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Cornelis de Houtman
Cornelis de Houtman
houtman)
The population of Banten in the time of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin has not been
determined with certainty. However, seeing his ability to send 7,000 troops to Pasuruan
(1546), led directly Fatahillah to help the Demak Islamic Kingdom, shows how dense the
population at that time.
At that time many students (students) outside the region came to Banten to study the
science of religion, so since 500 years ago here has grown a lot of Islamic colleges. During
the reign of Maulana Yusuf (1570-1580) the trade was so advanced that Banten was a
hoarding of goods from all corners of the world, to then spread to the archipelago.
Cornelis de Houtman came to Banten before the Dutch (JP Coen) set foot in Jayakarta,
formerly named Sunda Kelapa. With four ships, Houtman on April 2, 1595 with Dutch
merchants departing from the port of Amsterdam via the Cape of Good Hope to search for
spices in Indonesia.
They landed at the Port of Banten on June 23, 1596 after traveling for more than 14 months.
The Suez Canal was only opened in the 19th century.
At first the expedition from the Netherlands was welcomed with friendly by the people of
Banten. Unfortunately, however, this hospitality is misinterpreted. The Dutch were rude and
arrogant. Seeing the behavior of the Dutch people, the people became very angry.
Houtman and several of his men were arrested. With the ransom of 45 thousand guilders,
then Houtman and his men were released and expelled from Banten (October 2, 1596).
Until Coen who can not stand the challenges of the people of Banten finally discouraged to
build the VOC headquarters in Banten. He finally diverted it to Jayakarta by conquering the
city and building Batavia (1619).
The conquest of Jayakarta which is part of the Banten Islamic Kingdom increasingly fueled
the resistance against the Dutch colonialists. The determination of the Kingdom of Banten
to liberate Jayakarta, which then continued in the days of Batavia, was his ultimate goal.
Until these Islamic fighters from Banten never ceased to interfere and harass the Company.
As in 1656, Banten troops based in Angke (now West Jakarta) and Tangerang, made a
massive assault on Batavia. From these two places Islamist guerrillas Banten never stop
terrorize the Netherlands.
They besides destroying sugarcane plantations and destroying their mills also attacked the
Dutch outposts. What is even more frightening is that Islamic fighters in this guerilla war
often patrol the Dutch military posts and kill their soldiers.
Meanwhile, so afraid when through the waters of Banten, the Dutch fleets must get guard.
During the reign of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa (1651-1672), the resistance to the Dutch was
increasing.
Banten Islamic Kingdom itself at that time already has a strong navy and land. Comes with
cannon troops. Fleet Banten several times can beat the Dutch company, even gain victory in
a battle on the beach Kerawang.
Patriotism of the people of Banten this makes the Dutch more pressing them. Extraordinary
atrocities were committed by Governor-General Herman William Daendels (1808-1810)
against the people of Banten by imposing a system of forced labor or forced labor while
building post and fortress. The first job is to build a bases in Ujung Kulon.
To that end, Daendels ordered the sovereign to send the workers as much as possible.
However, because the area is swampy, many workers die from toxic and malaria.
Daendels accused Patih Mangkubumi Wargadiraja as the culprit of the workers. He then
ordered the Sultan to send 1,000 people every day to be employed in Ujung Kulon and hand
over Patih Mangkubumi to Jakarta. The Sultan was also ordered to move his palace to
Anyer.
This unexpected attack was so shocking that the Sultan had no time to prepare his troops.
However, the Banten warriors ready to become martyrs retained every inch of the land.
From that time the Sultan had no power, while the palace was destroyed and burned
(1808). This cruel action of the Dutch increasingly hate the people of Banten. From that time
on, until the end of the occupation, in Banten was never deserted from the resistance of the
invaders.
According to the book of the Past Records of Banten, during its heyday, when the
government of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Banten as an independent state once sent two
ambassadors to England, namely Tumenggung Naya Wipraya and Tumenggung Jaya Sedana.
They were sent as outstanding and powerful ambassadors on 10 November 1681. Both of
them, dressed in the Royal Banten uniform with the local custom copies, while riding the
horse looked dashing while handing credentials to Buckingham Palace.
