Identification of a royal (family) with a Kris

[Jonno]

Hello,

Here is an original old picture of an indonesian royal family.
Can someone help me to indentify the royal with the kris?

Thanks,
John

[kulbuntet]

Ho Jonno,

What does the text under the photo say? regenten familie Java?

Since the knot of the head wrap is on front, i think they may ben conected to Solo Keraton. Maybe one of the Javanese forum members can help you more.

Regards Michel amsterdam

[Jonno]

Hi Michel,

Yes, the text "Regenten Familie, Java" is written on the photo. There is also text on the backside. I will make a picture this evening.

Thanks,
John

[David]

This probably won't help any since it is another unidentified photo, but as i was searching through google images for a match to your photo i came across this guy who looks like a relative to me.

[A. G. Maisey]

Here's two pics of PBX --- Paku Buwono Senopati ing Ngalogo Ngabdul Rahman Sayidin Panotogomo the Tenth --- Susuhunan of Surakarta.

Might be a bit difficult to pin down exactly who the people in Jonno's photo are. If the bloke is a regent, I'd translate that as Bupati, and that would make him a pretty minor figure. Might carry royal blood, but Javanese royals are pretty prevalent. PB XII who passed away a couple of years ago had 15 legitimate sons and 20 legitimate daughters. Previous rulers of Surakarta were at least as prolific.

David's pic looks like PBX to me.

[A. G. Maisey]

This is PB IX --- 1861-1893

[Jonno]

Hi Alan and David,

Thank you for showing these pictures.

I also collect old photographs from Indonesia. And I prefer royals and people with a keris.
Here some pictures from an old photo of PBX, period about 1912. He is wearing a Dutch uniform (garoet) of a major-general.

[kulbuntet]

Excelent photo! I can see a full four star general standing in the middle of him and his wife, wearing a knight cors on his neck.. who is he?

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

This is PB IX --- 1861-1893

Pb IX and his wife Raden Ajoe. Btw both are wearing Yoja dress. I have same photo here in a frame on the wall.

[A. G. Maisey]

The photograph I posted of Paku Buwono IX, the Sunan of Surakarta, was copied from the official book the Karaton Surakarta, published under the authority of Paku Buwono XII, and by the Yayasan Pawiyatan Kabudayan Karaton Surakarta.
The caption to this photograph reads:-

" Paku Buwono IX (r. 1861-1893)and his wife, queen Ratu Mas."


Raden Ayu is a title used for a noblewoman, not for the wife of a ruler.

Kulbuntet, what is "Yoja dress"?

[kulbuntet]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The photograph I posted of Paku Buwono IX, the Sunan of Surakarta, was copied from the official book the Karaton Surakarta, published under the authority of Paku Buwono XII, and by the Yayasan Pawiyatan Kabudayan Karaton Surakarta.
The caption to this photograph reads:-

" Paku Buwono IX (r. 1861-1893)and his wife, queen Ratu Mas."


Raden Ayu is a title used for a noblewoman, not for the wife of a ruler.

Kulbuntet, what is "Yoja dress"?

My appologies for my to haste post. I had a look in a photo book of Leo Haks it does say Raden Ajoe. The full text is, Javaansche prins en Raden Ajoe in Djogjasche dracht.... Translated... Javanese Prins and Raden Ajoe in Yogja dress. Leo haks is a Dutch Indonesian postcard collector, and i one of his books there is a postcard with the same photo with the text that i wrote above. It have a post stamp of the year of 1917.

The photo i have in a frame does not have anny text

And yoja dress must be Yogja dress

Alan thank you for corecting me.

Regards Michel

[A. G. Maisey]

Easy to make a little error like this. I do it all the time.

But one thing puzzles me:- why would the Sunan of Surakarta and his wife be wearing Yogyakarta dress?

I'm not sufficiently well up on the niceties of various forms of formal dress, especially for royals, to distinguish one form from another, but Yogyakarta dress for the head of the rival house?

And then this photo published in the official book of the Karaton Surakarta, a book intended to enshrine the position of Surakarta in the public view forever?

[Jonno]

Originally Posted by kulbuntet

Excelent photo! I can see a full four star general standing in the middle of him and his wife, wearing a knight cors on his neck.. who is he?

The person in uniform is also PBX or Paku Buwono X, the Susuhunan of Surakarta.

[David]

Originally Posted by Jonno

The person in uniform is also PBX or Paku Buwono X, the Susuhunan of Surakarta.

I think he is asking if anyone can ID the general standing between PBX and his wife.

