Soul Catcher: Java’s Fiery Prince Mangkunagara I, 1726-95

ASAA Southeast Asian Publications Series

by M.C. Ricklefs

Mangkunagara I (1726-95) was one of the most flamboyant figures of 18th-century Java. A charismatic rebel from 1740 to 1757 and one of the foremost military commanders of his age, he won the loyalty of many followers. He was also a devout Muslim of the Mystic Synthesis style, a devotee of Javanese culture and a lover of beautiful women and Dutch gin. His enemies—the Surakarta court, his uncle the rebel and later Sultan Mangkubumi of Yogyakarta and the Dutch East India Company—were unable to subdue him, even when they united against him. In 1757 he settled as a semi-independent prince in Surakarta, pursuing his objective of as much independence as possible by means other than war, a frustrating time for a man who was a fighter to his fingertips. Professor Ricklefs here employs an extraordinary range of sources in Dutch and Javanese—among them Mangkunagara I’s voluminous autobiographical account of his years at war, the earliest autobiography in Javanese so far known—to bring this important figure to life. As he does so, our understanding of Java’s devastating civil war of the mid-18th century is transformed and much light is shed on Islam and culture in Java.

"The Prince Sambĕr Nyawa is a very familiar name among Indonesians. However, our knowledge on his life and role as member of the Mataram royal family is very limited. The story of his character circulated is more of myths than a historical figure. This book convincingly provides readers a very rich biography of this flamboyant man based on first hand Javanese primary sources, including Sĕrat Babad Pakunĕgaran, and the VOC archives."
–Oman Fathurahman, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University

"M.C. Ricklefs’ Soul Catcher is a rich and deeply textured portrait of Mangkunagara I (1726–95), a man who played a crucial role in in the history of 18th-century Java. Rickefs’ magisterial biography traces this prince’s life story, with an especially detailed history of the 15-year long military campaign he waged against the forces of the Dutch along with those of his various royal Javanese rivals. Ricklefs’ captivating narrative vividly displays his unparalled command and careful use of primary sources from both the Dutch colonial and the royal Javanese archives." –Nancy Florida, University of Michigan

Genres: History

432 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2018

About the author

Merle Calvin Ricklefs

Reviews

[Abrar Rizq · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is truly fascinating to learn about the story of a senior prince in this southern part of Central Java. I know very little about Mangkunegara I. Ricklefs' previous book, which I read about Mangkubumi and the division of Java, explains a little about Mangkunegara. While that book focused more on the history of the division of Java with Mangkubumi as the main actor, this book is a biography that portrays a military commander named Mangkunegara who also lived during the period of division and acquired the semi-autonomous Duchy of Mangkunegaran under Surakarta. There are two major parts that divide this book, namely the war of succession and the peaceful life that followed. Because Mangkunegara was a military figure, it is clear that the story of his war is detailed in this book. The rest is similar to the book Mangkubumi but with different actors. Ricklefs' language is always fluid and enjoyable. The introduction written by Peter Carey about M.C. Ricklefs in writing his last work and the twists and turns of publishing the Indonesian edition is also very interesting. Meanwhile, the epilogue describes the situation after Mangkunegara's death, which did not go smoothly for the palace and the region, which is still dominated by popular radical groups to this day. The use of the title Samber Nyawa, taken from the prince's posthumous title, always has a powerful effect. Interestingly, many Surakarta detachments still use the name Samber Nyawa.

[Miko · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 Babad jadi satu rangkuman kisah dari Mr Ricklefs tentang perjalanan perjuangan RM Said dalam upayanya merebut tahta Mataram.

Mr Ricklefs sebelumnya membuat kisah Mangkubumi ak. Hamengkubuwana 1.

Sang samber nyawa dapat digambarkan sebagai petarung tangguh tanpa kompromi dalan memperjuangkan kepentingannya melawan Trio Pakubuwono, VOC dan Mangkubumi.1

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good biography, drawing on really good sources. There could have been more depth on Mangkunagara's life after his war years, but the lack of depth in this section is at least partially due to a lack of historical sources.