Amangkurat I of Mataram

Who was Amangkurat I of Mataram?

Amangkurat I was the sultan of Mataram from 1646 to 1677.

He was the son of the powerful Sultan Agung. Upon taking the throne, he tried to bring long-term stability to the Sultanate of Mataram's realm, which was considerable in area but marred by continual rebellions. He murdered local leaders that were insufficiently deferential to him, including the still-powerful noble from Surabaya, Pangeran Pekik, his father-in-law, and closing ports and destroying ships in coastal cities to prevent them from getting too powerful from their wealth. To further his glory, the new king abandoned Karta, Sultan Agung’s capital, and moved to a grander red-brick palace in Plered.

One of Amangkurat I foreign policy was strengthening alliance with Sultanate of Cirebon by marrying his daughter to Panembahan Adiningkusuma, Sultan of Cirebon. However he suspect his son in-law has grow closer to Mataram's rival, Sultanate of Banten. In order to weakening Cirebon, in 1677 he summoned Panembahan Adiningkusuma and his family to Plered, and later Amangkurat I ordered him to be executed. He was entombed in Girilaya hill near Yogyakarta, near the royal tomb of Mataram kings in Imogiri, and known as Panembahan Girilaya. To held Cirebon captive, he took Girilaya's heirs, Prince Mertawijaya and Prince Kertawijaya, his own grandsons, as the hostage in his court.