[kulbuntet]

For Jonno, see last coment david.
For David, thank you.

For Alan,
There are family ties to Solo from Yogja, so to call it a rival house, dont know if thats the propper way to call it... same as for Puro Pakualaman palace/kraton.

First you can have a look at the head wrap. The Yogja head wrap has got the knot at the back, solo has it at front (ukiran solo "nose"). Second the jacket he is wearing is a Yogja style jacket... forgive me i dont know the propper Indonesian/Javanes names. The Sarong batik motif could be Yogja also... but is difficult to tell without colour showing. Iff we compare the first photo of Jonno with the photo in discusion of PBIX, it looks like the same Batik motif, and since the unindentified person is also wearing the knot at the back, it would be posible that he comes from the Yogja blood line.

For Jonno,

Do you allow me to send the photo of your first post to some friends of my, on in Indonesia who has good contact with people of high level. I will ask iff he can tell us more.

Regards Michel

[A. G. Maisey]

Michel, I also know the basics of variation between Surakarta dress and Yogyakarta dress. However, I recognise that there are a number of variations in the formal dress of Surakarta, and of Yogyakarta.

What I can see in this photo of PB IX is that PB IX is dressed in a way that is superficially similar to one of the dress forms used in Yogyakarta:- the blangkon does not have the Surakarta front knot, the jacket is similar to a Yogyakarta style , however, it lacks some of the detail, and appears to button on the opposite side, with the fall over the left thigh, rather than the right. Most of all I note that PB IX is wearing a Surakarta keris.

It would be very strange , I feel, to mix Surakarta keris dress with Yogyakarta formal dress.

To my mind this photograph raises questions in respect of the dress, and that is why I said that I do not know sufficient about the variations in forms of dress to be able to say with any certainty that this is definitely Yogyakarta dress. It may be; it also may not be. It might be a Surakarta form that has, or had, a particular usage. My level of knowledge is insufficient to be able to rule out this possibility.

If it is Yogyakarta dress it is an extraordinarily strange thing to see the senior royal personage in Jawa dressed in what is in essence a form that carries in the eyes of his own court, a lower level of prestige.

You were quite right to question my use of the the term "rival house".

Of course Yogyakarta is not a rival house to Surakarta.

Surakarta is the senior house, Yogyakarta is the "new shoot from the old branch".

There is no rivalry. At least not in the eyes of Surakarta.

Surakarta is the House of Mataram.
Yogyakarta was created by the Dutch as a political measure, and as branch of the House of Mataram, it remains that:- a branch. Similar to, but larger and more prestigious than the Mangkunegaraan and the Pakualamanan.However, the Mankunegaraan and the Pakualamanan cannot be referred to as "Karaton". The word Karaton means " the place of the Ratu (ruler)". In Yogyakarta the Sultan is the ruler, in Surakarta the Susuhunan (Javanese), or Sunan (Islamic) is the ruler. The Mangkunegaraan and the Pakualamanan are the seats of subsidiary princes, not rulers, thus they are istanas or palaces, not Karatons.

But to return to the matter of dress.
In essence, I know sufficient about Javanese dress forms to understand that I know almost nothing.

[Jonno]

Originally Posted by David

I think he is asking if anyone can ID the general standing between PBX and his wife.

General C.H. v. Rietschoten, commander of the KNIL. (1918-1920)

About the photo on top.
I also made a picture of the backside. Sorry for the delay but I had to removed the old frame carefully.

[Boedhi Adhitya]

Regading the division of Java, please read the good book 'Jogjakarta under Sultan Mangkubumi 1749-1792', by M.C Ricklefs, published by Oxford University Press (1974) based on Ricklefs' Ph.D thesis, the main reference book on the division of Java today.

Just before his death, Pakubuwono II ceded all Mataram kingdom to Dutch/VOC in 1749. Pakubuwono III crowned by Dutch only after signing a pact that declare that Pakubuwono III reigned not because his right by inheritance or nobleness, but because the Dutch wanted to do so.

VOC divided Mataram in two by Giyanti Treaty without consulting it to Pakubuwono III. The VOC was forced to divide Mataram to end the war he could no longer bear. It was divided mostly under Mangkubumi's conditions. There was nothing PB III could do, because almost all the noblemen had joint the rebellion, and the Dutch was the only Surakarta's proponent. Without Dutch, Surakarta would had fallen to Mangkubumi. At that time, the 1749 Treaty was useless cause The Dutch had no power to enforce it. According to Ricklefs, during the reign of Hamengkubuwono I, Yogyakarta was practically a sovereign and the most prosperous country in Java. Ricklefs called Hamengkubuwono I the greates Mataram king since Sultan Agung.

