Latest / Majapahit: The Empire That Once Ruled Indonesia — Fexingo History / Majapahit's Last Succession: The Bhre Kertabhumi Civil War
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Majapahit's peak—Hayam Wuruk, Gajah Mada, the Palapa Oath, the grand temples. But today I want to look at how it all came apart. And it's not the story you'd expect from a mighty empire—it's a family feud. Luna: A family feud? Like a succession war? Lucas: Exactly. After Hayam Wuruk died in 1389, there wasn't a clear line of succession. His son by a commoner wife, Bhre Kertabhumi, became king in Trowulan. But his other son—or maybe grandson, the sources are messy—Bhre Wirabhumi, ruled the eastern court at Daha. And these two courts just did not get along. Luna: So it's a split empire, like the Roman Empire with East and West? Lucas: In a way, yes. The eastern court was based in the old Kediri heartland, and it had its own nobles, its own military. For about fifteen years, there was this tense peace. But in 1404, it boiled over into open war—the Paregreg War. The name comes from the Old Javanese word 'regreg', meaning confusion or disorder. And boy, did it live up to that. Lucas: The main source we have is the Pararaton, the Book of Kings, which is a bit like a chronicle but also part legend. It describes a brutal conflict: armies clashing in the countryside, villages burned, and eventually a decisive battle near Trowulan itself. Luna: Who won that battle? Lucas: Bhre Kertabhumi's forces, led by his general, Patih Mada Narasa—a name that echoes Gajah Mada, but this guy was a real figure. They defeated Bhre Wirabhumi, who was captured and executed. But here's the twist: the Pararaton says that Bhre Wirabhumi was actually killed by a certain Raden Gajah, who later became the first king of Demak. That's a huge figure in Javanese history. Luna: Wait—the first king of Demak was involved in this? Lucas: According to the Pararaton, yes. Raden Gajah was a prince from the Majapahit line, and after the war, he fled to the coastal city of Demak, where he became a Muslim ruler. Some traditions identify him with Raden Patah, the founder of the Demak Sultanate. But it's complicated—the Portuguese writer Tomé Pires, who visited the region around 1512, says Raden Patah was a different person. Lucas: The Paregreg War didn't just kill a prince—it shattered Majapahit's authority. The coastal ports, like Demak and Gresik, had been growing rich from trade during the war, and they started to assert independence. The Wali Songo, the nine saints who spread Islam in Java, played a role too—they often acted as mediators and advisors to these coastal rulers. Luna: So the civil war weakened the empire enough that Islam could rise? Lucas: Partly, yes. But it's not that simple. The Wali Songo weren't outsiders—they were often Javanese aristocrats with close ties to Majapahit. Sunan Ampel, for example, was the son of a Majapahit princess. They didn't overthrow the empire; they worked within it. But as the center weakened, the periphery grew stronger. Luna: What about Bhre Kertabhumi? Did he rule long after the war? Lucas: He died around 1429, after a reign of about forty years. But by then, Majapahit was a shadow of itself. The Ming Chinese records—the Ming Shilu—mention that by the 1430s, the empire had stopped sending tribute missions. The Malacca Sultanate, which was founded in the early 1400s, had become the dominant power in the straits. And inside Java, Demak was the rising force. Lucas: One last thing: the Pararaton ends with a note that after the war, Trowulan was looted by Bhre Kertabhumi's own soldiers. The capital itself was sacked by the 'victorious' army. That tells you how chaotic it was. The empire didn't fall to an outside invasion—it rotted from within. Luna: It's a sad end for such a grand empire. Lucas: It is. But it's also a reminder that even the most powerful states are fragile. And speaking of keeping things going—if you've enjoyed stepping into history with us episode by episode, a couple of dollars a month makes a real difference. It's what keeps this show ad-free and running. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that adds up. And it lets us keep digging into stories like this one. Lucas: Exactly. So back to the end of Majapahit: after Bhre Kertabhumi, the kingdom lingered on for another century, but it was more of a ceremonial state. The real power was in Demak, and later in Mataram. But that's a story for another time.