origins and said "Even though I have tasted Western Education, I am still and will always be a Javanese."[11]
Indonesian War of Independence
Directly after the declaration of Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945, Hamengkubuwono IX together with Paku Alam VIII, the Prince of Pakualaman decided to support the newly formed Republic. Hamengkubuwono IX's support was immediately recognized by the Central Government with an appointment to the Life-Governorship of Yogyakarta with Paku Alam VIII as vice governor. Yogyakarta's status was also upgraded to that of the Special Region. In addition, Hamengkubuwono IX served as Yogyakarta's military governor and was also minister of the state from 1945 to 1949.[citation needed]
The Dutch returned to lay claim to their former colony. Hamengkubuwono IX played a vital role in the resistance. In early 1946, the capital of Indonesia was quietly relocated to Yogyakarta, and the Sultan gave the new government some funding. When Indonesia first sought a diplomatic solution with the Dutch Government, Hamengkubuwono IX was part of the Indonesian delegation.[citation needed] On 21 December 1948, the Dutch successfully occupied Yogyakarta and arrested Sukarno and Hatta, Indonesia's first president and vice president. Hamengkubuwono IX did not leave Yogyakarta and continued to serve as governor.[citation needed] The Dutch intended to make Yogyakarta the capital of the new Indonesian federal state of Central Java and to appoint the sultan as head of state, but Hamengkubuwono refused to cooperate.[15] The Dutch viewed him with suspicion and at one stage began to entertain the idea that Hamengkubuwono IX was either planning to make Yogyakarta a completely autonomous region or setting his eyes on the leadership of the Republic.[16]
In early 1949, Hamengkubuwono IX conceived the idea of a major offensive to be launched against Yogyakarta and the Dutch troops occupying it. The purpose of this offensive was to show the world that Indonesia still existed and that it was not ready to surrender. The idea was suggested to General Sudirman, the Commander of the Indonesian Army, and received his approval. In February 1949, Hamengkubuwono IX had a meeting with then Lieutenant Colonel Suharto, the man chosen by Sudirman to be the field commander for the offensive. After this discussion, preparations were made for the offensive. This involved intensified guerilla attacks in villages and towns around Yogyakarta to make the Dutch station more troops outside of Yogyakarta and thin the numbers in the city itself. [citation needed] On 1 March 1949 at 6 am, Suharto and his troops launched the 1 March General Offensive. The offensive caught the Dutch by surprise. For his part, Hamengkubuwono IX allowed his palace to be used as a hideout for the troops. For 6 hours, the Indonesian troops had control of Yogyakarta before finally retreating. The offensive was a great success, inspiring demoralized troops all around Indonesia. On 30 June 1949, the retreating Dutch forces handed over authority over Yogyakarta to Hamengkubuwono IX.[17] On 27 December, immediately after the transfer of sovereignty was signed by Queen Juliana in Dam Palace in Amsterdam, High Commissioner A.H.J. Lovink transferred his powers to Hamengkubuwono during a ceremony in Jakarta in Koningsplein Palace, later renamed Merdeka Palace.[18]
Pendidikan Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX
Dorodjatun menempuh pendidikan pertamanya di taman kanak-kanak Frobel School dan Eerste Europeesche Lagere School B.
Setahun setelahnya, ia pindah ke kediaman keluarga Cock dan sekolah di Neutrale Europeesche Lagere School.
Setelah lulus pada 1925, Dorodjatun melanjutkan ke sekolah menengah Hoogere Burgerschool (HBS) Semarang.
Sewaktu sekolah di HBS, ia tinggal bersama keluarga sipir penjara Semarang, Voskuil. Namun karena merasa tidak cocok dengan lingkungannya, ia pindah ke HBS Bandung pada 1928.
Di Bandung, Dorodjatun tinggal bersama tentara militer Belanda, Letkol De Boer. Namun, sebelum pendidikannya selesai, ia diminta oleh sang ayah untuk belajar ke Belanda.
Ia pun berangkat pada Maret 1930 dengan didampingi oleh keluarga Hofland, seorang direktur pabrik gula.
Baca juga: Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, Pendiri Kesultanan Yogyakarta
Sesampainya di Belanda, Dorodjatun sekolah di dua lembaga yang berbeda, yakni HBS B dan Stedelijk Gymnasium.
Setelah lulus pada 1934, ia pindah ke Leiden dan masuk ke Universitas Leiden mengambil studi Indologi, yakni studi tentang administrasi kolonial, etnologi, dan kesusastraan di Hindia Belanda.
Belum sempat menyelesaikan tugas akhirnya, Dorodjatun dipanggil untuk kembali ke Indonesia pada 1939.
Minister in the Indonesian Government
After Indonesia’s Independence was recognized by the Dutch Government, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve the Republic. In addition to continuing his duties as Governor of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve in the Indonesian Government as Minister.
Hamengkubuwono IX served as Minister of Defense and Homeland Security Coordinator (1949-1951 and 1953), Vice Premier (1951), Chairman of the State Apparatus Supervision (1959), Chairman of the State Audit Board (1960-1966), and Coordinating Minister for Development while concurrently holding the position of Minister of Tourism (1966).
In addition to these positions, Hamengkubuwono IX have also served as Chairman of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) and Chairman of the Tourism Patrons Council.