Waktu itu banyak santri (pelajar) luar daerah datang ke Banten untuk belajar ilmu
agama, sehingga sejak 500 tahun lalu di sini sudah tumbuh banyak perguruan Islam.
Pada masa pemerintahan Maulana Yusuf (1570-1580) perdagangan sudah demikian
majunya sehingga Banten merupakan tempat penimbunan barang-barang dari
segala penjuru dunia, untuk kemudian disebarkan ke nusantara.
Mula-mula ekspedisi dari negeri Belanda ini disambut dengan ramah oleh penduduk
Banten. Namun sayangnya, keramah-tamahan ini disalahartikan. Belanda bersikap
kasar dan angkuh. Melihat kelakuan orang Belanda ini, rakyat menjadi sangat
marah.
Houtman dan beberapa anak buahnya ditangkap. Dengan tebusan 45 ribu gulden,
barulah Houtman dan anak buahnya dilepaskan dan diusir dari Banten (2 Oktober
1596).
Hingga Coen yang tidak tahan menghadapi tantangan rakyat Banten akhirnya
mengurungkan niatnya untuk membangun markas VOC di Banten. Ia akhirnya
mengalihkannya ke Jayakarta dengan menaklukkan kota tersebut serta membangun
Batavia (1619).
Penaklukan Jayakarta yang merupakan bagian dari Kerajaan Islam Banten semakin
menyulut perlawanan terhadap penjajah Belanda. Tekad Kerajaan Banten untuk
membebaskan Jayakarta, yang kemudian berlanjut pada masa-masa Batavia,
merupakan cita-cita utamanya. Hingga pejuang-pejuang Islam dari Banten ini tidak
pernah henti-hentinya mengganggu dan mengusik Kompeni.
Seperti pada 1656, pasukan Banten yang bermarkas di Angke (kini Jakarta Barat)
dan Tangerang, melakukan penyerangan besar-besaran ke Batavia. Dari kedua
tempat ini gerilyawan Islam Banten tidak pernah henti meneror Belanda.
Untuk itu, Daendels memerintahkan kepada sultan untuk mengirimkan pekerja rodi
sebanyak-banyaknya. Namun, karena daerahnya berawa-rawa maka banyak
pekerja yang mati terkena hawa beracun dan malaria.
Daendels menuduh Patih Mangkubumi Wargadiraja sebagai biang keladi larinya
pekerja-pekerja itu. Ia lalu memerintahkan kepada Sultan agar tiap hari mengirimkan
1.000 orang rakyatnya untuk dipekerjakan di Ujung Kulon dan menyerahkan Patih
Mangkubumi ke Jakarta. Sultan juga diperintahkan untuk memindahkan keratonnya
ke Anyer.
Serangan yang tidak disangka-sangka ini sangat mengejutkan sehingga Sultan tidak
sempat lagi menyiapkan pasukannya. Namun, prajurit-prajurit Banten yang siap
untuk menjadi syahid mempertahankan setiap jengkal tanah.
Sejak saat itu Sultan tidak punya kuasa apa-apa, sedangkan istana dihancurkan dan
dibakar (1808). Tindakan kejam Belanda ini makin menimbulkan kebencian rakyat
Banten. Sejak saat itu, hingga berakhirnya penjajahan, di Banten tidak pernah sepi
dari perlawanan pada penjajah.
Menurut buku Catatan Masa Lalu Banten, pada masa keemasannya, yaitu ketika
pemerintahan Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Banten sebagai negara merdeka pernah
mengirimkan dua orang duta besarnya ke Inggris, yakni Tumenggung Naya Wipraya
dan Tumenggung Jaya Sedana.
Mereka diutus sebagai duta besar luar biasa dan berkuasa penuh pada 10
November 1681. Keduanya, yang mengenakan seragam Kerajaan Banten dengan
kopiah adat setempat, sambil menaiki kuda tampak gagah ketika menyerahkan
surat-surat kepercayaan ke Istana Buckingham.