Things started to change when Pakubuwono IV reigned. Born in 1768, he knew almost nothing about the war and division of Java. He refused to acknowledge the right of Jogjakarta's crown prince to inherit the throne, and insisted that after the death of Hamengkubuwono I, Jogjakarta should be brought back to Surakarta. He also sent a letter to Batavia, asking a formal acknowledgment from Dutch that Surakarta is the senior branch, all letters from Dutch fo Jogjakarta must passed through Surakarta, and the ulema of Semarang and Jogjakarta must admit the seniority of Surakarta's ulema (priest). This claim was refused by Dutch, and all things ended in the siege of Surakarta Palace by Jogjakarta, Dutch and Mangkunegara Army. This affair known as Pakepung affair (kepung=to siege). The siege ended after PB IV surrendered and ceded the priests for exile. PB IV made at least 2 more attempt to undermine Jogjakarta's existence, but he never had courage to use his own hand, and always found a scapegoat to escape from all the intrigue he made. Just after the Pakepung affair ended, Hamengkubuwono I also made a pledge to Dutch for seniority acknowledgment, which was also refused.

The 'senior' and 'junior' branch was informally made much later after Giyanti Treaty, perhaps during the reign of Hamengkubuwono VI (1855-1877) and Pakubuwono VII, after the Java/Diponegoro War. Both prince saw similarity on their position, and tried to unite both court by marriage. Hamengkubuwono VI then married the daughter of PB VII, and to ease the ceremony, Hamengkubuwono VI came to Surakarta, which was saw as an acknowledgment of juniority by Surakarta's people. Thus, this senior-junior game just for ceremonial cause, and no more. According to Babad Giyanti written by Surakarta Poet Yosodipuro I, Yogyakarta is never be a branch of Surakarta. Both are equal. In fact, when Giyanti Treaty was signed, Yogyakarta was considered older by Yosodipuro, since Pakubuwono III is a nephew of Prince Mangkubumi (Hamengkubuwono I). It is worth to note that Yosodipuro, a Surakarta's court poet, in Babad Giyanti described Prince Mangkubumi (Hamengkubuwono I) as the hero, and Pakubuwono II and III described in less sympathetic manner.

When Mataram divided in two, both court must develop their own cultural identity. According to Babad Giyanti, Yogyakarta brought and preserve the old culture of Mataram, especially the dance and clothing style (including the keris' sheath), and Surakarta developed a new one. Thus, until now, The Yogyakarta style also known as Mataram style. In the eye of Surakarta's people, it is 'out-of-date' style, but Yogyakarta's people see their culture as the classic and authentic Mataram style.

Regarding the clothing of PB IX, it is perhaps easier to accept by Solonese to call it 'Mataram style' other than 'Yogyakarta style'. It's proper name is 'baju takwa' or better known as 'Surjan', which has a symbolic meaning. As described by Alan, it is slightly different from Yogyakarta, that is, to button from the opposite side. So it better be called 'Surakarta-modified Mataram style'. As the Mataram style has been brought to Yogyakarta, the Surjan is not quite commonly used by Surakarta's people today. Inside Yogyakarta's palace, only prince and the king himself who has the right to wear it. Susuhunan of Surakarta might use some (modified) Mataram articles which resembling Yogyakarta's because they also claim that they are the descendant of Mataram, which is definitely true.

Regarding the blangkon, it is worth to note that today's blangkon which is worn like a hat, is a recent development. Blankon word came from 'blangko', an empty paper form which you can fill, in case of blangkon, fill it with one's head. It is developed because in modern time, Javanese's hair is cut short. In old day, the hair should be long and they used 'iket' or 'dhestar', a square cloth which is fold diagonal to form triangle and then tied around your head to cover the hair. Prior to tying the iket, the long hair was tied in the back of the head to form a bulge. In most photos, we see 'iket' or 'dhestar', not blankon, thus very similar to today's yogyakarta style blangkon which preserve the form as much as possible. In Yogyakarta, blangkon developed during the reign of Hamengkubuwono VIII, roughly around 1930s. The hair bulge is still preserved today in yogyakarta blangkon, known as 'mondholan', give it the peculiar shape.

