Mangkunegara IV
Encyclopedia
Mangkunegara IV was the fourth ruler of Mangkunegaran
, a small Principality based in Surakarta
, Java
, ruling from 1853-1881. His title before ascending was Pangeran Adipati.
During his reign, the foundations of estate agriculture producing coffee
and sugar
were established. The profits from the system were reinvested in the domains, instead of sent abroad as happened in many colonial situations; however, as typical for a less-developed economy, they were dependent on the world price of these cash crop
s. He abolished the appanage
system of compensating his retainers and officials, and instead paid them with salaries
. Nevertheless, Mangkunegara IV had to deal with the politics of the Dutch East India Company
as with the other rulers in central Java of the period. In 1857 and 1877, he was not able to reclaim land that was leased to European planters.
Mangkunegara IV's court is especially known for its contributions to the traditional arts. He himself was a prominent poet, and collaborated with Raden Ngabei Ronggawarsita (1802–1873), said to be the last of the great court poets. Mangkunegara IV's most famous poem is the Wedhatama ("Exalted Wisdom"), which praises morality consistent with the mystical Islam
of Java, in contrast to the more self-consciously Orthodox Islamic community.
He is also credited with the composition of several ketawang
, a gamelan
musical form, including Puspawarna
, which was included in the Voyager's
Golden Record
sent to outer space in 1970s.
Mangkunegaran
Mangkunegaran is a small hereditary Grand duchy located within the region of Surakarta in Indonesia.It was established in 1757 by Raden Mas Said, when he submitted his army to Pakubuwana III in February, and swore allegiance to the rulers of Surakarta, Yogyakarta, and the Dutch East Indies Company,...
, a small Principality based in Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, ruling from 1853-1881. His title before ascending was Pangeran Adipati.
During his reign, the foundations of estate agriculture producing coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
were established. The profits from the system were reinvested in the domains, instead of sent abroad as happened in many colonial situations; however, as typical for a less-developed economy, they were dependent on the world price of these cash crop
Cash crop
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for profit.The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family...
s. He abolished the appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
system of compensating his retainers and officials, and instead paid them with salaries
Salary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
. Nevertheless, Mangkunegara IV had to deal with the politics of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
as with the other rulers in central Java of the period. In 1857 and 1877, he was not able to reclaim land that was leased to European planters.
Mangkunegara IV's court is especially known for its contributions to the traditional arts. He himself was a prominent poet, and collaborated with Raden Ngabei Ronggawarsita (1802–1873), said to be the last of the great court poets. Mangkunegara IV's most famous poem is the Wedhatama ("Exalted Wisdom"), which praises morality consistent with the mystical Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
of Java, in contrast to the more self-consciously Orthodox Islamic community.
He is also credited with the composition of several ketawang
Ketawang
The ketawang is one of the gendhing structures used in Javanese gamelan music.Its colotomic structure is:where p indicates the strike of the kempyang, T the ketuk, P the kempul, N the kenong, and G the simultaneous stroke of the gong and kenong. The W indicates the wela, the pause where the kempul...
, a gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
musical form, including Puspawarna
Puspawarna
Puspawarna is a gamelan composition famous in Central Java. It is a ketawang in slendro pathet manyura. Thus the full title of the piece is Ketawang Puspawarna Laras Slendro Pathet Manyura. As manyura is the final pathet in a wayang performance, the mood it evokes is of ripeness or fulfillment.The...
, which was included in the Voyager's
Voyager program
The Voyager program is a U.S program that launched two unmanned space missions, scientific probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s...
Golden Record
Voyager Golden Record
The Voyager Golden Records are phonograph records which were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft, which were launched in 1977. They contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or for...
sent to outer space in 1970s.