Location:Trowulan is situated approximately 55 km (34 mi) southeast of Surabaya, capital of the modern East Java province, and Indonesia’s second largest city. It is also situated west of present-day town of Mojokerto on the river Brantas, East Java. It occupied an area of approximately 9 km x 11 km. It latitude and longitude are at about 7° 32' 60S 112° 22' 0E.
Physical Features: The city is about 57m (190 ft) above sea level. Its location was not a mere afterthought, as this is a very rich agricultural area with a fairly-large population and large resources. Rich in agricultural produce, the common crops are rice and sugar canes. The Brantas River floats near the city. It rises in the highlands to the north west of town of Malang and follows a circuitous path before dividing into a number of smaller streams to meet the sea at Surabaya.
Climate: The climate is generally hot and humid with average daily temperatures vary from about 26C to 35C (78.8F to 95F). Humidity is usually between 75% to 100% which confirmed the climate as definitely tropical. There is no autumn or winter sesons and distinctive dry and wet seasons share the year. The East Monsoon, from June to September, brings dry weather while the West Monsoon, from November to April rains rather heavily. The transitional period between these two seasons is interspersed by the occasional heavy rain shower.
A Brief History of Trowulan
The founder of the Majapahit empire and its capital city was Raden Wijaya, a prince of the kingdom of Singhasari, who escaped when Jayakatwang, the ruler of Kediri, seized the palace. In 1293, Mongol troops arrived in Java to avenge an insult to the Mongolian emperor of China, Kublai Khan, by Kertanagara, the last king of Singhasari (who is also Raden Wijaya’s father-in-law).
Kublai Khan had sent a fleet of 1,000 ships and 20,000 soldiers to Java. However, due to sickness and tough weather, the fleet that arrived on Java became badly-reduced. Raden Wijaya, presenting himself as a representative from the new settlement at Majapahit, met the Mongols and explained that Kertanagara had been defeated and killed a few months previously and that his throne had been seized by a usurper, Jayakatwang of Kediri. As its rightful heir, Raden Wijaya, offered assistance in overthrowing Jayakatwang and promised to recognise Kublai Khan’s overlordship over Java.
His proposal was accepted and so on 15 March 1293 the combined force emerged to launch an attack on Daha (Kediri). The final assault on the capital was made five days later. 5000 Kediri people lost their lives and Jayakatwang was defeated. Raden Wijaya then returned to Majapahit, ostensibly to prepare his tribute settlement, leaving his Mongol allies to celebrate their victory. In a surprise attack, he managed to turn on the Mongol army, killing many and sending the rest running back to their ships. In this way Raden Wijaya founded the kingdom of Majapahit. Seven months later, in November 10th 1293, he was officially crowned, bearing the royal title Kertarajasa Jayawardhana.
Under Kertarajasa successors, the Majapahit Empire soon became the most powerful kingdom in the history of pre-modern Indonesia. Its influence covered almost the total area of Indonesia today with in addition parts of the Malay Peninsula with the exception of West Java, the southern part of Central Java and North Sulawesi.
The fourth Majapahit ruler, King Hayam Wuruk, together with his able premier Patih Gajah Mada, succeeded in gradually uniting the whole archipelago under the name of Dwipantara.
The famous Palapa Oath was made by Gajah Mada. He swore that he would never enjoys/consumes palapa (thought to be some kind of spices) again before he could unite the whole Malay archipelago under the Majapahit throne. In honour of such a determined pledge, the first Indonesian satellite communication device was named 'Palapa'.
No bastions surrounded Trowulan, and it may be considered as a complex of compounds separated by large squares, open fields and wide roads. The compounds contained several courtyards with trees and open pavilions and were encircled by walls and fences. Public activities such as the market, public gatherings, festivities and plays were carried out in its many city squares. The city area was more like a large park than a compact city and its fringes imperceptibly merged into the countryside.
The build-up areas of the city are comprised of the walled-palace of the king, living units of the common people, ceremonial centers, and artisans quarters. An elaborate canal system provides water for the population and irrigation of the surrounding agricultural lands.
The strong fleet of Majapahit enables it to conquer other territories and for the king to mounts punitive expeditions to distant areas. A mercantile city Trowulan became, which went together with a strong agrarian basis of the sawah (rice-field) and ladang (farm) cultivation. However, the aristocrats of Majapahit relied more on agriculture rather than trade, as nobility and trade were considered incompatible.
There were four basic ranks existed in the city, namely the aristocracy, clergy, peasants and bond-slaves. Inside these four ranks, foreigners and outcasts were not included. Craftsmen and artists on the hand, were featured inside.
Unfortunately there is not much left of the monuments and buildings from the Majapahit era today, as most of them were built of wood and red bricks that has eroded. Nevertheless there are some smaller ruins in the area, one of the most famous is Candi Tikus (the Rat Temple). The moniker appeared simply because there was so many rat nests that appeared during the excavation. It is most likely to be a bathing place for the queen. Other ruins are mostly foundations and gates built by stone, like Bajang Ratu. Some of the larger structures have at least partially survived and are currently undergoing a reconstruction programme.
On his death (1389), Hayam Wuruk gave the Blambangan (Java's Eastern Salient) to his son by a lesser wife, called Wirabhumi. This turned out to be a poor decision: a civil war called Paragreg erupted in 1401 between Wirabhumi and Wikramawardhana (Hayam Wuruk’s successor) and famine ensued. Hostilities ended in 1406 with the death of Wirabhumi. This war of succession resulted in the weakening of Majapahit.
As Majapahit weakened, its power became eroded. This erosion was worst on Java's northern coast cities which prospered from foreign trade. This trade brought Islam - via Persia, India and Sumatra - to Java. Majapahit's disintegration was hastened by the economic competition of the Malay trading network that focused on the state of Melaka, whose rulers had adopted Islam.
Kertawijaya, Majapahit’s seventh ruler, converted to Islam on the advice of his wife, Darawati, a princess of Champa (in what is now southern Vietnam). However, he was murdered in 1451 by his successor, Rajasawardhana, who hinders the spread of Islam in Majapahit.
The die is cast; Majapahit is now irrevocably retaining its Hindu-Buddhist traditions, and soon came under threat from the Muslim states of Java’s northern coast cities.
Three kingless years occurred between 1453 to 1456 after the death of Rajasawardhana, with Hyang Purwawisesa (also known as Bhre Wengker), came into power in 1456. He was in turn, succeeded by Singhawikramawardhana (also known as Bhre Pandan Salas) in 1466. In 1468 however, a court rebellion by a Bhre Kertabhumi forced him to move his court to the city of Daha, Kediri. Thus from 1468-1474, there were two kings in Majapahit, Bhre Pandan Salas (ruling in Daha) and Bhre Kertabhumi (ruling in Trowulan).
With the death of Bhre Pandan Salas in 1474, his son, Ranawijaya, made plans to depose Bhre Kertabhumi and regain Trowulan. This was done successfully four years later in 1478, and he was crowned bearing the royal title of Bhre Prabu Girindrawardhana. However, due to increasing threats from the Muslim states located at Java’s northern coast, Girinwardhana moved his court from Trowulan to Daha, Kediri in 1486. Thereafter, Trowulan, lost its importance and subsequently decline to become a small village it is today.