Indonesian War of Independence
Directly after the declaration of Indonesian independence at 17 August 1945, Hamengkubuwono IX together with Paku Alam VIII, the Prince of Pakualaman decided to support the newly formed Republic. Hamengkubuwono IX's support was immediately recognized by the Central Government with an appointment to the Life-Governorship of Yogyakarta with Paku Alam VIII as Vice Governor. Yogyakarta's status was also upgraded to that of Special Region. In addition, Hamengkubuwono IX served as Yogyakarta's Military Governor and was also Minister of the State from 1945-49.[citation needed]
The Dutch returned to lay claim to their former colony. Hamengkubuwono IX played a vital role in the resistance. In early 1946, the capital of Indonesia was quietly relocated to Yogyakarta, in that time the Sultan gave the new government some funds. When Indonesia first sought a diplomatic solution with the Dutch Government, Hamengkubuwono IX was part of the Indonesian delegation.[citation needed] On 21 December 1948, the Dutch successfully occupied Yogyakarta and arrested Sukarno and Hatta, Indonesia's first President and Vice President. Hamengkubuwono IX did not leave Yogyakarta and continued to serve as Governor.[citation needed] The Dutch intended to make Yogyakarta the capital of the new Indonesian federal state of Central Java and to appoint the sultan as head of state, but Hamengkubuwono refused to cooperate.[2] The Dutch viewed him with suspicion and at one stage began to entertain the idea that Hamengkubuwono IX was either planning to make Yogyakarta a completely autonomous region or setting his eyes on the leadership of the Republic.[3]
Negotiations with the Dutch
The 28-year-old Sultan negotiated terms and conditions with the 60-year-old governor, Dr Lucien Adam, for four months from November 1939 to February 1940. The main points of contention were:
Eventually, the Sultan agreed to the proposal by the government of the Netherlands, and in February 1942, the Netherlands surrendered Indonesia to the invading Japanese army.
In 1942, the Dutch Colonial Government in Indonesia was defeated by the Japanese Imperial Army. Japan subsequently occupied the Dutch East Indies. Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was given autonomy to run the government in his area under the Japanese Colonial Government. The position of Pepatih Dalem which previously had to be responsible to the Sultan and the Dutch Colonial Government now became only responsible to the Sultan.[12][13]
Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was re-elected as Ruler of Yogyakarta on 1 August 1942 by the Commander in Chief of the Japanese Occupation Army in Jakarta and Yogyakarta became a Kochi (Special Region). Amid the large population taking into Rōmusha, the Sultan was able to prevent it by manipulating agricultural and livestock statistics. The Sultan proposed the construction of an irrigation canal that connects the Progo River and Opak River so that rice fields could be irrigated throughout the year, which previously had a rain-fed system. This proposal was accepted and even assisted by funding for its construction. This irrigation channel was later called the Mataram Sewer and in Japanese, it was called Gunsei Yosuiro (Yosuiro Canal). After the construction of the Mataram Sewers was completed, agricultural productivity increased so that the population used as Rōmusha was drastically reduced, although some were still brought in by the Colonial Government.[13][14]
Minister in the Indonesian Government
After Indonesia's Independence was recognized by the Dutch Government, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve the Republic. In addition to continuing his duties as Governor of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve in the Indonesian Government as Minister.[6]
Hamengkubuwono IX served as Minister of Defense and Homeland Security Coordinator (1949–1951 and 1953), Vice Premier (1951), Chairman of the State Apparatus Supervision (1959), Chairman of the State Audit Board (1960–1966), and Coordinating Minister for Development while concurrently holding the position of Minister of Tourism (1966).[citation needed] In addition to these positions, Hamengkubuwono IX have also served as Chairman of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) and Chairman of the Tourism Patrons Council.
Minister in the Indonesian Government
After Indonesia's Independence was recognized by the Dutch, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve in government. In addition to continuing his duties as Governor of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono IX continued to serve in the Indonesian Government as Minister.[19]
Hamengkubuwono IX served as Minister of Defense and Homeland Security Coordinator (1949–1951 and 1953), vice premier (1951), chairman of the State Apparatus Supervision (1959), chairman of the State Audit Board (1960–1966), and Coordinating Minister for Development while concurrently holding the position of Minister of Tourism (1966). [citation needed] In addition to these positions, Hamengkubuwono IX held the positions of chairman of the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) and chairman of the Tourism Patrons Council.
Educated at Dutch Schools
As a child, Kartini was very active, playing and climbing trees. She earned the nickname "little bird" because of her constant flitting around. A man of some modern attitudes, her father allowed her to attend Dutch elementary school along with her brothers. The Dutch had colonized Java and established schools open only to Europeans and to sons of wealthy Javanese. Due to the advantages of her birth and her intellectual inclination, Kartini became one of the first native women allowed to learn to read and write in Dutch.
Despite her father's permission to allow her a primary education, by Islamic custom and a Javanese tradition known as pingit, all girls, including Kartini, were forced to leave school at age 12 and stay home to learn homemaking skills. At this point, Kartini would have to wait for a man to ask for her hand in marriage. Even her status among the upper class could not save her from this tradition of discrimination against women; marriage was expected of her. For Kartini, the only escape from this traditional mode of life was to become an independent woman.
Promoted Nationalist Movement
Fearful of losing control over their island territory, the Dutch colonialists believed that knowledge of European languages and education could a be dangerous tool in the hands of the native Javanese. Consequently, they suppressed the activities of the native people, keeping them as peasants and plantation laborers, while at the same time counting on the Javanese nobility to support them in their rule over the region. Only a few of the nobility, Kartini's father included, were taught the Dutch language. Kartini believed that once the Europeans introduced Western culture to the island, they had no right to limit the desire of native Javanese to learn more. Clearly, by the late nineteenth century there was talk of independence. With her letters and her egalitarian fervor, Kartini can be said to have started the modern Indonesian nationalist movement.
Kartini was not proud of being set apart from her countrymen as one of the privileged few of the aristocracy. In her writings she described two types of nobility, one of mind and one of deed. Simply being born from a noble line does not make one great; a person needs to do great deeds for humanity to be considered noble.
