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The
Period of Islamic Kingdoms
Moslem
merchants from Gujarat and Persia began visiting Indonesia
in the 13th Century and established trade links between
this country and India and Persia. Along with trade,
they propagated Islam among the Indonesians people,
particularly along the coastal areas of Java, like
Demak. At a later stage they even influenced and converted
Hindu kings to Islam, the first being the Sultan of
Demak. This Moslem Sultan later spread Islam westwards
to Cirebon and Banten, and eastward along the northern
coast of Java to the kingdom of Gresik. In the end,
he brought the downfall of the powerful kingdom of
Majapahit (1293-1520).
After the fall of Majapahit, Islam spread further
east to where the sultanates of Bone and Goa in Sulawesi
were established. Also under the influence of Islam,
were the sultanates of Ternate and Tidore in the Maluku.
North of Java, the religion spread to Banjarmasin
in Borneo and further west to Sumatra, where Palembang,
Minangkabau (West Sumatra), Pasai and Periak were
converted.
Meanwhile, descendants of the Majapahit aristocracy,
religious scholars and Hindu Ksatriyas retreated through
the East Java peninsula of Blambangan to the island
of Bali and Lombok. In a later period, however, the
eastern part of Lombok was converted to Islam, which
entered the island from the southern Sulawesi city
of Makassar, now named Ujungpandang.
The capital of the West Java Kingdom of Pajajaran
was Sunda Kelapa (1300 AD). It was located in the
present capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta. In 1527
Sunda Kelapa was conquered by Falatehan, and Islamic
troop commander of the sultanate of Demak. After his
conquest the city was renamed Jaya Karta, meaning
"the great city," this was the origin of
the present name, Jakarta. Falatehan also defeated
the Portuguese, who had also tried to seize the city.