Regarding the batik cloth, the Yogyakarta style has white background. This white-background batik was also worn by Sultan Agung, as described by Dr. de Haen, VOC envoy who met Sultan Agung. (See De Graff, Puncak Kekuasaan Mataram/ De Regering van Sultan Agung...). We can see Yogyakarta's batik worn by the queen of Susuhunan PB X on photograph attached by David. The woman is Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, the daughter of Hamengkubuwono VII who married PB X. The motif is Parang rusak, worn only by high-rank noble. PB X also wear parang motif with white background, but not parang rusak. It is worth to note that almost all person in photograph wearing parang motif, a token of nobility.

Regarding the photograph first posted by Jonno,

The batik he worn definitely not Yogyakarta/Mataram batik. But the gayaman sheath looks like Yogyakarta. It is important to understand that the Yogyakarta's sheath is Mataram style, which is already exist long before the division of Java (1755), and might be used outside Yogyakarta area. It might also used by regent in Yogyakarta outer province (Mancanegara), which was confiscated by Dutch after Java War/Diponegoro War (1825-1830). Thus, we could almost sure that he came from outside Vorstenlanden (Surakarta and Yogyakarta area, after Java War). He might came from former Yogyakarta's mancanegara area. My best bet is he came from the northern coastal/pasisir area such as Demak, Rembang, etc, but not eastern coastal/pasisir such as Surabaya. Or maybe, West Java.

best regards,

boedhi adhitya

[A. G. Maisey]

I've been hoping that you would join this discussion, Pak Boedhi. I was certain you would be able to fill the gaps.

Regarding the question of seniority in respect of Surakarta and Jogjakarta.
During most of the time I have been visiting Jawa, I have had my house in Solo. My teachers have been Abdi Dalem of the Karaton Surakarta; my housekeeper claims a backdoor relationship to PB X; the people I usually associate with are connected in some way or another with the karaton, either directly, or indirectly. What I have written about seniority is what I have learned from the people I live with.We all form our opinions upon our experience. My experience comes from one direction, your experience comes from another. Both points of view are correct , depending upon where one is standing.

Divorcing myself from that which has been fed to me, and adopting a purely objective and logical point of view.
Surakarta was there first.
In the absence of family disagreements and Dutch manipulation, the continuation of the House of Mataram would have shown a single line, that line stretching back in time through Surakarta, Kartosuro, all the way back to Majapahit --- although admittedly through a female inheritance.
Logically, there can be no argument that the oldest, and thus senior division of the House of Mataram is the Surakarta division.

However, there is room in this world for all of us to adopt the belief with which we are most comfortable.

In respect of the form of archaic keris dress, this can be seen in monumental carvings at Panataran, and from a later period at Sukuh. In both cases the forms are unlike both the Surakarta form and the Jogjakarta form. In fact, there is some evidence that would suggest that the early form --- ie circa Majapahit --- of the keris scabbard was quite similar to the form that we know today as the Bugis form. I feel that if we were able to research this question thoroughly, we might find that both Jogjakarta and Surakarta went through a period of re-invention following the division.

I thank you most sincerely, Pak Boedhi, for providing the information that only a person with your background could provide.

[Jonno]

Alan and Boedhi,

Thank you very much for this information.
Very interesting.


Beste regards,
John

[Sajen]

Thank you very much, very interesting informations.

sajen

[Marcokeris]

Thank you very very much
Marco

[Amuk Murugul]

Originally Posted by Jonno

Hello,

Here is an original old picture of an indonesian royal family.
Can someone help me to indentify the royal with the kris?

Thanks,
John

Hullo John!

A bit LATE, but I hope it's still of use to somebody.
The photos are of Pangéran Radén Adipati Aria PrawiraDiradja II (regent, Keboepatén Tjiandjoer, 1861-1910) and family.

Best,

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

This is PB IX --- 1861-1893

I was wondering who this chap was on the pommel end. I suspect it is him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cduw1-8vmm1/

[jagabuwana]

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo John!

A bit LATE, but I hope it's still of use to somebody.
The photos are of Pangéran Radén Adipati Aria PrawiraDiradja II (regent, Keboepatén Tjiandjoer, 1861-1910) and family.

Best,

I thought this initially too. But I am now skeptical. I don't think Prawiradireja II was ever this portly a man. Attached is probably one of the younger photos we have of him. I don't believe it's the same man as the one in the original post.

The photo appears to be in the Tropenmuseum's collection as item TM-60025948 with the description "Regent van Serang-Bantam (1888) met Familie". See: https://collectie.wereldculturen.nl/...9-31638051b632

According to wikipedia, the regent of Serang in 1888 was R. T. Soetadiningrat Murwan. I cannot find a better source than this, and there doesn't appear to be any other photos to corroborate. But I am confident that it is not the Regent of Cianjur.

