Sasradilaga rebellion
Sasradilaga rebellion | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Java War | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Dutch East Indies | Javanese rebels | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
H. M. de Kock | R. Aria Sasradilaga (WIA) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
c. 2,700 | c. 1,000 |
The Sasradilaga rebellion was a military campaign of the
Background
In August 1826,
Rebellion
Outbreak
On 28 November 1827, Sasradilaga launched an attack on the home of Rajegwesi's patih and other officials. The Dutch discovered Sasradilaga's involvement in the rebellion several days after, from letters he sent to other patih threatening them to join him.[2] The uprising caught the Dutch by surprise, and as they had committed most of their available forces to fighting Diponegoro in the Yogyakarta and Surakarta areas, little reserves were available to defeat Sasradilaga.[5] As a result, Sasradilaga's forces numbering around 1,000 managed to seize a large number of villages and towns within Rembang Residency. Dutch command could initially only spare 100 soldiers to reinforce Rembang, which was pulled from Batavia. Another attempt of reinforcement from Surakarta with 130 soldiers was ambushed by the rebels and routed on 9 December.[6]
Unlike inland areas, where Javanese rebels engaged in violence against Chinese communities, Sasradilaga's forces enjoyed better relations. The Chinese communities of Rembang supplied weapons[7] and fought as part of Sasradilaga's army.[8] However, many were forced to convert to Islam under threat of death.[9] By December, Sasradilaga's men had seized control of the southern half of the residency, cutting off the line of communication between Semarang and Surabaya.[7][10]
Dutch response
Another Dutch column of 200 was dispatched from Semarang, beating back Sasradilaga from the northern half of the residency and recapturing several roads. The situation improved by the Dutch, and the Semarang–Surabaya road was considered secure by January 1828.[8][7] Several Dutch columns were redeployed to defeat Sasradilaga, and Sasradilaga's headquarters at Rajegwesi was taken by three Dutch columns on 27 January 1828, with hundreds of Sasradilaga's men killed in the fighting. Sasradilaga evaded capture and began engaging in guerilla war in Madiun to the south.[11]
Sasradilaga's continued guerilla war resulted in the Dutch deployment of around 2,500 infantrymen and 200 cavalrymen in the region. Several field fortifications were also constructed in Rembang following the Dutch Bentengsteelsel strategy.[12] His remaining force of around 300 men was defeated in an engagement by the bupati of Rajekwesi in February 1828. The Dutch considered the uprising to be over on 7 March 1828, when a wounded Sasradilaga attempting to form another army was forced to flee the area after being discovered.[13]
Aftermath
Sasradilaga fled south back to Diponegoro's area of operations in Yogyakarta, before surrendering to the Dutch on 3 October 1828.[14] The town of Rajekwesi was devastated in the fighting, and colonial authorities decided to rebuild the town at a more defensible location under a new name. On 25 September 1828, Governor-General Leonard du Bus de Gisignies approved the renaming of Rajekwesi to Bojonegoro.[15][16] Local colonial authorities planned reprisals against Chinese families which collaborated with Sasradilaga, but ultimately the reprisals were not executed.[8] The Sosrodilogo Bridge in Bojonegoro, named after Sasradilaga, was opened in 2019.[17]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-90-6718-303-1.
- ^ a b c d Djamhari, Saleh A. (2002). Stelsel benteng dalam pemberontakan Diponegoro 1827-1830: suatu kajian sejarah perang (Thesis) (in Indonesian). University of Indonesia. pp. 162–164.
- ^ De Klerck, Eduard Servaas; Louw, Johan Frederik (1904). De Java-oorlog Van 1825-30, Derde Deel [The Java War of 1825-30, Volume 3] (in Dutch). Batavia Landsdrukkerij. p. 370.
- ^ a b Djamhari 2002, p. 165.
- ^ De Klerck & Louw 1904, pp. 366–368.
- ^ Djamhari 2002, pp. 166–169.
- ^ a b c Djamhari 2002, pp. 170–171.
- ^ a b c Carey 2015, pp. 617–618.
- ^ Djamhari 2002, p. 175.
- ^ Carey 2015, p. 643.
- ^ Djamhari 2002, pp. 172–173.
- ^ Djamhari 2002, pp. 174–175.
- ^ De Klerck & Louw 1904, pp. 521–523.
- ^ De Klerck & Louw 1904, p. 526.
- ISSN 0006-2294. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Bojonegoro dari Masa ke Masa". bojonegorokab.go.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ "Jembatan Sosrodilogo dan Kisah Heroik dalam Namanya". narasipost.com (in Indonesian). 27 April 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2025.