History of the Gelgel Kingdom, Evidence of the Past Glory of Bali

Balitraveldiary.com – The connoisseurs of royal history who have ever existed in the archipelago may not be too familiar with the name of the Gelgel kingdom. This kingdom is one of the great kingdoms in Bali. This kingdom is the Kresna Kapakisan Wangsa, the dynasty that once ruled Bali in ancient times.

The fame of this kingdom is not as big as other kingdoms in Bali or in Java. However, his greatness has clearly left many things behind in the current generation. Including some of his legacy. To find out more about this kingdom, see ulasa

The kingdom with the name Gelgel was founded around 1265 Saka. The central location of this kingdom is thought to be in the Samprangan Gianyar area which was later moved to Gelgel or now known as Klungkung. The beginning of the establishment of this kingdom was initiated by the collapse of the kingdom of Bedahul by Majapahit troops. After the collapse of the Balinese kingdom of Bedahul, the atmosphere of Bali became chaotic. There was a riot between the top government officials for defending their own opinions.

During this unfavorable atmosphere, Balinese power became empty. This caused a sense of concern for Mahapatih Gajah Mada. Gajah Mada was both nervous and sad because there was no king to rule an area as big as Bali.

Finally, Gajah Mada negotiated with Mpu Sanakpitu to select a future king who would occupy the position of king in Bali. At the meeting, Gajah Mada asked his advisory teacher, Dyang Hyang Kapakisan, to appoint his son as king on the island of Bali.

After a long period of negotiation and debate, the request was finally conveyed to the king Hayam Wuruk who ruled in Majapahit at that time. The request was granted. Since then Bali has been led by a king who is still a descendant of Dang Hyang Kapakisan.

The First King of the Gelgel Kingdom and the Name of the Famous King

The name of the first king of the Gelgel kingdom was Sri Aji Kudawandhira, the son of Dang Hyang Kapakisan. This first king had the title Dalem Ketut Kresna Kapakisan. Raja Dalem Ketut Kresna Kapakisan ruled in the Samprangan area, Gianyar.

Not only did he appoint a new king, but also reforms were made to the governance. The ministers who were appointed all came from Majapahit and were given their respective positions. Some of them are;

Arya Belog in Kaba-Kana
Arya Kenceng in Tabanan
Arya Dalancang on the Ship
Arya Belentong in Pacung
Arya Kanuruhan in Tangkas

Once the condition of the island of Bali began to be safe and under control, Dalem Ketut Kresna Kapakisan intended to repair temples in Bali. The King summoned the Pasek and gave them the task of maintaining and carrying out Yadnya god ceremonies in various temples. Namely, Pura Sad, Pura Tiga and the others.

After Dalem Ketut Kresna Kapakisan died, his successor king was Dalem Ketut Smara Kapakisan. It was during this period that the kingdom was moved from Samprangan Gianyar to Gelgel or Klungkung. History records that the famous relic and king of this kingdom was during the reign of Raja Dalem Watu Renggong.

Golden Age, Ruin and Legacy

This kingdom experienced a golden age during the reign of King Dalem Watu Renggong who ruled from 1460 AD. This king had the title Dalem Watu Renggong Kresna Kapakisan. During this king’s time, the condition of the kingdom was very stable and safe.

During the time of Dalem Watu Renggong, there was very rapid progress in the socio-political, governmental, and cultural fields. Even when the Majapahit Empire collapsed, this kingdom was not affected at all.

Even the Gelgel kingdom has the spirit to advance as a fully sovereign and independent kingdom. The last King Gelgel was Dalem Di Made who ruled between 1605 and 1686 in Saka.

The collapse of this kingdom stems from a rebellion by Patih Agung Kryan Maruti. After successfully occupying the kingdom, there were many events that caused the slow collapse of this kingdom. Among them are the kings in Bali starting to separate themselves.

The situation began to become unsafe and there were potential for many attacks to occur. Finally in 1705 the city of Gelgel was captured. However, the state of the city was completely destroyed. Since then this kingdom was destroyed and left many legacies. Its remains are famous Pura Sagening Gelgel and Kertha Gosa, ancient buildings for gatherings.

That is a glimpse of the Gelgel kingdom that must be known. The lack of information on the kingdom in Bali has made the younger generation less familiar with the name of this kingdom. I hope this information is helpful.The connoisseurs of royal history who have ever existed in the archipelago may not be too familiar with the name of the Gelgel kingdom. This kingdom is one of the great kingdoms in Bali. This kingdom is the Kresna Kapakisan Wangsa, the dynasty that once ruled Bali in ancient times.That is a glimpse of the Gelgel kingdom that must be known. The lack of information on the kingdom in Bali has made the younger generation less familiar with the name of this kingdom. I hope this information is helpful.

source : kintamani.id