MATARAM

large kingdom in Java that lasted from the late 16th century to the 18th century, when the Dutch came to power in Indonesia. Mataram was originally a vassal of Pajang, but it became powerful under Senapati (later known as Adiwijoyo), who defeated Pajang and became the first king of Mataram. Senapati attempted to unite eastern and central Java without much success. Under Sultan Agung, who came to power in 1613, as the Dutch entered the region, Mataram was able to expand its territory to include most of Java. After capturing several port cities of northern Java, especially Surabaya and Madura, he attempted to seize Batavia from the Dutch East India Company. He launched two unsuccessful attacks, one in 1628 and the other in 1629. The sultan also launched a holy war against Bali and against Balambangan in extreme eastern Java. He then concentrated on the internal development of Mataram. He moved the inhabitants of central Java to the less populated Krawang (in western Java) and encouraged interisland trade. He also adapted Islam to the Hindu-Javanese tradition and introduced a new calendar in 1633 based on Islamic and Javanese practice. The arts during Sultan Agung's reign were a mixture of Islamic and Hindu-Javanese elements. Mataram began to decline after the death of Sultan Agung (1645) and, in the mid-18th century, lost both power and territory to the Dutch East India Company. It had become a vassal state of the company by 1749. Wars of succession took place in Mataram, resulting in the division of the eastern and western regions in 1755 (see Gianti Agreement); two years later Mataram was divided into three regions. city, capital of Nusa Tenggara Barat provinsi (province), Lombok island, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast, east of Bali. Until the end of the 18th century, it was the chief city of the Muslim kingdom of Mataram on Lombok. Brought under Balinese rule by Agung Dahuran in the early 19th century, the city subsequently became the capital of the Balinese sultans. Mataram was occupied by the Dutch in 1894 and by the Japanese during World War II. Its population is mostly Sassaks, who are Muslims of Malayan stock. Mataram is a trade centre for agricultural goods via the nearby port of Ampenan. Small-scale industry consists of food processing, boatbuilding, and rice milling. The city is linked by road to Tanjung in the north and to Praya and Selong in the east; it also has an airport. Mataram University (founded 1962) is located at Ampenan. A number of palaces built by the Balinese sultan are in the vicinity. Pop. (1980) 141,387.