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History of Indonesia

The world's largest archipelagic state, with between 13,000 and 17,000 islands. 5 eras, 650 CE to today.

Srivijaya, 650 CE–1377 Draft, not yet reviewed

Srivijaya was a Buddhist empire based on the island of Sumatra that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Between the late 7th and early 11th century, Srivijaya rose to become a hegemon in Southeast Asia. The kingdom may have disintegrated after 1025 following several major raids launched by the Chola Empire upon their ports. It was not until 1918 that French historian George Cœdès formally postulated its existence.

Seat of power: Palembang

Majapahit, 1293–1527 Draft, not yet reviewed

Majapahit was one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires of the region and is considered to be one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the history of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Majapahit was established by Raden Wijaya and rose to power after the Mongol invasion of Java. It reached its peak during the era of the queen Tribhuvana and her son Hayam Wuruk, whose reigns in the mid-14th century were marked by conquests that extended throughout Southeast Asia. The empire collapsed in 1527 due to an invasion by the Sultanate of Demak.

Seat of power: Trowulan Temple

Mataram Sultanate, 1586–1755 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Sultanate of Mataram was an early modern state based on the island of Java that lasted from the late 16th century to the 18th century. Mataram reached its peak of power during the reign of Sultan Agung Anyokrokusumo. The kingdom gradually lost political and economic power to the Dutch East India Company. The realm was finally divided into the Sultanate of Yogyakarta and the Surakarta Sunanate.

Seat of power: Kartasura

Rulers

Dutch East Indies, 1800–1949 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Dutch East Indies was a colony of the Dutch Empire, established in 1800 when the Batavian Republic took control of the Dutch East India Company. During the 19th century, Dutch forces fought a series of wars against indigenous states which greatly expanded the Dutch East Indies. Following the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945, Indonesian nationalist leaders Sukarno and Hatta declared independence, instigating the Indonesian National Revolution. This led to Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty at the 1949 Round Table Conference.

Seat of power: Batavia

Rulers

Indonesia, 1945 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Japan surrendered to the Allies on 15 August 1945, and two days later Sukarno proclaimed Indonesian independence, with Hatta co-signing the declaration. On 27 December 1949, the Netherlands transferred sovereignty to the federal United States of Indonesia, except over western New Guinea. The federal states soon dissolved, and a unitary republic was proclaimed on 17 August 1950.

Seat of power: Jakarta

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.