The Mongolian Yuan dynasty ruled China from 1279 to 1368. The Mongol empire covered the whole of China from the Mongolian steppes to the south seas and its vassal states stretched even further beyond. Any state that did not submit to the Khan was invaded - Vietnam, Myanmar, Japan were invaded and Java's turn came in 1292.
The Yuan dynasty sent out envoys to kingdoms to extract tributes (taxes) for the Khan. Most kingdoms submitted to the Khan except for a few, one such was the Singhasari kingdom of central Java. Not only did Singhasari's king Kertanegara declined multiple envoys sent to him, he even sliced off the ear and branded the face of one with a hot iron.
This provocative humiliation of the Khan's representative greatly enraged Kublai Khan who decided to send a naval expedition to teach the pernicious upstart Kertanegara a lesson he will never forget.
The Mongols began preparations for the great expedition which took more than a year. The Khan amassed 30,000 troops (mostly Han Chinese), and a thousand junks which carried a year's worth of supplies onboard.
Meanwhile, a lot changed in Java during the year. The Javanese kingdoms of Singhasari and Kediri went to war, in which Kertanegara was killed. Raden Wijaya, Kertanegara's son-in-law fled to Madura Island off east Java coast.
When the Mongol expedition arrived in Java, they found that the wanted man they had prepared and travelled months for was already dead and buried.
Then Raden Wijaya came up with an offer for the Mongols (who didn't want to return to face the Khan empty handed). Raden Wijaya offered to pay tributes to the Khan provided the Mongols joined forces with him to avenge Kertanegara and revive the Singhasari kingdom.
The Mongols agreed probably thinking it was a good deal as they can now get tributes from both Singhasari and its arch rival Kediri. The Mongols show their mettle and duly defeated king Jayakatuam of the Kediri kingdom (killing him).
The Mongols celebrated their victory. Then, Raden Wijaya and his troops ambushed the drunken, merry making Mongols, killing many. The surviving Mongols fled to their junks and set sail for China.
The Mongols gone, Raden Wijaya founded the Majapahit empire in 1293. Ironically, the Majapahit empire lasted till 1527, far longer than the Mongol Yuan dynasty which collapsed in 1368.
When the Mongol generals returned home with news of their defeat and Raden Wijaya's treachery, Kublai Khan was greatly enraged. He immediately ordered a second and bigger expedition to settle the score with Raden Wijaya, the traitor.
Fortunately for Raden Wijaya, Kublai Khan died a year later and his revenge expedition was called off.
The Mongols left behind a few legacies.
The Mongols brought gunpowder and canons to Majapahit which helped them extend their realm to the entire Nusantara, making it the greatest Indonesian empire ever. The Majapahit empire lasted till 1527 before the Nusantara fell under the Dutch.
The Mongols also brought liquor distillation technology. Arak or rice liquor is still enjoyed in Bali, the last and only surviving hold out of the once glorious Majapahit empire. Next time you taste arak, remember the Mongolians in Java 1292.
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