Abu Nasr Abdul Kahhar

Abu Nasr Abdul Kahhar (also known as Sultan Haji or Haji of Banten) was the sultan of Banten from 1682 to 1687, who was largely responsible for subjugating Banten to the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He had considerable political power as a crown prince, and from the 1650s the court was divided into factions in support of his father Ageng and him. The VOC even called them the "old Sultan" and "young Sultan," respectively. Haji's faction was in favor of a stronger relationship with the VOC in nearby Batavia, while Ageng was a firm opponent of such a relationship.

Haji's faction gained the upper hand in May 1680, just as Ageng had Batavia surrounded and was declaring war on the Dutch. His father had a decade earlier withdrawn to a residence outside Banten proper, but Haji led a coup and confined Ageng to his residence outside the city. His position was weak, however, because he lacked the support of the Muslim elite, who remained loyal to his father, and who resented his overtures to the Dutch. He turned to the VOC for help, but they were unwilling to help unless he agreed to certain conditions: that escaping slaves and deserters be returned to Batavia even if they converted to Islam, that "pirates" be punished and the VOC compensated for their attacks, that Cirebon (on the opposite side of Batavia from Banten) be yielded, that there be no more interference in the relations of Batavia and the Mataram Sultanate, and that other Europeans be excluded trade with Banten. This constituted nearly all independent foreign policy of the sultanate, and the trade restriction would undermine the basis of their prosperity, but as Haji's position in Banten grew desperate, he accepted the agreement in 1682.

Banten

Banten is the westernmost province on the island of Java, in Indonesia. The provincial capital city is Serang.

The population of Banten was officially estimated at 11,834,087 at the start of 2014, up from over 10.6 million during the 2010 census. Formerly part of the province of West Java, Banten became a separate province in 2000. The province is a transit corridor to the neighbouring Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Historically, it has had a culture distinct from the rest of Java and that of the broader Indonesian archipelago. In recent years, the northern half, particularly those areas near Jakarta and the Java Sea coast, have experienced rapid rises in population and urbanization, while the southern half, particularly that facing the Indian Ocean, maintains more of its traditional character.

History

In the 5th century, Banten was part of the Kingdom of Tarumanagara. The Lebak relic inscriptions, found in lowland villages on the edge of Ci Danghiyang, Munjul, Pandeglang, Banten, were discovered in 1947 and contains 2 lines of poetry with Pallawa script and Sanskrit language. The inscriptions speak of the courage of king Purnawarman. After the collapse of the Tarumanagara kingdom, due to an attack by Srivijaya, power in the western Java fell to the Kingdom of Sunda. The Chinese source, Chu-fan-chi, written circa 1225, Chou Ju-kua mentioned that in the early 13th Century, Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java (Sunda). The source identifies the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, pepper from Sunda being among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture and their houses were built on wooden poles (rumah panggung). However, robbers and thieves plagued the country. It was highly possible that the port of Sunda mentioned by Chou Ju-kua was probably refer to the port of Banten.

Banten (town)

Coordinates: 6°02′33″S 106°09′39″E / 6.0424495°S 106.1609316°E / -6.0424495; 106.1609316

Banten (sometimes called Bantam) near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city with a secure harbour at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into the island's interior. The town is close to the Sunda Strait through which important ocean-going traffic passes between Java and Sumatra. Formerly Old Banten was the capital of a sultanate in the area.

History

In the 5th century Banten was part of the Tarumanagara kingdom. The Lebak relic inscriptions, found in lowland villages on the edge of Ci Danghiyang, Munjul, Pandeglang, Banten, were discovered in 1947 and contains 2 lines of poetry with Pallawa script and Sanskrit language. The inscriptions mentioned the courage of king Purnawarman. After the collapse of the kingdom Tarumanagara following an attack by the Srivijaya empire, power in western Java fell to the Kingdom of Sunda. The Chinese source, Chu-fan-chi, written c. 1200, Chou Ju-kua mentioned that in the early 13th Century, Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java (Sunda). The source identifies the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, pepper from Sunda being among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture and their houses were built on wooden poles (rumah panggung). However, robbers and thieves plagued the country. It is highly possible that the port of Sunda mentioned by Chou Ju-kua referred to the port of Banten.