Tomb of Prince Diponegoro

PRINCE Diponegoro is a national hero comes from Central Java. However, Java does not “have” his body. Because the body of this man who inflamed the War of Java lies in Makassar.

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History of Prince Diponegoro

Prince Diponegoro born in November 11, 1785 in Central Java. He is the son of Sultan Hamengkubuwono III. When the prince was born and became adult, all areas in the archipelago has been governed by Dutch.

In May 1825, the Government of East India intended to make the road from Yogyakarta to Magelang (Central Java). Construction of road passed through Tegalrejo, the village where the Diponegoro lived. In one sector, the road violated the Diponegoro’s ancestral tombs complex. Prince was angry and ordered his followers to revoke stilts

Dipenogoro was considered rebellion by Dutch. On July 20,1825, the Dutch troops besiege his village. Prince and followers fled and hide to Selarong Cave, at Bantul and Kulonprogo border. While the Netherlands does not successfully perceives, they burned out the villages.

From the cave, Prince Diponegoro preparing troops. Furthermore, during the five-year they fight against the Dutch. Diponegoro war also called Java War (1825 1830), the largest ever occurred throughout the colonial Dutch in the archipelago. 15 from 19 princes in Yogyakarta joined the Diponegoro troops.

Open battle often held sardonically. Battle front occurred in dozens of cities and villages throughout Java. Once sardonic this war, when Dutch army can take control of a region in the afternoon, Diponegoro troops grab back in the evening. Logistics point was built, magazine continue produced.

At the peak of hostilities, the Dutch mobilize 23,000 soldiers. In 1827, the Dutch attacked with blockade strategy. Two years later, Kyai Maja, the spiritual leader of Diponegoro troops arrested. Followed by the arrest of Prince Mangkubumi and Commander Sentot Alibasyah surrender.

On March 28, 1830, troops under the command of General De Kock successfully pinched Diponegoro troops in Magelang. There, Diponegoro stated that he would surrender by terms. He asked the Dutch released his troops left. He was arrested and exiled to Manado, then transferred to Makassar.

Since that time, Java, war was declared ended. This big war killed 8,000 Dutch soldiers, 7,000 Diponegoro soldiers, and 200,000 residents of Java died. After the war over, half of the population of Yogyakarta was wiped.

Prince Diponegoro died in Rotterdam Fortress when he was 70 years old. Precisely on January 8, 1855. His body was buried ini Kampung Jerra which is now became Melayu Village in Wajo District, Makassar City. There also buried pursuer and their children.(*)