I have posted other photos of Prawiradirja II in this thread here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24136

If it is true that we're looking at different people, the keris dress - especially the handle - bears similarities. It is a pistol grip shape, though the angled portion is quite short. I wonder if this was in style at the time for Sundanese regents.

[Amuk Murugul]

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

I thought this initially too. But I am now skeptical. I don't think Prawiradireja II was ever this portly a man. Attached is probably one of the younger photos we have of him. I don't believe it's the same man as the one in the original post.

The photo appears to be in the Tropenmuseum's collection as item TM-60025948 with the description "Regent van Serang-Bantam (1888) met Familie". See: https://collectie.wereldculturen.nl/...9-31638051b632

According to wikipedia, the regent of Serang in 1888 was R. T. Soetadiningrat Murwan. I cannot find a better source than this, and there doesn't appear to be any other photos to corroborate. But I am confident that it is not the Regent of Cianjur.

I have posted other photos of Prawiradirja II in this thread here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24136

If it is true that we're looking at different people, the keris dress - especially the handle - bears similarities. It is a pistol grip shape, though the angled portion is quite short. I wonder if this was in style at the time for Sundanese regents.

Hullo jagabuwana!

You are correct.
My apologies to everybody.
I should’ve been more thorough.
I got the name from two separate websites, so I thought it was OK.
Anyway, I had to dig into my archives.

Your first ref. only mentions Bantam 1888.
So here are my likely candidates:

Lebak:RA SoetaNataNingrat (1881-1907)

PandéGelang:RT SoetaDiNingrat (1870-1888)
RT Abdoel Gafoer SoeraWinangoen (1888-1898)

Sérang:RT Pandji GondoKoesoemo (1870-1888)
RT SoetaDiNingrat (Moerwan)(1888-1893)

I am posting a photo of a Banten boepati taken around 01/01/1888-31/12/1907. Could it be him? Unfortunately, no names.

I am also posting a photo taken in 1901 of PaRahyangan boepatis:

L->R:
• PgA SoeriaAtmadja - Soemedang,30/12/1882-17/04/1919
• RAA WiraTanoeDatar VIII - Limbangan Garoet, 16/07/1871-06/09/1913
• RAA PrawiraDiRadja II - TjiAndjoer, 24/08/1864-10/12/1912
• RAA WiraAdiNingrat - SoekaPoera (ManonDjaja), 29/11/1875-31/01/1901
• RT MartaNagara - Bandoeng, 27/06/1893-19/03/1920

Best,

[jagabuwana]

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo jagabuwana!

You are correct.
My apologies to everybody.
I should’ve been more thorough.
I got the name from two separate websites, so I thought it was OK.
Anyway, I had to dig into my archives.

Your first ref. only mentions Bantam 1888.
So here are my likely candidates:

Hello kang Amuk. No apologies necessary

Looks like my link just takes you back to the source page of the page I really intended to reference. But if you click on the photo, it will take you to a page with more details and it says "Regent van Serang-Bantam (1888) met Familie".

Thank you for sharing those photos. I'm always fascinated by the variation of style in both clothing and keris across the different Sunda regencies, in the same period. The difference between the keris dress of Prawiradireja II and Wiradiningrat really sticks out - the former with what appears to be a Solo gayaman wrangka and the latter with one that might not be of a style from Java. Though they did seem to agree on wearing it nganggar style, which I think became known to be common in Sunda when keris are worn.

I think it's insightful and goes to show that there was no central or higher cultural authority in Sunda to codify conventions and customs. I think Sumedang Larang probably thought they had a claim to this given their history with the fall of Pajajaran but by the time they were all vassalised by Mataram it seems that Javanese style became that which was associated with high culture and a refined elite. The exception to this is perhaps the advances in the arts that are attributed Prawiradireja II's father, Kusumaningrat, who thanks to his patronage created a style of music that is now probably one of Sunda culture's most recognisable artefact - tembang Sunda.

It is a shame that we know so little detail about Sundanese court art, dress and conventions from before Sunda fell to Banten, especially where the keris is concerned.

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody!

I am confident that the person in post#1 is RTPandji GondoKoesoemo.
The reason I was hesitant was that the photo in my post#25 (RT SoetaDiNingrat) looked similar.
It turns out that SoetaDiNingrat was the nephew of GondoKoesoemo (photo attached).

Best,