Arya Penangsang: Hero Or Villain?

Source: Neo Historia.

 Raden Arya Penangsang is controvertial character, according Historian Hanafi Wibowo, he is hero for people of Blora, but he is villain for many peoples, who is Arya Penangsang? How his role in Demak s ruin? Is he rebel? Lets read this article until end.

Before you read this article, I will tell, not my duty decide who hero and who villain, my duty only convey history, who hero and who villain, it is your business.

At 1546 AD, according Memoir Of Mendez Pinto, Army Of Demak march to seize Pasuruan with 40.000 warriors and 1000 warship, they helped by coalition of Turks, Acehnese, and Abbisynian warrior, but, Sultan Of Demak, Trenggana, die at the battle and battle stopped, Demak Army back off and in Demak, broke fierce battle for fight over the throne.

Trenggana s sucessor, Sunan Prawata move Demak s capital to Mount Of Prawata, Pati, Central Java, but civil war doesn’t stopped, several Demak territories include Banten, Cirebon, Surabaya, and Gresik separate.

Arya Penangsang send messenger to  kill Sunan Prawata because he has revenge to Sunan Prawata, in the past, Sunan Prawata was kill his father,Prince Seda Lepen, who is one of Prawata s brother, so that,Prawata is Penangsang s uncle . Arya Penangsang supported by Warrior Of Jipang. Ruler Of Jepara, Prince Hadiri with his wife, Queen Kalinyamat entered Territory Of Jipang, they captured by Jipang s warriors, Prince Hadiri killed as martyr in this day, and Queen Kalinyamat had time berserk and kill several warrior Of Jipang.

Penangsang also tried to kill Jaka Tingkir, son in law from Sultan Trenggana and Ruler of Pajang, but he doesn’t succeded to kill Jaka Tingkir, because Jaka Tingkir is very strongman.

Next, Jaka Tingkir conspired with Ki Juru Mertani and Ki Penjawi to kill Arya Penangsang. Juru Mertani challenged Penangsang to faced him at a duel, but is only “strategy” to kill Penangsang, Penangsang went to Bengawan Solo River to fight with Juru Mertani. Penangsang beaten up with force Of Pajang, he attacked with arrow until his intestines out from his stomach and he drape his intestines in his creese, and next the battle with fierce.

He fall from his horse and stepped on, he tried to kill one of Juru Mertani s partner, Raden Bagus , and he unplug his creese, but he forget, his intestines entangled in his creese and he die at the battle.

Arya Penangsang maybe considered as villain at some people eyes, but he does it because his father killed tyranically with his uncle,so, unjust, if we considered he as villain because he looked greedy for power, history is not  only black and white, but history tell we that human has grey side in his self.

Recommendation book/journal:
Raffles, Thomas Stamford:The History Of Java, Penerbit Narasi, 2008 M.

Mujahid, DR.Kasori: Dibawah Panji Estergon, Penerbit Istanbul, 2022 M.

Graaf, H.J., dan T.H, Pigeaud: Kerajaan Islam Di Jawa, Penerbit Grafiti, 1983 M.

Nugraha Mukti, Anung Jati dan Sulistyo, Wahyu Djoko: Pergolakan Politik Kasultanan Demak Dan Ambisi Arya Penangsang Sebagai Sultan Demak Ke Empat, Yupa Historical Studies Journal, Vol.3, No.2, 2020 M.