RADAR TULUNGAGUNG – The history of West Java reveals how the powerful Sunda Kingdom gradually lost control of its strategic ports and political influence during the 16th century as the Sultanates of Demak, Cirebon, and Banten expanded across Java. The struggle over Sunda Kelapa, now part of modern Jakarta, became one of the most decisive turning points in the region’s history.

For centuries, the Sunda Kingdom controlled large parts of western Java after the decline of the Tarumanegara Kingdom in the 5th century. Historical records place the kingdom’s capital in Pakuan Pajajaran, located in present-day Bogor, where Sundanese rulers maintained authority over important trade routes and agricultural centers.

However, political dynamics across Java began to shift dramatically in the early 1500s as Islamic sultanates strengthened their economic and military influence. The Sultanate of Demak emerged as a major regional power, while Cirebon and Banten gradually separated from Sunda authority and developed into independent Islamic kingdoms.

Sunda Kingdom Faced Growing Pressure From Demak and Cirebon

The weakening of the Sunda Kingdom became increasingly visible after the strategic ports of Cirebon and Banten slipped from its control. Both ports held major economic importance because they connected western Java to international spice trade routes.

To prevent the loss of Sunda Kelapa, King Sri Baduga Maharaja reportedly sent his son, Surawisesa, to establish a defense agreement with the Portuguese in Malacca. Historical sources show that the Sunda-Portuguese treaty was formally concluded in 1522, not 1512 as often mistakenly stated in popular retellings. The agreement granted Portuguese traders access to Sunda Kelapa in exchange for military protection against Demak and Cirebon.

The treaty later became symbolized by the erection of the famous Luso-Sundanese padrao stone monument near the Ciliwung River. The monument marked one of the earliest diplomatic agreements between a kingdom in the Indonesian archipelago and a European power.

Yet the alliance failed to stop the regional power shift. In 1527, forces linked to Demak and Cirebon under the command of Fatahillah attacked and captured Sunda Kelapa before the Portuguese could fully establish their military presence. Historical accounts state that the port was later renamed Jayakarta, a name that eventually evolved into Jakarta.

The Collapse of Pakuan Pajajaran and the End of Sunda Rule

Following the fall of Sunda Kelapa, the Sunda Kingdom entered a prolonged period of political decline. Although peace efforts later emerged between Surawisesa and Sunan Gunung Jati of Cirebon, pressure from neighboring Islamic kingdoms continued to weaken Sunda authority.

By the late 16th century, the kingdom struggled to defend its capital, Pakuan Pajajaran, against the expanding Sultanate of Banten. Historical records indicate that the kingdom ultimately lost the capital around 1579, effectively ending the political dominance of the Sunda Kingdom in West Java.

At the same time, parts of the Priangan region in southeastern West Java gradually came under the influence of the Sultanate of Mataram, further reducing Sundanese territorial control.

The term “West Java” itself only appeared later during the Dutch colonial era. The Dutch East Indies administration officially introduced the administrative designation “Jawa Barat” in 1925. Before that period, the region was more commonly referred to as Soendalanden or Pasundan, reflecting the dominance of Sundanese-speaking communities across western Java.

West Java’s Political Identity Continued to Evolve After Independence

After Indonesia proclaimed independence on August 17, 1945, West Java became part of the Republic of Indonesia. However, political restructuring during the post-colonial transition created another major change in the region’s status.

Following agreements reached during the Round Table Conference involving Indonesia, the Netherlands, and the United Nations Commission for Indonesia, West Java briefly became part of the State of Pasundan within the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia in 1949. The arrangement lasted until 1950, when West Java officially rejoined the unitary Republic of Indonesia.

Historians continue to view the fall of the Sunda Kingdom as one of the most transformative moments in western Java’s history. The struggle over Sunda Kelapa not only altered regional political power but also shaped the foundation of modern Jakarta and the broader identity of West Java itself.